Thumbprint Cookies: Bridget from Twinisms

I'm pretty thrilled that Bridget wanted to guest-post for me today.  Her blog has provided me hours of reading entertainment.  Bridget is a fellow Army wife...stationed here in the great state of Alaska.  From reading Twinisms, I've learned that it's okay to drink boxed cheap wine and to someday have twins (my brothers are twins...my days are numbered at this point).

Thanks for stopping by, Bridget!  (And you need to read her review of that show Alaska Army Wives.  She tells it how it is.  I appreciate that in a blogger.)

Thumbprint Cookies

My favorite Christmas cookies are Jam Thumbprints. They are my Dad’s favorite cookie too, which is part of the reason they’re my favorite. I have fond memories of making them and eating them with him. I think he and I were the only ones in the family who liked them. Even now, I make them every year and I’m the only one who eats them. Unless my Dad is visiting, then I have to make sure I get my share!

My recipe is slightly adjusted from Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook, 8th Edition, circa 1996.

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Shortening (I use butter flavor Crisco)

1/4 Cup Stick Butter, softened

1/2 Tsp. Vanilla

1 Large Egg, separated (I usually add an extra egg white for the wash)

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/4 Tsp. Salt

1 Cup Pecans, finely chopped

Candied Maraschino Cherries

Directions

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Mix brown sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla, and the one egg yolk in a bowl Stir in flour and salt until the dough comes together.

3.  Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Beat the egg whites slightly. Dip the balls in the egg whites, then roll them in the nuts. (Pause here to recover from the inadvertent humor in that last sentence!)

4.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart.

5.  Press thumb in center of each, making space for the cherries.

6.  Bake about 10 minutes, until lightly brown.

7.  Cool on wire rack for a few minutes, then place the candied cherries in the space made with your thumbprint.

8.  Email me, I’ll send you my address, and you can mail me some cookies.