Christmas Cookies - Thumbprints

 

My favorite!

Thumbprint Cookies

1 ½ c butter, unsalted, room temperature
1 t vanilla extract
½ t salt
1 c sugar
3 ½ c flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, cream together butter & sugar. Stir in vanilla.

In medium bowl, mix flour & salt.

Combine flour & butter mixture until dough is crumbly but hold together when pinched. Take a walnut-sized piece of dough in one hand. With thumb of other hand, gently knead three times. Roll into a ball and place on ungreased cookie sheet. With knuckle or thumb, press a well in the center and fill with jelly.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Notes:

This looks like a rather time consuming cookie. I fill my cookie sheets with a dozen balls each and make the well & bake. Then I continue to knead and make little balls, placing them on wax paper. When the cookie sheets are cool, I place the balls on the sheets, make the well & bake.

I bake my cookies without jelly. When the cookies are cool, I put frosting, tinted for the season, into the well. Then I let the frosting harden & freeze.