Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies with Jam
Classic thumbprint cookies are given a festive twist with homemade pistachio flour, chopped pistachios, and a raspberry jam filling. It can be very easy to over-measure flour (see my guide on how to measure flour!), resulting in a drier, crumblier dough, if you use cup measurements for thumbprint cookies. I strongly recommend using a scale and the metric measurements provided for best results.
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups (200 grams) shelled pistachios, raw or dry roasted divided
- 1 cup (120 grams) plus 2 teaspoons (6 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces (8 tablespoons; 115g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg white
- powdered sugar for dusting
- ⅔ cup (210 grams) raspberry or blackcurrant preserves
Instructions
- Note: It can be very easy to over-measure flour, resulting in a drier, crumblier dough, if you use volume measurements for thumbprint cookies. I strongly recommend using a scale and the metric measurements provided below for this recipe. If you don't have a scale, be sure to read my guide on how to properly measure flour before starting.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper (or a silicone baking sheet) and set aside.
- Place ⅔ cup shelled pistachios in the bowl of small to medium food processor bowl, and pulse until coarsely chopped. Set aside in a bowl. Combine the remaining ⅔ cup shelled pistachios and the 2 teaspoons of all-purpose flour in the empty food processor bowl, and pulse repeatedly until finely ground.
- Whisk together the pistachio flour, remaining 1 cup all-purpose flour and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Combine the softened butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and mix thoroughly. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice until the dough comes together. Note: If the dough still appears crumbly or too dry, you can add a small splash of milk or water to help bring it together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white until lightly frothy. Using your fingertips, roll the cookie dough into roughly 1-inch diameter balls (about 1 tablespoonful). If you make them slightly larger, the yield will be closer to 16-18 cookies. Dip each ball lightly into the egg white, and then roll in the crushed pistachios until evenly coated. Place the balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets (roughly 12 cookies per sheet). Holding the cookie balls steady with one hand, create an indent in the center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon, pushing down until just before you reach the baking sheet. Re-shape each cookie into a circle with your fingertips as necessary.
- Bake the cookies, rotating the sheets halfway through the baking time, until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden, about 15 to 18 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 3 to 4 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool. Using a fine-meshed sieve, dust the cookies very lightly with powdered sugar.
- In a small saucepan, heat the raspberry jam (or blackcurrant, if using) until it reaches a boil. Remove the jam from the heat and spoon ½ to 1 teaspoon of jam into the center of each cookie. Allow the jam to cool and set completely before serving or storing.
- Leftover thumbprint cookies can be stored in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper, at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Tips for Success:
- Feel free to mix these cookies up with your favorite jam, nut, or even go as far as to add a chocolate filling.
- Leftover thumbprint cookies can be stored in an airtight container, between layers of parchment, at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 93kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 69mg, Sugar: 7g