It’s been a rather quite week for me so I thought a day of baking with my mom would be a nice way to spend an afternoon. Back in the spring I decided to try making dandelion jelly. I have been using the roots for tea and eating the greens for years but had never thought to try using the flowers to make something delicious. The jelly is great and I plan to make more again next spring! Who knew such a pesky “weed” could be so useful!
While I pondered what we should bake, the dandelion jelly popped into my head. Thumbprint cookies! I am always interested in taking something traditional and adding a different flare to it.
My mom dug out one of her go to cook books and we began putting it all together.
We chose pecans to roll the cookies in and used only butter instead of shortening. There is usually some aspect of a recipe that we manipulate slightly…
My mom has a bunch of vanilla beans soaking away in some bourbon which makes for a much better vanilla than store bought.
I’m not sure what it is about the dandelion jelly, but these have to be the tastiest thumbprint cookies I have tried! The other jams and jellies just can’t compare. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Thumbprint Cookies
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
Jelly
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix brown sugar, butter, egg yolk and vanilla. Mix in flour and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
Beat egg white slightly. Dip each ball into egg white; roll in nuts. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet; press thumb deeply in center of each. Bake until light brown, 8 to 9 minutes.
Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool. Fill thumbprints with jelly.
About 3 dozen cookies.