Chocolate Thumbprints

Grandmothers everywhere have made Thumbprint cookies at the holidays (and other times!). I think they are an excellent cookie and I love to make them with raspberry or cherry preserves. However when I stumbled across a chocolate version, I knew I had a hit on my hands with my family! Sure enough, when I first made these back around 2000 (?) it was requested I add them to my annual Christmas Baking List.

Chocolate Thumbprints

1/2 c butter
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 t vanilla
1 egg white, beaten
1 c flour
3/4 c finely chopped pecans
3/4 c chocolate chips

Cream the butter and brown sugar, beat in the egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually add the flour and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours until the dough is easy to handle. Roll into 1 inch balls. Dip one side in the egg white and then dip into the chopped nuts. Place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment. Use your thumb to make a nice deep thumbprint indentation into each.

Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes until the pecans are golden and the cookie is done. When you remove them, check to see if the thumbprint has baked out. If so, quickly press again or use the back of a spoon or the handle of a wooden spoon to press the indentation back in again.

While they cool melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stir smooth and spoon a tiny dollop into each indentation in the cookies. Let cool completely. Beautiful!