Thumbprint Cookies – Coconut Style

Mmmmm – I love thumbprint cookies.  Since I’m supposed to be losing weight – I don’t bake much….but it’s cool out these last few days, and I need to send a care package to my daughter who is a Freshman at Northern Arizona University – so I’m baking cookies to send in her box.

Some thumbprint recipes don’t call for coconut, some want you to put a glaze on top, some are rolled in cinnamon and topped with apple butter (yum) – Maddie loves thumbprint cookies with coconut and berry jam -so that’s what she gets!  We brought home some Marionberry jam from our Oregon vacation last month – so I’m setting her up with some tasty treats.  

Here’s my recipe – its probably very similar to other thumbprint cookie recipes – but it’s easy, has minimal ingredients – and is very tasty!

Marionberry Thumbprint Cookies - Coconut Style

Tasty - Easy - Beautiful - what more do you need?
Author Carrie Hill

Ingredients

  • 1 C Butter Softened
  • 2/3 C Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Milk
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
  • 2 C Flour I've used whole wheat pastry flour with good results as well
  • 1/2 to 3/4 C Shredded Coconut I use sweetened, but you can also use unsweetened if that's what you have
  • 1/4 to 1/2 C Marionberry Jam or whatever you like

Instructions

  1. In your mixer bowl (hand-held or stand style) cream the butter and sugar together, then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
  2. Mix in the flour - I recommend you fold this in by hand - do not overmix! If you do use the mixer, use it sparingly.
  3. Chill the dough for about 20 minutes so it's easy to roll into balls.
  4. Roll each 3/4-1" ball in the shredded coconut - press it in so it sticks. You CAN roll the balls in egg wash if you like, but I find if you just press it a little bit, the coconut sticks just fine.
  5. Place the balls about 1" apart on a baking sheet and gently press an indentation with your thumb - don't press hard - it doesn't need to go all the way through to the sheet.
  6. spoon about 1/2 to 3/4 tsp of jam in each cookie.
  7. Bake about 13 minutes until the cookie is just set and the coconut is golden brown
  8. Cool completely on newspaper & enjoy!