Itty Bitty Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies & a {Virtual} Baby Shower!

Today is an exciting day! Know why? A group of lovely food bloggers (spearheaded by the fabulous Brandy and Brandi) have joined together to celebrate Rachel, of Rachel Cooks! She’s expecting her baby boy in just a few weeks, and since we can’t all just show up at her house in person with treats, we’re throwing her a shower Internet-style. 🙂

Thumbprint cookies have always been a part of my family’s Christmas tradition. For as long as I can remember, my sisters and I looked forward to mixing up the dough and pressing our thumbs into the centers of each cookie–and then filling them with our favorite goodies.

With that in mind, I wanted to bring something to the shower that Rachel and her daughter, E, could do together (maybe when E’s new little brother is sleeping!). These cookies are a perfect mommy-and-me project, and it’s especially fun to pick whatever fillings your heart desires (M&Ms, sprinkles, chocolate chips, jam/jelly…the list goes on!). Plus, I remember how it felt to welcome new little siblings–it’s a big adjustment. Hopefully little E can’t wait to be a big sister. It’s a lot of fun, too! 🙂

These cookies are rich, dark, and chocolatey–just one will satisfy a chocoholic’s craving. And, like a lot of cookies I’ve made recently, these are exponentially better the next day. Let them sit overnight for the chocolate flavor to deepen and mellow!

Itty Bitty Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Adapted from Shugary Sweets

Ingredients:

2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Green & Black’s 70% Dark)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is fully melted. (Mine took about 1 minute.)
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add in egg yolk and vanilla and beat until combined.
4. Add chocolate to bowl of mixer and continue to mix.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to bowl of mixer and beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. (Dough will be very sticky.)
6. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. Then, roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls and arrange on cookie sheet. Press thumb into center of each cookie to make a well.
7. Bake cookies for 10-11 minutes, until edges begin to darken. Remove from oven and immediately use the back of a spoon or back end of a spatula to deepen the impression in the center of the cookie. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
8. Fill centers of cookies with whatever you desire–I chose raspberry jam and a powdered-sugar glaze!

Makes 1 dozen cookies. Store in an airtight container.