Recipe: Thumbprints Cookies

Thumbprints Cookies
Yield about 2 dozens + cookies


Ingredients:

• 
  
• All Purposed Flour (Spooned & Leveled, Sifted) 2 1/2 cups
• Confectioners' sugar, divided, plus more, sifted, for rolling 3/4 cups
• Fine Salt 1/2tsp
• Unsalted butter, room temperature 2 sticks or 1 cup
• Grated Lemon Zest 1 Tsp (1 lemon)
• Lemon Juice 1 Tsp
• Grated Lime Zest 1 Tsp
• Lime Juice 1 Tsp
• Fruit jam or citrus curd whisked to remove lumps, for filling ~1/3 cup
• Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds.
2. Lined baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Clear the refrigerator to allow the baking sheet to go into the freezer.
4. Sift flour and Combine flour, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, and salt.
5. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter, remaining 1/4 cup sugar (optional), and citrus zest and juice on medium until combined; increase speed to high and beat until pale and fluffy, 5 minutes.  (Note:  I made this recipe on a very winter cold day.  The butter is not mixing well with the dry ingredients.  So, I used my hands to combine them.)
6. Beat in flour mixture on low. Roll rounded tablespoons dough into balls; place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
7. Freeze dough balls for 10 minutes to stay in shape.
8. Remove dough balls from freezer and put baking sheets to bake for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from oven; use the flat bottom of a glass to press down each dough ball slowly to flatten the cookies. 

10. Use a small end of a melon baller or a small round measuring spoon to make indents in centers of cookies for jelly filling.

Note:  I used some surround wrap to clog the hole in my melon baller.

11. Return the indented cookies to the oven.  For even baking, rotating the baking sheets to bake until set and light golden at edges for about 12 minutes more.

12. Remove from the oven.  Transfer the cookies from parchment paper to wire racks.  Let the cookies cool 10 minutes.

13.  Optional step as I am not too big on sweets:  Serve very soon because of the confectioners' sugar will be absorbed and become heavy/damp.  Gently toss the warm cookies in sifted confectioners' sugar.  Then, sift more sugar over tops.  (OMG!)

14.  Mix jam well for an even consistency.  Fill cookie centers with jam.

15.  If boxing cookies as a gift, set the jam by baking cookies on the cookie rack without the parchment paper for another 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool completely.

16.  If not boxing, serve!