When I dig out my best cookie recipes, they remind me of baking when my children were little. These thumbprints with cherries elicit sweet memories..
Chocolate Cherry Thumbprints
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature, separated
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped salted roasted almonds
FILLING:
- 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
- 2 teaspoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon 2% milk
TOPPINGS:
- 24 maraschino cherries
- 4 ounces milk chocolate candy coating, melted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening, brown sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, until easy to handle, 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-1/4-in. balls. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Place almonds in a separate shallow bowl. Dip balls in egg white; roll in almonds.
Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with your thumb. Bake until edges are light brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks.
In a small bowl, beat confectioners’ sugar, cherry juice, butter and milk until smooth. Fill each cookie with 1/4 tsp. filling; top with 1 cherry. Drizzle with candy coating. Let stand until set.
