BB: Jam Thumbprint Cookies

This weeks recipe for the Barefoot Bloggers is Jam Thumbprint cookies, chosen by  Cassandra of Foodie with Little Thyme.

I have been trying to successfully make a jam thumbprint cookie for awhile now. My best friend from grade school makes a lethal one and I have tried my hand, somewhat (okay a lot) less successfully. Which is why I was glad this recipe was chosen as I figured Ina would have a cookie that knocked everything else out of the park.

Now I rarely meet a cookie that I didn't like. I have met a few that I've been relatively indifferent to and unfortunately, this were one of them. Poor cookie..it might not have entirely been it's fault considering I had to make an emergency substitution of Nutella for the jam when I knocked the jar off the counter and it shattered into tiny little pieces all over my floor. Considering the crappy weather, Nutella was the second place runner up.

I had problems with this recipe overall. It was a pain to roll the dough together into a disc for refrigeration. Also, I didn't like the coconut with the cookie dough too much...it just gave it an odd, rustic appearance that wasn't really my thing. Taste wise, it was decent. But considering the millions of cookie recipes that are floating around in the world today, I can't see making this twice when there's so much more to explore in the culinary world.

My overall grade...a B-. It was chewy and I liked the taste mostly of the cookie because it reminded me of shortbread (well with 3 sticks of butter it's hard for it not to). Please check out the other bakers over at Barefoot Bloggers, most of who raved about it enthusiastically as every cookie deserves a fair shot. It just may not have been my "thing."

Now my coworkers did really like these when I bought them in so this was definitely a personal issue with me. Although I'll have to admit that they did taste a little yummier the day after so maybe it may have just been a question of letting the flavors deepen a little more. 


JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES - INA GARTEN

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 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

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

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.

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.