Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 25 mins

Servings: 48 servings

These thumbprint cookies are made with rich butter and cream cheese dough. Press your thumb into the center of each ball of cookie dough and fill them with your favorite fruit preserves or jam. Strawberry or seedless raspberry jam is an excellent choice, or use apricot preserves.

The cookies are made with the addition of chopped pecans. The cookies may be rolled in extra chopped pecans before filling. Chopped almonds or walnuts may be substituted.

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

• 1 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Heat the oven to 350 F. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

   

3. Beat the butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl until light. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in the vanilla.

   

4. Add flour and baking soda; mix well.

   

5. Fold in the chopped pecans; mix well; chill dough for 30 minutes.

   

6. Shape the chilled dough into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheets.

   

7. Make an indentation in the center of each ball with a thumb or finger. Fill each indentation with about 1 teaspoon of the preserves.

   

8. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

   

Makes about 4 to 5 dozen.

Tips and Variations

• Use walnuts or chopped almonds in place of the pecans, or omit the nuts.

• Instead of adding nuts to the dough, coat the cookies with chopped nuts. Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Roll the dough balls in the egg mixture, then in chopped nuts or coconut. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet and make the thumbprint indentation in each cookie; fill with preserves.

• Instead of chopped nuts, fold crumbled toasted coconut into the cookie dough.