Tried-and-true recipe that produces a crispy outside, chewy middle, and a very attractive appearance. I use raspberry jam (and no, you cannot substitute jelly). But any thick jam will do. Mix them up for a rainbow effect!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time35 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Black Raspberry Recipes, Raspberry Desserts, Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Servings: 24cookies
Author: Don Herman
Ingredients
1 3/4cupAll-purpose flour
1/4tspbaking powder
1/2tspsalt
2/3cupsugar
1tspvanilla
3/4cupbutter
1/2cupraspberry jamor other flavor
1lgegg
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy - about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and egg and beat to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 3 parts, beating gently just until the flour is incorporated.
With your hand, grab the dough and roll it around a bit to make sure all the dry ingredients are combined. You should have a soft lump of dough.
Prepare the Cookies for Baking
This process will go quickly if you prepare before you dive in. Have your prepared dough and lined cookie sheet nearby. Find a flat tablespoon measure - one that you can scrape level against a bowl (see photo). Fill a 1/4 measuring cup about 1/2 full of flour. Open and stir the jam so that it can drop from a teaspoon. Now you're ready.
With a flat tablespoon, scrape up a tablespoon of dough, leveling it against the bowl. Peel it out with your fingers and roll it into a ball. Drop the ball on your cookie sheet. Immediately press a depression into the ball with another, smaller round half-teaspoon (see photo). Place the small spoon into the flour, giving it a good coat. This will make it easy to release in the next cookie.Leave about 2" between cookies. They do spread a bit. If you wait to make the depressions, the dough will dry out and you'll get cracked cookies.
When the sheet is full, fill each depression with about 3/4 tsp of jam. I use a simple table spoon - it slides off easier.
Bake the cookies at 350F for 15 or 16 minutes - just until you can see some golden color along the bottom edges. Remove from oven and cool on the sheet for about five minutes, then cool on a rack.
Store tightly sealed. They will dry out very quickly, so to retain the moist chewiness don't leave them out!