Thursday, February 10, 2011

Chocolate Thumbprints


With a hug here and a kiss there, these cookies speak right to the heart as subtle sweetness unfolds in every bite. Delicious!

I have had my eye on these cookies for some time, but for one reason or another I kept passing over them as I worked my way down my "to bake" list. I decided this week was a great time to try them; the incorporation of Hershey kisses made these a perfect cookie for pre-Valentine's baking. So let me tell you, these thumbprints really exceeded my expectations. They are delectable! The chocolate cookie was not overly rich, which paired nicely with the sweet yummy filling, and the walnuts added great texture. I thought about tinting the filling either red or pink, but I wasn't gifting these so I didn't bother with that extra step... could be a nice touch though if you're making these for someone special.
For this recipe, I used raw sugar. Whoa! I'm really shaking things up over here by stepping outside the box! I'm totally kidding... but I have heard and read that baking with raw sugar as opposed to refined white sugar is a better choice. Though I realize that raw sugar is not "good" for you, I know that it's at least not as "bad" for you as white sugar or even brown sugar... so I felt slightly less guilty. :) I encourage you to give it a try (if you haven't already).

XOXO

Ingredients
Yields about 18-20 cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/4 tsp sea salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup raw sugar
1 egg, separated
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Filling:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
10 Hershey Kisses and 10 Hershey Hugs 

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; dip in egg white, then roll in walnuts. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes or until center is set.

For filling, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk and vanilla in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon into each warm cookie; gently press a kiss or a hug in the center. Carefully remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

Source: adapted from The Taste of Home Baking Book


20 comments:

veggietestkitchen on February 10, 2011 at 11:50 PM said...

these are adorable. i really like them. now they're going on my to do list. haha, it may be a while before i get to them though! thanks for sharing. cheers.

Rachel on February 10, 2011 at 11:54 PM said...

These look absolutely fabulous!

Jill Colonna on February 11, 2011 at 5:16 AM said...

They look so sweet. Raw sugar great idea. Small enough to have one, two, three....

Lynn on February 11, 2011 at 7:10 AM said...

Thanks for sharing! Look good!

Carolyn on February 11, 2011 at 7:29 AM said...

Gorgeous! I personally think sugar is sugar, but that's only because my diabetes can't tell the difference. They contain the same amount of carbs, so my body processes them the same way (i.e. very poorly!). But I do think raw sugar can give things an interesting texture and flavour.

Carolyn on February 11, 2011 at 7:31 AM said...

I just retweeted these. ARe you on Twitter?

Lindsey on February 11, 2011 at 8:19 AM said...

Hi Carolyn,

Unfortunately raw sugar isn't a substitution for diabetics to use, but it is a nice trade for those who bake with white or brown sugar because it is less processed and there are no added chemicals.

Haven't quite found my way to Twitter yet, but might look into it soon. :) Thanks for tweeting for me!

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake on February 11, 2011 at 8:39 AM said...

WOW, the additional kiss on top looks SO lovely! Great idea!

Happy When Not Hungry on February 11, 2011 at 10:52 AM said...

Wow these cookies look amazing. Yum!

Lindsay @Eat, Knit, Grow on February 11, 2011 at 12:00 PM said...

Yum! those look so delicious and beautiful!

Steph on February 11, 2011 at 2:16 PM said...

What a great looking cookie!! Rhank you so much for sharing! I'll have to make these for sure!

Harvesting for Life on February 11, 2011 at 3:16 PM said...

Those are adorable! I love little thumbprint cookies. They're just the perfect cookie if you ask me! Yum!

Cheryl and Adam @ pictureperfectmeals.com on February 11, 2011 at 3:58 PM said...

These are so pretty it would almost be a shame to eat them. Almost.

Katie on February 11, 2011 at 6:45 PM said...

These were my favorite cookies as a kid! Yum!

Debbie B. on February 11, 2011 at 7:09 PM said...

The thumbprints look great! I've never baked with raw sugar but try and use it in my coffee!

briarrose on February 11, 2011 at 8:56 PM said...

These are so pretty. Lovely job.

Annie on February 12, 2011 at 11:56 AM said...

These are way fancier than the stuff you see at the store. So pretty!

Amy Bakes Everything on February 12, 2011 at 8:10 PM said...

These are so sweet! I'm going to try these tomorrow (for serious!)

kita on February 13, 2011 at 5:57 PM said...

These are such pretty cookies!

Desi on February 23, 2011 at 1:52 AM said...

Great photo! I saw your recipe over at Sweets for a Saturday and had to check out your blog. So glad I did, I am your newest follower!

Check out my blog and follow back if you like!

http://steaknpotatoeskindagurl.blogspot.com

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