You know how I started a list of “Why the heck haven’t I made this before?” things? You can go ahead and add this to the list as well. I think thumbprint cookies have always been on my indifferent list as far as baked goods go. I never craved a cookie with squished in the middle and with the word thumbprint in the title. You mean someone stuck their gross thumb in my cookie? No thanks, I’ll just eat straight chocolate chips.
But, I’ve been missing out all these years. You see, my impression of a thumbprint cookie was more along the lines of the remains of the cookie tray at a birthday party. We all know everyone goes for the chocolate first, but the one with the jelly? They are the last picked for the dodgeball team.
Lo and behold, they are not the losers of the cookie tray, they are sweet, salty and all things right in the world with cookies. What really makes these cookies is the roasted peanuts. You can roast them at home or buy them already roasted, but either way, but toast those nuts, it’s worth it!
Also, please share these when you make them. I have fallen victim to the “finish the row” syndrome with these one too many times. Do you know of this syndrome that plagues us dessert lovers? Once you start a row of (insert dessert here) you just have to finish it off, to make things symmetrical and even. Since symmetrical desserts are what life is all about. Yes, that is what I am going to keep just repeating to myself as I polish over another one of these cookies. Happy Friday!
Friends don’t let friends be a row finisher.
Peanut Butter and Cherry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups peanuts (roasted)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3–1/2 cup cherry jam (or jam of your choice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with Silpat mats or parchment paper, set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, grind the roasted peanuts for 3-5 minutes on high, scraping down the bowl as needed. The texture is going to end up as a thick, chunky peanut butter, but a bit drier.
- Once the peanuts are processed, keep the ground up nuts in the food processor and add the flour, ground flax seed, baking powder, and brown sugar. Process on low for 10-20 seconds or until combined. Add in the maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla extract and process until dough forms, about 20 more seconds. If the dough seems dry, add almond milk by the tablespoon until it comes together.
- Remove dough from the bowl of the food processor and place in a medium bowl. Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch around, placing on the cookie sheets set aside earlier as they are rolled. When all the dough has been rolled, create a small indentation in the middle of each cookie. Make the sure the indentation is about halfway through the cookie, but not all the way. Repeat until all cookies are done.
- Using the cherry jam, fill each indentation in the cookies with the jam, using about 1/2 teaspoon per cookies, adjusting to preference.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes. When removed from oven cookies with appear or feel under baked, but will crisp up as they cool.
- Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a week.
- Yields 2 dozen cookies.
Karis says
Love the idea of this combination! Growing up, thumbprint cookies in my house were always filled with frosting…red and green at Christmas. p.s. I use a synthetic wine cork instead of my gross thumb when making them 🙂
The Frosted Vegan says
Ohh I like that version, I’ll take a frosting filling any day! I also like your wine cork idea, it equals drinking wine and also not sticking my fingers in my cookies : )
Catherine @ Chocolate & Vegetables says
I think the universe is telling me it’s time for thumbprint cookies–this is the third recipe I’ve come across in the past week! I love that yours starts with whole peanuts instead of peanut butter, looks yummy!
The Frosted Vegan says
Yes! It is saying yes to these cookies!
Lindsay @ VeganYumminess says
Ohhhhhh YUM!
cquek says
Oh man does this look good!
huntfortheverybest says
they sound great!