Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies

We've all had, or eaten, thumbprint cookies.  They are little bites of shortbread with a small dollop of jam in them. They are so easy to make and can be made with whatever type of jam you have on hand (I love them with apricot jam).  Today I used leftover cranberry sauce from our Thanksgiving dinner.  The cranberry sauce was homemade, and on the chunky side, so I pulsed it in the food processor a few times to make a smoother sauce.  Usually, I use vanilla extract in these cookies but used almond extract today.  I loved them!  My Hubby, who will only eat the canned, jelled cranberry sauce, really enjoyed them, too.  It's our secret that I used the homemade sauce!

If you like a cookie with more texture, you can roll the cookie dough balls in some finely chopped nuts. It's a recipe that's easily adaptable to everyone's taste!

They are habit-forming, bet you can't eat just one!

 

Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract (or vanilla extract)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cranberry sauce (or jam of your choice)

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract (or vanilla extract)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

On medium speed, cream together butter and sugar.  Add egg and almond extract; mix well.

Gradually add flour and mix until just combined on low speed.

Roll into teaspoon-sized balls and place on a baking sheet.  Make a small indentation, with your thumb, into the center of the ball, slightly flattening the dough as you do so.  Fi
ll the indentation with a small scoop of cranberry sauce.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until bottoms are slightly brown.  Cool on a cooling rack.

For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and almond extract until smooth. 

Drizzle the glaze over the cookies.