Strawberry Thumbprints with Almond and Lavender
Combining themes from National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and National Cookie Month, this is the 2nd week of my Pink Cookie Month!!!
My cookie this week is a classic thumbprint cookie. I love these cookies. I love playing around with different flavors and fillings. Various spices and extracts can be used in the dough, and the fillings can be just as varied. Jams and preserves I bake with the cookies, but I add chocolate ganache or fruit curds after baking.
I chose to use strawberry jam as the pink of this cookie and flavored the shortbread with almond and lavender.
Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp almond extract, divided
1 Tbsp. lavender*
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. seedless strawberry jam
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Cream butter and sugar until smooth
Add 1/2 tsp. almond extract and lavender
Mix in flour until dough comes together
Roll dough into 1 1/2 in balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets
Make a small hole in the center of each ball and fill with jam
Bake 14-18 minutes until lightly browned and let cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute to prevent breaking
Mix together powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. almond extract, and milk until smooth
Drizzle lightly over warm cookies
* I love using lavender, but BE CAREFUL. While lovely in many sweet and savory dishes, it can make your food taste like soap or perfume if too much is used. Err on the side of caution until you are comfortable. This also applies to rose or orange blossom waters.
Find the rest of my pink cookie recipes on my blog page or by clicking the cookie tag.
food photography by Jennifer Heffner Photography
