It's Christmas Eve and time to leave some cookies for Santa! I've done my research, and I can guarantee that these Christmas Thumbprint Cookies are Santa's absolute favorite. They're melt-in-your-mouth buttery soft shortbread cookies with a dab of sweet icing in the center. Santa is sure to be kind to your kids if he finds these waiting for him!
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My mom has made these thumbprint cookies for as long as I can remember. They just taste like Christmas to me! This year, I made my own for the first time - now I finally feel like a real grown-up.
Here's how to make them yourself. This recipe makes a TON of cookies (about 9 or 10 dozen) so they're a great choice for Christmas parties, gifts, or cookie exchanges!
Cookie Dough Ingredients:
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 c. butter
1 3/4 c. solid shortening
1/2 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
1 egg
8 1/2 c. flour
Cookie Directions:
Beat together the sugar, butter, shortening, salt and vanilla until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and mix, scraping down sides of bowl. Slowly add the flour, mixing only long enough to combine. You may have to mix some of the flour in by hand. If dough is too dry, add small spoonfuls of water until dough is just combined. Divide the dough into parts about the size of a baseball. Form each part into a long roll, about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap each log in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
Preheat oven to 350. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Place cut side up on lightly greased or parchment-covered cookie sheet. This dough doesn't spread or even out in the oven, so smooth out any cracks or crumbs before you bake them if a perfect appearance is important to you. You may want to wait for the dough to warm up a bit in order to help shape them.
Press thumb or other tool (I used the round, rubberized, handle of a whisk) in center of each cookie to make indentation. Bake for 8-10 minutes-- just until edges begin to turn slightly golden. Don't let them brown. Press thumb or tool in indentation again while cookies are still warm. Cool completely. Time for icing!
Icing Ingredients:
2 c. confectioner's or powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
pinch salt
water
food coloring
Icing Directions:
Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. You should be able to slowly drizzle icing from a spoon to form a puddle in the cookie indentations.
Divide icing into separate bowls to make different colors. Add food coloring as desired.
Using a small spoon, drizzle into the center of the cookies.
After you've eaten all you can stand, put some by the fireplace with a nice cold glass of milk on Christmas Eve and make Santa's night.
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This post is part of a Happy Holidays Good Eats & Treats
