Thumbprint Cookies ( Easter special)

Introduction:

These thumbprint cookies are easy to bake and the taste is incredible. They are soft, buttery and just melt in your mouth. And the chocolate filling is a bonus. Kids will love these cookies...Do try baking this cookie at home and enjoy eating it...

Tips for baking perfect cookies:

• Do not melt butter but soften it in room temperature (Softened butter- The butter is still cold, but takes imprint of a finger when gently pressed).
• If the recipe calls for chilling, just chill it (chilling prevents cookie dough from spreading while baking).It is always best to line baking tray with parchment paper or silicon baking mat.
•  If both not available coat your baking tray with butter and dust with flour (do not apply too much of butter)
• Do not over mix cookie dough ingredients
• Do not over beat sugar and butter. Stop as soon as it turns pale and fluffy. Over whipping too much air in the dough will cause cookies to collapse during bake time
• Always bake cookies in preheated oven (in the middle rack)

	Cuisine: International
	Recipe category: Cakes and bakes
	Prep time: 10 min
	Chilling time: 30 min
	Cooking time: 20 min
	Serves: 16 cookies
Ingredients:
Butter(unsalted)	120 gms(softened)1/2 cup
Sugar(powdered)	1/4 cup
All purpose flour/maida	1 cup
Custard powder( vanilla or any flavour)	1/4 cup
Vanilla essence	1/2 tsp
Filling:
Water	2 tbsp
Butter	1 tbsp
Whipping cream powder	6 tbsp
Cocoa powder	1 tbsp
Vanilla essence	1/4 tsp
Greasing baking tray:
Butter	1 tsp
All purpose flour/maida	1 tbsp
Garnishing:
Almonds	16
Chocolate syrup	2 tbsp( optional)

Method:

1. Cream butter and powdered sugar in a deep bowl (3 min-medium speed) using an electric whisk or wire whisk
2. Cream until pale yellow, soft and fluffy.
3. Add all purpose flour/maida, custard powder and Vanilla essence
4. Mix all the ingredients together (Do not over mix)
5. Bring dough together .Cover and chill in fridge (1/2 an hour)
6. Remove from fridge and mix the dough (Do not over mix)
7. Preheat oven (180 degree C) 10 min
8. Roll dough into small balls and flatten it between your palms
9. Place the prepared cookie dough on a greased baking tray (Grease baking tray by smearing 1 tsp butter evenly on baking tray and then sprinkling a little flour on top of it)
10. Or use parchment paper /silicon baking mat. Arrange the dough balls with at least 1 and 1/2 inch space between them
11. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degree C (12 -15 min).Place baking tray in the middle rack
12. Meanwhile prepare filling for the thumbprint
13. Take water and butter in a sauce pan and heat it .As soon as butter melts switch off flame
14. Now add the remaining ingredients (whipping cream powder, cocoa powder and vanilla essence)
15. Whisk for just 1 min using an electric beater or wire whisk
16. And the chocolate filling is ready. Keep it aside
17. Remove cookies from oven. Quickly press thumb on top of the cookies and make an indent
18. Take care (it will be hot).Or simply use the back of a small round spoon
19. Allow it to cool completely
20. Now spoon the chocolate filling into the thumbprint
21. Place an Almond on top of each cookie
22. Drizzle chocolate syrup on top of the cookies (optional)
23. And your cookies are ready to serve

Notes:

• The cookies taste great without any filling and garnishing, so filling and garnishing are not mandatory
• When you remove the cookies from the oven they are still soft to touch and the center looks underdone. Do not get tempted to over bake them.
• They turn firm as they cool down.
• If you are not able to make chocolate filling just replace it with jam (heat 4-5 tbsp of jam with 1/2tbsp of water )
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