Pineapple Thumbprints Recipes

PINE NUT-CHERRY THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Break up the almond paste and put it in a large bowl. Add the confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and salt. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until the mixture looks like fine crumbs, about 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat in the egg white until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour until just combined.
• Scoop tablespoon-size balls of dough and roll in the pine nuts to coat. Arrange 1 inch apart on the prepared pan. Press a thin wooden spoon handle or chopstick into each ball to make a deep indentation in the center.
• Bake until the cookies are set around the edges but still soft in the center, 22 to 26 minutes. Re-indent the cookies with the back of a small measuring spoon while still warm. Fill with the cherry jam. Let the cookies cool completely on the pans.

PINEAPPLE-COCONUT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare dough from Easy Cut-Out Cookies recipe.
• Roll into 40 balls, using about 1 Tbsp. dough for each ball. Roll, 1 at a time, in coconut until evenly coated on all sides with coconut.
• Place, 1 inch apart, on baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Use thumb to indent centers; fill with preserves, adding about 1/4 tsp. preserves to each indentation.
• Bake 13 to 15 min. or until coconut is lightly toasted. Cool 3 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

SWEETHEART THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350˚F. Beat butter with confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Beat in flour until a dough forms.
• Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls; arrange 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Using the end of the handle of a flat-bottomed eating utensil or rubber spatula, press two deep indentations into the center of each ball to create a V (it will expand during baking to become a heart).
• Bake until bottoms are golden and cookies are just set, 17 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together sanding sugar and a tiny pinch of luster dust. In a small bowl, beat egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Working with a few cookies at a time, brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle generously with sanding-sugar mixture.
• Return to oven and bake until egg wash is dry and sugar has set, about 1 minute. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.
• In a small saucepan, bring jam to a boil. Press through a fine-mesh strainer; discard solids. Spoon into heart indentations (about 1/2 teaspoon per cookie), or transfer heated jam to squeeze bottles for more precision. Let jam set completely before serving. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.)

RED VELVET THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter, shortening and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and food coloring and beat until smooth and the color is fully incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are puffed and set, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then make an indentation in each cookie using the back of a small measuring spoon. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make the filling: Microwave the white chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Beat the cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the white chocolate mixture, vanilla and salt and beat until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe into the indentations in the cookies. Sprinkle with red sanding sugar. Store in the refrigerator.