These classic thumbprint cookies bring so many memories to my mind. My family has been making these thumbprint cookies for almost 15 years. My mom and I found a little cookie magazine many years ago in the grocery store, and it became our beloved “cookie book”. I think it’s probably the only cookie magazine we’ve ever bought, and baked every cookie in it. Mom still has that little magazine. It’s completely tattered, and worn, and has been stapled back together many times. We can still read it though! I suppose we’d better do something soon to preserve it.
This is the only thumbprint cookie recipe we’ve ever needed, it’s the best! It’s almost like a brown sugar shortbread cookie. This shortbread dough comes together quickly and makes around 3-4 dozen thumbprint cookies. You can use several different fillings and make up a beautiful cookie tray. The eggnog filling is our little twist from filling the cookies with jelly or chocolate.
Eggnog Thumbprint Cookies
Prepare by chopping nuts and separating eggs. Also, preheat your oven to 350°.
You will need 2- 2 1/2 cups finely crushed untoasted nuts to roll the cookies in. Pecans, walnuts, and macadamia are all excellent nut choices.
Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs.
Beat at low speed, scraping the bowl often, until the mixture forms a dough.
Using about 3 tsp. of dough, roll into a ball, dip in the egg whites, then roll in the chopped nuts. Using your thumb or the back of a teaspoon, indent the cookie. Bake 12-14 minutes, unless you’re using jam – see the notes above.
Remove from the oven and firm up the indentation with the back of a teaspoon. After 5 minutes, place them on a cookie rack to finish cooling. Fill with the eggnog filling, when they are completely cool.
Eggnog Filling
Fill each cookie with 1/2-1 tsp. of filling. Dust with freshly grated nutmeg.
Would you love to know another favorite filling of mine for these cookies? Oh my. I love this one. Fill the cookies with seedless raspberry jam, and after they are cool, drizzle with melted white chocolate. Love love. ❤️Jessica
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Eggnog Thumbprint Cookies | Classic Christmas Cookie
- Total Time: 43 minutes
- Yield: 36 Cookies
Description
These festive, melt-in-your-mouth cookies combine the rich, creamy flavor of eggnog with a buttery shortbread base.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 reserved egg yolks
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1 tsp. sea salt
2 cups nuts, chopped small
- Filling
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. eggnog or cream
1 tbsp. rum or 1 tsp. rum extract
Instructions
- Crush 2 cups of macadamia nuts, or pecans.
- Separate the two eggs.
- Whisk the egg yolks until foamy.
- Mix butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add the reserved egg yolks and blend just until mixed.
- Add the flour, extract, and salt.
- Mix, scraping the bowl often, until the mixture forms a dough. Do not over-mix the dough, mix only until things come together.
- Shape rounded teaspoonfuls (about 3 tsp.) of dough into balls.
- Dip each dough ball into the beaten egg whites, then roll in the chopped nuts.
- Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb or a measuring spoon back.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- While hot, lightly press the back of a teaspoon into each indentation to firm the shape up. Let cool.
Filling:
- Combine and beat together the softened butter, powdered sugar, eggnog, and extract or liquor. Beat until creamy and smooth. Fill each cookie with 1/2-1 tsp. of filling. Dust with freshly grated nutmeg.
- These cookies should be kept in the refrigerator until served.
Notes
I didn’t have rum, so I used Old Fashioned. You can use whatever extract or liquor you’d like.
I used a food processor to chop the nuts. If you don’t chop them enough, they fall off the cookie. Don’t crush them to powder though!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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Child of God, Wife to Josh, Mommy to my four sweet children. Thankful for busy days filled with homeschooling, homemaking and loving my little family! And sneaking in sewing and pattern design whenever I can 🙂