Nut Free Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
A simple shortbread cookie filled with decadent, rich chocolate. Easy to make and delicious.
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- oven
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Double boiler or heat safe bowl and a saucepan
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Chocolate Filling
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
Instructions
Cookies
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 1 1/2 sticks butter, 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in 1 1/4 cups flour, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium high until dough comes together into a ball.
- Roll dough by teaspoonfuls into balls, and place 1 inch apart on parchment paper. Refrigerate tray for about 30 minutes to prevent cookies from spreading too much.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and use the bottom of a wooden spoon or a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon into tops of cookies to make indentations.
- Return to oven, and continue baking until light brown on the edges, about 7 to 9 minutes more. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
- While the cookies cool, make the chocolate filling.
Chocolate Filling
- Combine 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate, 4 tablespoons butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons corn syrup in the top of a double boiler or in a small heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.
- Allow to cool slightly. When cookies are cool, fill the thumbprints with the chocolate mixture.
Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week. These cookies also freeze beautifully, even one filled.
These cookies are also delicious filled with caramel filling. I often make a double batch and fill half with chocolate filling and half with homemade caramel sauce.
Caramel sauce recipe:
1 cup granulated pure cane sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and sliced into 6 pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt Directions:
1. Heat 1 cup sugar in a medium heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat. Do not use non-stick. Stir constantly with a high heat-resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you stir. For me, this takes about 5-6 minutes. Be sure to stir continuously as the mixture burns quickly. You do not want it to burn. 2. Once sugar is melted, immediately stir in the butter and continue mixing until melted and combined. Be careful. The caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. If the butter starts separating or the sugar clumps up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. Keep whisking until it comes back together (it eventually will), even if it takes several minutes. Return to heat when it’s combined again. 3. After the butter has melted and combined with the caramelized sugar, continue to stir as you very slowly pour in the heavy cream. Because the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture is going to rapidly bubble. After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. The mixture will rise in the pan as it boils. 4. After a minute, remove from heat and stir in the salt. The caramel will be a thin liquid at this point. Caramel thickens as it cools. Allow to cool down before using. 5. When the caramel reaches the right consistency, spoon into cookies. Leftover caramel can be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month . Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency. It's delicious over ice-cream or in coffee or hot chocolate.
1 cup granulated pure cane sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and sliced into 6 pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt Directions:
1. Heat 1 cup sugar in a medium heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat. Do not use non-stick. Stir constantly with a high heat-resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you stir. For me, this takes about 5-6 minutes. Be sure to stir continuously as the mixture burns quickly. You do not want it to burn. 2. Once sugar is melted, immediately stir in the butter and continue mixing until melted and combined. Be careful. The caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. If the butter starts separating or the sugar clumps up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. Keep whisking until it comes back together (it eventually will), even if it takes several minutes. Return to heat when it’s combined again. 3. After the butter has melted and combined with the caramelized sugar, continue to stir as you very slowly pour in the heavy cream. Because the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture is going to rapidly bubble. After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. The mixture will rise in the pan as it boils. 4. After a minute, remove from heat and stir in the salt. The caramel will be a thin liquid at this point. Caramel thickens as it cools. Allow to cool down before using. 5. When the caramel reaches the right consistency, spoon into cookies. Leftover caramel can be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month . Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency. It's delicious over ice-cream or in coffee or hot chocolate.
