Grandma’s Perfect Jam Thumbprint Cookies

• Refrigerated

  • 2 Yolks from organic eggs, large

• Baking & Spices

  • 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour, pure organic unbleached
  • 1/4 tsp Almond extract, pure
  • 2/3 cup Cane sugar, organic granulated
  • 2/3 cup Confectioners' sugar, organic
  • 1/4 tsp Sea salt, fine-grain
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract, pure

• Dairy

  • 1 cup Butter, organic grass-fed unsalted

• Other

  • Homemade or fine-quality organic strawberry and/or seedless red raspberry jam

Found on wickedgoodkitchen.com

Description

Ingredients

• For the Cookies
• 1 cup (2 sticks/226 grams) organic grass-fed unsalted butter, softened
• ⅔ cup (80 grams) organic confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 large yolks from organic eggs (mine weighed 36 grams w/o shells)
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) pure almond extract, optional
• ¼ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
• 2½ cups (300 grams) pure organic unbleached all-purpose flour, such as Hodgson Mill®
• For the Sugar Coating
• ⅔ cup (133 grams) organic granulated cane sugar, or regular granulated sugar
• For the Jam Filling
• Homemade or fine-quality organic strawberry and/or seedless red raspberry jam

Directions

• Arrange oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 325ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Place granulated sugar for Sugar Coating in a small bowl and combine strawberry and raspberry jams (about ⅔ cup total) for Jam Filling in another small bowl; set aside. If desired, keep jams separate to fill the cookies.
• Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or handheld electric mixer, beat butter until creamy and smooth. Beat in confectioner’s sugar and mix until well incorporated scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula when necessary. Add egg yolks, extracts (if using both) and salt; mix until well blended. On low speed, gradually add flour and mix until just fully incorporated. Once again, scrape the bowl with rubber spatula when needed. Do not chill the dough.
• Measure enough dough to roll into small ball shapes using a 1-inch spring-loaded cookie scoop (or with a teaspoon from a measuring spoon set) making sure each scoopful is in equal amounts. This is important for evenly baked cookies.
• Roll dough between palms of hands to achieve small rounded balls and then roll in granulated sugar to coat. Place dough balls on prepared baking sheets at least 1½ inches apart. With index finger, or end of wooden spoon handle, make imprints into the center of each dough ball. Spoon a small amount of jam into the center of each dough ball.
• Bake in preheated oven until cookies are just beginning to lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Do not overbake.
• Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes. Then, carefully remove cookies from baking sheet using a thin metal cookie spatula and transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Once completely cooled, transfer cookies to an airtight container. Repeat with remaining dough on prepared cookie sheets.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.