It’s that wonderful time of year again where we bakers get to bake someone happy. During the Christmas season I make tons of sweets for gift giving, they range from cookies, candy, brownies, cocoa mix to homemade jams, jellies and sauces. One great thing about canning jams or jellies is that all the preparation is done ahead so all they need is a ribbon. What I like about these cookies is I can show case my favorite homemade jam. I made this cherry jam at the end of Summer that I just love and we ate most of it already except one jar, well I can’t very well split the jar up and give it away so I put it in the a middle of the cookies. To make things a tad more festive I thought my green jalapeno jelly would be pretty in the middle. I know some of you are thinking a pepper jelly doesn’t sound very good but it really is, trust me, if you want a green color but don’t want jalapeno jelly then try mint jelly. If you don’t have any homemade jam then just use your favorite store bought kind. The cookie recipe is from Domino sugar and I made them earlier in the year with some homemade lemon curd and they were really delicious. If your are wondering what cookies you should bake this season then check out the other blogs who are participating in the month of December #cookielove bloghop. Please join in the fun by linking up your cookie post anytime in the month of December, but don’t forget to link back to this post.
Cherry & Jalapeno Jam Thumbprints
1 cup room temperature butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups all-purpose-flour
Directions:
Step 1: Cream butter, sugar and salt in large bowl.
Step 2: Beat egg yolks and vanilla into creamed mixture until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Gradually stir flour into creamed mixture. Refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
Step 4: Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll chilled dough into 3/4-inch balls. If desired, roll each ball in sugar. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation for jam or jelly by pressing thumb gently into center of ball.
Step 5: Bake at 375°F for 16 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Store in airtight container. Before serving, fill indentations with jelly, jam or curd.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen
I love the jalapeno jam!
Your thumbprints look scrumptious Suzanne! And so do your homemade jams. I have jalapeno jelly that would be yummy in these!
WOW! I LOVE your creativity – with the jams and adding them to the cookies. I just saw some jalapeno jam (store purchased) in my pantry tonight and was reminded of the dip I like to make, using equal parts of the jam along with cream cheese. YUM! I’m not fond of jalapenos, but I agree with you that it’s very delicious. Love your blog – thanks for leaving your nice comment at mine. Trust we’ll cross paths again soon. Blessings on your week!
These thumbprint cookies look delicious. I love your unique flavor filling/topping. So festive for Christmas too. Nicely done!
These look so fun and declines! Such a pretty, enticing photo too!
Incredible thumbprint cookies..stunning with super creative filling.
Lovely recipe and they look so beautiful too 🙂
I love that you didn’t use ordinary jam to fill these little beauties! I bet they are scrumptious! So glad to be co-hosting this bloghop with you 🙂
Oh, Suzanne, you are brilliant..the jalapeno and cherry jam is just too good to be true. I want one, no ten, now! They look beautiful, but I can’t stop thinking about that bite of heat with the sweet, in a tender cookie. You so kicked cookielove boot’eh’! xoxo
i’ve never heard of jalapeno jelly before! what a kick! 😀 these cookies look perfectly festive for the season :). sending some #cookielove to you!
Thanks u need to try it out its yummy!
I LOVE jalapeño jelly but never thought of putting it together with a cookie. Brilliant!