Pine Nut Thumbprints Recipes

THUMBPRINT COOKIES I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
• Separate egg, reserving egg white. Cream butter or margarine, sugar, and egg yolk.
• Add vanilla, flour and salt, mixing well.
• Shape dough into balls. Roll in egg white, then walnuts. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 5 minutes.
• Remove cookies from oven. With thumb, dent each cookie. Put jelly or preserves in each thumbprint. Bake for another 8 minutes.

ORANGE AND PINE NUT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Place pine nuts in small bowl. In another small bowl, mix honey and orange juice until well blended. Set aside.
• In medium bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in orange peel, vanilla and egg yolk until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour and salt until dough begins to stick together.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. If necessary, flour hands for easier handling. Roll balls in honey mixture, then roll in pine nuts. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. With thumb, make indentation in center of each cookie.
• Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set and edges are golden brown. Remove parchment paper with cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Fill each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon marmalade. Remove cookies from paper.

JAM-FILLED PINE NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and almond extract. On low speed, beat in flour and salt until blended. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. In small bowl, slightly beat egg whites. Dip each ball in egg whites; roll in pine nuts, pressing to adhere. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Press thumb in center of each ball to make indentation.
• Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. While still warm, press centers of cookies with thumb. Cool completely. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon jam into each indentation.

JAM THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Gradually mix in flour.
• Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls. Dip in lightly beaten egg whites, then roll in finely chopped walnuts. Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets. Press down center of each with thumb.
• Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Just before serving, fill centers of cookies with strawberry preserves.

PINE NUT CRUMBLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Place the pine nuts in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until coarsely ground. Remove half of the nuts to a bowl and reserve. Add the cinnamon and sugar to the remaining nuts in the bowl of the processor and continue to process until finely ground, about the texture of cornmeal. Add the flour and process until combined. Add the mixture to the reserved pine nuts and toss to combine.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour the hot butter over the pine nut mixture and work in with a spatula. Sprinkle the salt over and work in. Pinch off pieces about the size of 2 tablespoons, roll into balls, then flatten slightly. Put a cute dimple in the top of each with your thumb. Place 1/2 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake on the center rack of the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until firm and lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

HAZELNUT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put butter and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and mix well. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and salt, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
• Stir together toasted hazelnuts and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; dip balls in egg white, then in hazelnut-sugar mixture. Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press down center of each ball with your thumb. Bake for 10 minutes.Remove from oven; press down centers again with the end of a wooden spoon. Return to oven. Bake cookies until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly on sheets on wire racks. Fill each center with jam.