Description
These Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are a delightful treat featuring a rich cocoa-flavored dough rolled in sugar, baked to perfection, and filled with a luscious semi-sweet chocolate ganache. Perfect for holiday gatherings or any festive occasion, they combine a tender, buttery cookie with a creamy chocolate center and optional colorful Christmas sprinkles for a festive touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 Cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 Cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Cup flour
- 1/2 Cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Cup sugar (to roll the cookie dough in)
- 1 Cup Christmas Sprinkles (optional)
Filling
- 1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the unsalted softened butter and 1 cup sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, incorporating air for a tender texture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and pure vanilla extract until fully combined to infuse richness and flavor into the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, dark chocolate cocoa powder, and kosher salt evenly distributing all dry components.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, beating gently until the cookie dough forms a cohesive and uniform consistency.
- Prepare Rolling Sugar: Pour the additional 2 cups of sugar into a small bowl to use for rolling the cookie dough balls later.
- Scoop Dough Balls: Using a small ice cream scooper or spoon, portion out the cookie dough into your hand and roll each portion into a smooth ball.
- Roll in Sugar: Roll each cookie dough ball thoroughly in the sugar bowl, coating the entire surface evenly for a sparkling, sweet crust.
- Make Thumbprint Indents: Place the sugar-coated balls onto the prepared cookie sheets spaced apart, and press a tablespoon into the center of each ball to create an indent for the filling.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 minutes until set. The cookies should be soft but firm enough to hold their shape.
- Cool Completely: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the cookie sheets to prevent breaking when filling.
- Prepare Chocolate Filling: In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, gently heat the heavy whipping cream until warm (not boiling). Pour the warm cream over the semi-sweet chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and glossy to create a ganache.
- Fill Cookies: Spoon or pipe the prepared chocolate ganache into the thumbprint indents of each cooled cookie. Optionally, sprinkle Christmas sprinkles on top of the ganache before it sets for a festive finish.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is softened but not melted for the best cookie texture.
- Do not overbake the cookies, as they can become dry; remove when edges are set but centers are still soft.
- For extra festive cookies, use colored sugars or sprinkles of your choice.
- Let cookies cool completely before filling to ensure the ganache does not melt or spread.
- Ganache can be refrigerated to firm up if needed before filling.
