Holiday Thumbprint Cookies

I make about a dozen different kinds of Christmas cookies each year.  A handful of these cookies are my designated cookies that I make each year.  One of my designated cookies that I make each year are the Holiday Thumbprint Cookies.  I actually double the recipe because I believe they look pretty on Christmas cookie trays and also they go really fast!  I make them with an apricot preserve filling and a rasberry preserve filling.  You can fill them with chocolate, carmels, nuts, cherries, or anything else you can think of that would taste good.



HOLIDAY THUMBPRIINT COOKIES 

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, seperated

• 1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Suggested Coatings:

• 2 1/2 cups finely chopped peanuts, almonds, peacans or walnuts

Suggested Fillings:

• Carmels cut in half, chocolate stars, fruit preserves, maraschino cherries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all cookie ingredients in large bowl or mixer.  Beat on low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (2 to 3 minutes)
3. Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
4. If using a nut coating; beat egg whites in a small bowl with fork until foamy.  Dip each ball of dough into egg white; roll in choice of suggested coating. 
5. If not using a coating just place dough balls one inch apart onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
6. Make an indention into each ball with your thumb or back of a teaspoon. 
7. Bake for 8 minutes
8. Remove cookies from oven; fill centers with choice of suggested fillings.
9. Continue baking for 6 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

* Recipe Courtesy of Land O Lakes