Thumbprint cookies

Happy 2012 everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, New Years, and MLK day.

For our first recipe this year, I've decided to give you the easiest cookie recipe of all time! And they're so delicious. You must give them a try.

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup white sugar

2 egg yolks

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon extract (optional)

1/2 cup fruit preserves

Step 0: Preheat oven to 325

Step 1: Add butter, sugar, and egg yolks and extracts in a mixing bowl.

Make sure butter is softened - i.e. left outside of fridge for about 30 mins so it is easy to mix

Step 2: Mix well

Step 3: Add flour and mix again

Step 4: After mixing, pick it up and pat it together to form a ball.

There's absolutely no reason to do this. It was just fun.

Note: if you have trouble mixing it and it is too dry, add a tsp of milk to the mixture until it mixes into a firm but supple ball of dough. Conversely, if it is too wet and does not form firmly, add a bit more flour.

Step 5: Take a small piece and form into a smooth ball

About this size

 Step 6: Press your thumb into the middle of the dough and make a well

Get it? thumbprint.....

This is the well

 Step 7: Choose whichever jams, preserves, compotes you have in your pantry and fill each cookie with about a 1/2 teaspoon of jam

Best to not use Jelly though, cause it ends up being a bit too runny

Step 8: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper

Optional step to save your baking sheet

Step 8: Place cookies on baking sheet and bake in oven for 11-14 minutes depending on your oven

The cookie will be golden brown in color when done

 Step 9: Take cookies out of oven and place on cooling rack.

Be very careful. The jam is very hot, and needs to cool for several minutes before you eat it.

Step 10: Enjoy your delicious cookies.

-