Thumbprint cookies are traditional holiday cookies that originated in Sweden. Almond and jam thumbprint cookies are shortbread cookies with a touch of almond flour and a little orange zest. They can be filled with your favorite jam.
Many people prefer to use a seedless jam. I do not have a preference. For these thumbprint cookies this holiday season, I used a chuckleberry seeded jam that my friend Mollie brought me from Montana.
A chuckleberry is a hybrid between a red currant, a gooseberry, and a jostaberry. This blend of different flavors results in a dark red/purple fruit around the size of a blackcurrant, with a complex, yet delicious taste. This tart berry was the perfect contrast to my almond, citrus, and buttery dough.
The cookies are easy to make and you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry. You will need parchment paper to line a couple of sheet pans for these delicate butter cookies.
Use all purpose flour and finely ground almond flour, not almond meal, to make the cookies. Like most shortbread cookies, beat butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy. The flour mixture is added gradually until the ingredients are combined to form a soft dough.
Some recipes recommend refrigerating the dough at this point until it is firm. I roll the dough into balls and then refrigerate the cookies for about 15 minutes before baking.
You can use the tip of a wooden spoon or your pinky finger to make an indentation in the cookie for the jam. Make sure that you do not puncture the cookie or the jam will seep out.
Now fill the indentation with jam of your choice and place the sheet pans in the oven. After the cookies cool, sprinkle them with powdered sugar using a sifter.
These cookies make a beautiful holiday presentation with tea or for dessert or a welcome holiday gift for friends and family. Happy holidays! Check out more of my holiday cookie recipes here.
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