12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Thumbprint Cookies

On the eleventh day of Christmas,

My true love sent to me

Eleven thumbprint cookies,

Ten festive pinwheels,

Nine shortbread cookies,

Eight gingerbread people,

Seven layer cookies,

Six Snickerdoodles,

Five Sugar Cookies,

Four Viennese Crescents,

Three Candy Cane cookies,

Two Toffee Squares,

And a cookie shaped like a Christmas tree.

These classic cookies can be made with any flavor of jam. For a delicious variety, try blueberry, boysenberry, cherry, apricot, or blackberry.

Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
• sugar for sprinkling

For icing drizzle:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 to 4 teaspoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, beat butter on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the the granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until well combined.
2. Beat in as much flour as you can with electric mixer and then use a wooden spoon to stir in any remaining flour.
3. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until dough is pliable.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Using your thumb, press an indentation into the center of each ball. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the jam into each indentation and then sprinkle with sugar.
6. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks to finish cooling.
7. To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon water, and 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract in a bowl. Add water until icing is drizzling consistency. Drizzle cookies with the icing.

Package cookies in snowman cookie boxes or snowglobe treat boxes.