Thumbprint Cookie Variations
When I was growing up, I only knew of one type of Thumbprint cookie, the kind we made every Christmas. Always one of my favorite, they are a buttery shortbread-like cookie that are rolled in chopped walnuts and filled with different jams or jellies - I remember using mint jelly for a holiday green color and strawberry, raspberry or current for red. I don't know if we used a gold jelly when I was young, but for part of my tradition, I like to use apricot jelly. These cookies add great color to a cookie plate - red, green and gold.
Now, everywhere you turn, you find a different Thumbprint cookie. For instance, depending on the flavor profile of the cookie, nuts may be used, or left out of the recipe. Instead the cookies may be dusted with confectioner's sugar, drizzled with frosting or melted chocolate, or just left plain. The shortbread dough may be flavored with almond and filled with raspberry jelly for a raspberry almond twist on the cookie. Or I've seen several recipes for a shortbread flavored with lemon and filled with lemon curd. Other interesting variations are peanut butter and jelly, cookies filled with caramel and drizzled with chocolate, a nutella filling with sea salt, a coconut flavored shortbread, and the list goes on. Being a basic shortbread, his cookie lends itself to endless variations.
