Staff Holiday Recipe: Thumbprint Cookies

?? SweetwaterNOW staff member Lillian shares a Holiday recipe:

I first made these beautiful Christmas cookies with my mom two years ago and just fell in love with them. The dough is a bit tricky to get to set up perfectly, but either way, these cookies melt in your mouth.

And they are such a pretty Christmas cookie with the candied cherry in the middle. You can easily make these cookies without the nuts if you’d like, but I prefer them with.”
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~ Lillian Palmer

Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

*Makes two dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soft shortening
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
1 cup sifted flour (add more if needed)
1/4 tsp salt
Beaten egg whites
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
Chopped candied fruit (or substitute confectioners frosting)

Directions:
Mix thoroughly: soft shortening, butter; brown sugar (packed), egg yolk, and vanilla extract.

Sift together: sifted flour and salt.

Mix and roll into 1 inch balls.

Dip in slightly beaten egg whites. Roll in finely chopped nuts. Start with a 1/2 cup.

Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet and press thumb in center of each cookie.

Bake until set, then place a bit of chopped candied fruit or confectioners frosting in the thumbprint.

Baking temp: 375 degrees

Baking time: 10 minutes

Take part in the Christmas Cookie Contest.

Learn how here!

How To Participate

While you’re doing your annual baking of cookies this month, send us your favorite Christmas cookie recipe along with a photo of the finished cookie product and we will post your recipe to our website!

Email recipes to lillian@sweetwaternow.com.
- Optional: Feel free to send in any additional photos of the baking process or of you making the cookies to include with your recipe. It’s all in the Christmas Cookie Spirit!
- Optional: Include a little background information about your recipe or about your experience making the cookies to go along with the recipe, if you like.

As our Christmas gift to you, one lucky cookie recipe contestant will win a $25 gift card to the Outlaw Inn.