Lemon & Cherry Jam Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

As I pulled these miniature thumbprint cookies out of the oven, a very vivid memory flooded through my mind. When I was in grade 6, I ran for a student council-like role in my elementary school. My parents and I made piles of badges and posters, and my friends helped me adorn every unsuspecting student with a badge that read "Vote for Dara!" I was running against two other girls, who put just as much effort into rallying the troops as I did. Finally, the day came to stand up in front of the school and "wow" them with our rah-rah spirit and public speaking prowess. Did I mention we were 11 years old? I was slated to speak last and, as I impatiently waited my turn, butterflies did a very ungraceful dance around my stomach. Over the previous days, I practiced my speech multiple times so that I would not have to look at my cue cards, and proudly ended each practice run with a confident "Remember, good things come in small packages!" (I was certain that I was the author of that clever little line.) The first girl stood up to deliver her speech, stuttered through it nervously and, to my horror, ended her speech with my "small packages" line. Everything went downhill from there. The second girl ended her speech with the same line. Flustered and embarrassed, I stumbled through my well-rehearsed words and practically whispered my closing line to a smattering of applause.

Despite the botched speech and that infamous line running through my head to haunt me, I do in fact believe that good things really do come in small packages. These cookies, fresh with lemon zest and filled with sweet cherry jam, are no exception. The cookie portion has the texture of shortbread, while the filling takes on a lovely sticky consistency when baked. The ingredients list is short and kids have a ball helping to make the indentations in the dough.

The recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl, using a hand mixer), beat together room temperature butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Next, beat in egg yolks, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and salt until combined. Lower the speed of the mixer to low and add all-purpose flour in two additions. Beat until moist clumps of dough form.

Using your hands or a rubber spatula, press the dough together. Using 2 teaspoons of dough for each cookie, form the dough into balls. Place the balls of dough on prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Using the round portion of a ¼-teaspoon measure, make a deep indentation in each ball.

Fill each indentation with cherry jam. Fill until just below the lip of the indentation. If you fill it too high, the jam will come bubbling out during baking.

Bake the cookies until firm to the touch and golden on the bottom, 9 to 11 minutes, switching the baking sheets top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then remove with a metal spatula and cool on wire cooling racks.

If not serving immediately, store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight containers.

Lemon & Cherry Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
4 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoon (approximately) good-quality cherry jam

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly coat two baking sheets with cooking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl, using a hand mixer), beat together room temperature butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Next, beat in egg yolks, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and salt until combined. Lower the speed of the mixer to low and add all-purpose flour in two additions. Beat until moist clumps of dough form. Using your hands or a rubber spatula, press the dough together. Using 2 teaspoons of dough for each cookie, form the dough into balls. Place the balls of dough on prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Using the round portion of a ¼-teaspoon measure, make a deep indentation in each ball. Fill each indentation with cherry jam. Fill until just below the lip of the indentation. If you fill it too high, the jam will come bubbling out during baking.

Bake the cookies until firm to the touch and golden on the bottom, 9 to 11 minutes, switching the baking sheets top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then remove with a metal spatula and cool on wire cooling racks.

If not serving immediately, store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight containers.

Makes about 36 cookies.

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