Thumbprint Cookies
About 36 cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted
butter, softened
2/3 cup white granulated
sugar
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
In the large bowl, beat
together the butter and sugar until creamy (use an electric mixer for best
results). Add the egg, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. Stir in flour and mix until just blended.
Divide the dough into 3
disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate
for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350
degrees. Grease or line 2 cookie sheets.
Working with one portion of
dough at a time, roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Place balls on cookie sheets, 2 inches
apart. Using your thumb or a deep
rounded measuring spoon, make an imprint in each cookie. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the cookies
are lightly colored on top and slightly darker at the edges. When you remove from the oven, let the
cookies stand briefly in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack.
COOKS NOTES: Dough can be made several hours ahead of
time.
For best results, bake one
sheet at a time, in the middle of the oven.
If you need to speed up the process, bake two sheets at a time, but make
sure to rotate them half way through the baking time.
EASTER EGG NESTS
Place a small amount of
green icing into each cookie imprint.
Top with a bit of green tinted coconut.
Using small candy eggs, anchor the egg into the next using a dab of the
frosting.
CHOCOLATE KISS COOKIES
When the cookies have baked
for 5 minutes, remove from the oven.
Place an unwrapped chocolate kiss candy in each imprint. Return to the oven and bake for the remaining
5 -7 minutes.
Quick White Icing
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’
(powdered) sugar, sifted
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted
butter, very soft but not melted
4 - 6 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: food coloring of choice
In a medium bowl, beat
together the sugar and butter, using an electric mixer on medium speed.
Add 4 tablespoons milk,
vanilla and salt. Beat until smooth. Add
additional milk as needed to the desired consistency. Note that this icing tends to thicken on its
own after it sets for a few minutes.
To add food coloring: add a few
drops mixed in with the milk. If you
desire a darker color, add more drops while mixing.
Cooks Notes: An easy way to sift the sugar
is to place it in a colander set over a large bowl. Simply tap the colander against your hand to
sift into the bowl. This will give the icing a much lighter consistency.
Optional Flavoring:
For lemon icing, add the grated zest of 1 lemon to the sugar mixture
and use 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus milk as needed for the
liquid.
For orange icing, add the grated
zest of 1 small orange to the sugar mixture and replace the milk with fresh
orange juice.
Do Ahead Notes:
This can be kept at room
temperature for 3 days when kept covered.
It will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Make sure to soften and stir or beat until
smooth before using
Tinted Coconut
Coconut, flaked
Food coloring
Put ½ - 1 cup of coconut into a glass jar with
lid. Add a few drops of food
coloring. Close lid and shake until the
coconut is completely colored.
NOTES: You can use a plastic container but the food
coloring may stain.
Start with 2-3 drops of food
coloring and add more when you desire a darker color.
