12 days of christmas baking - day 5: jam thumbprints

hello there! here is day 5's recipe – jam thumbprints. i have to say they are for sure some of my favorite things this time of year. i went through the entire holiday season last year without making these goodies because there were so many other recipes i wanted to try last time. but this year, i'm not skipping out on these guys again. they are so, so good. i love how buttery the cookies are and those coconut flakes/pieces gives you that nice added crunch.

this particular jam thumbprint recipe is near and dear to my heart. it was one of the first cookie recipes i ever baked when i started baking several years back. after having c and being home during the holidays, i watched so many food network cooking shows, ina garten's barefoot contessa to be more precise. i couldn't help it but pick up my mother-in-law's hand mixer and try ina's jam thumbprint recipe out. and i'm so glad i did because this recipe is for sure my favorite by far of all jam thumbprint recipes. i've tried others since, but have always gone back to this one. i think it must be the added coconut or something that does it. or maybe that it's more like a shortbread. whatever it is, it's very good.

so below's the recipe if you'd like to give these a try. i'm sure you'll fall in love with it just like i did. enjoy and happy baking this holiday season! :)


these jam thumbprints are so, so good. it's like a buttery shortbread cookie with toasted coconut flakes.


these thumbprint cookies are just some of my favorite things this time of year.

jam thumbprints
recipe from ina garten of the food network

ingredients:

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
• Raspberry and/or apricot jam (you can use any jam you have around, i used blackberry and apricot)

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

makes about 4 dozen cookies.

check out last year's day 5 recipe: mrs. jew's crispy cookies