Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
An easy wintertime classic cookie gets even more decadent with the addition of chocolate. Mix and match with Nutella for a chocolate hazelnut thumbprint cookie, or roll in pistachios and top with dulce de leche.
Equipment
- baking tray
Ingredients
Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 eggs separated
- 1½ tsp vanilla
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and levelled
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
Coating
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp water
- 1⅔ cups walnuts finely chopped, or 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut or 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Filling
- ¼-⅓ cup Nutella or dulce de leche
- assorted sprinkles optional
- finely chopped pistachios optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- In large bowl, beat butter, sugar and salt until light. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time; beat in vanilla until combined.
- In separate bowl, whisk flour and cocoa; stir into butter mixture until incorporated. Roll dough, 1 level tbsp at a time, into balls.
- Whisk egg whites and water until frothy. Place walnuts in a shallow dish. Using fork, dip each ball into egg whites, then into nuts to coat. Place 2 in. (5 cm.) apart on prepared pans. Press thumb into centres to make wells.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Press centres with bottom of wooden spoon and fill with scant ½ tsp jam. Return to oven and bake until edges are golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Or spoon ½ tsp Nutella into centre of each cookie. Garnish with sprinkles (if using).
- Or spoon ½ tsp Nutella or dulce de leche into centre of each cookie. Garnish with sprinkles (if using).
Notes
Tip:
Cover cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm if dough is too soft to handle.Chocolate thumbprint cookie recipe variations:
- For Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies, spoon ½ tsp Nutella into centre of each cookie.
- For Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies, spoon ½ tsp dulce de leche into centre of each cookie.
- For Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, spoon ½ tsp raspberry jam into centre of each cookie.
- For Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies, spoon ½ tsp cherry jam into centre of each cookie.
- For Chocolate Coconut Thumbprint Cookies, use sweetened shredded coconut to cover each cookie.