Cranberry Thumbprints Recipes

SHIRA'S CRANBERRY THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cookies: Whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and 1/4 cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add orange zest and egg yolk, and mix well. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
• Lightly whisk egg white. Scoop 2 teaspoons dough, and roll into a ball. Dip into egg white, and roll in remaining 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar. Repeat with remaining dough; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart, as you work. Gently press center of each ball with your thumb. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until pale golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Gently indent each cookie again using the handle end of a wooden spoon. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool. (Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring cranberries, water, sugar, and orange zest to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, gently mashing cranberries, until thick and jamlike, 5 to 6 minutes. (If mixture is too thick, add a little water to thin.) Transfer to a bowl, and let cool completely. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
• Spoon a small amount of filling into each cookie indentation.

CRANBERRY-PISTACHIO THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and orange zest. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in 1 cup cranberries and 3/4 cup pistachios., Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Bake until edges are light brown, 9-11 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over baking chips; stir with a whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, until thickened., Spoon cream mixture onto cookies; sprinkle with remaining pistachios and cranberries. Refrigerate leftovers., Freeze option: Freeze undecorated cookies in freezer containers. To use, thaw cookies in covered containers; decorate as directed.