Michelle’s Thumbprints

An old family favorite updated by Michelle from NomNomPaleo.com. I rolled them in pistachios because I remember my mom rolling her thumbprint cookies in nuts. I love the red and green, too, so festive!

Recently I was selected to be on the launch team of Michelle Tam’s new book, Nom Nom Paleo, Let’s Go! And I couldn’t be more excited! I am sworn to secrecy about anything in the book until the launch date! But I get to try out all of the recipes in advance and share my results in a private Facebook group.

One holiday recipe she recently shared (not in the new book) is these thumbprint cookies. I used to love these as a child, and I remember my mom making the butter cookie dough, then shaping balls, dipping them in egg white, then rolling them in nuts. Then she would let my sister and me push our thumbs into the centers so she could spoon the jam into the centers. I vaguely recall my mom using walnuts on the outsides of the cookies.

I was so happy to see this recipe that I immediately stopped what I was doing and made them. Thinking of my mom, I wanted to roll them in nuts, but I thought the egg wash step was probably not needed. I had the thought of pistachios and red jam, for traditional Christmas colors. I found some strawberry jam that is sweetened with grape juice, no unnecessary processed sugars! Perfection. I love the way they look and the way they taste! I’ll be sharing this one in my Holiday Baking Ebook, too! (Sign up for my newsletter and you’ll get it as a free download.)

This is the link to Michelle’s original recipe. https://nomnompaleo.com/thumbprint-cookies
Thanks for the inspiration, Michelle!

Yield: 20

Living Delish & Nutrish: Tina Wells

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Michelle's Thumbprints

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 20 MinTotal time: 55 Min

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/3 cup tapioca flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Any type of fruit jam you prefer, sweetened with juice or unrefined sugars
• Pistachios or any type of nuts you prefer, finely ground

Method

1. Cream the shortening and coconut sugar together until light and creamy.
2. While sugar and shortening are creaming, sift all of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl to remove any lumps.
3. Add the vanilla to the egg and then to the shortening mixture, mix well and scrape the bowl to ensure the mixture is combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate, ensuring there are no dry pockets, and all of the wet is combined with the dry.
5. Refrigerate dough for 10 to 20 minutes.
6. While the dough is chilling, place the ground nuts into a sheet pan and spread them out in an even layer.
7. Place the jam into a pastry bag or plastic bag with the corner cut off to about 1/4 inch opening.
8. Prepare a sheet pan for the cookies with a sheet of parchment paper.
9. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
10. Using a 1 ounce portion scoop or spoon (I prefer scoops because it keeps the portions consistent) to make balls of dough. Drop the balls into the ground nuts. Gently shake the pan to roll the balls around, then pick up each one and roll in your hands to compress the nuts into the dough. Evenly space each dough ball onto the prepared sheet pan and create a depression into the center of each ball for the jam.
11. Use the pastry bag or plastic bag to deposit a small amount of jam into each depression. You may also spoon the jam into the cookies, but I find it's neater to use the pastry bag.
12. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Allow to cool. They freeze well too.

https://livingdelishandnutrish.com/blog/michelles-thumbprints

©Tina Wells Luxury Brands, LLC

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