Itโs August 3, 2009 and I refuse to believe a) that summer is almost over, and b) that weโre a handful of months away from 2010. Turns out that whether I believe or refuse to believe these two thingsโฆ theyโre still true.
Itโs August 3, 2009 and I will openly admit that in the past few days Iโve been stress eating like a maniac over these picnic plans. Iโm not proud.
Itโs August 3, 2009 and tonight is the night Iโm going to polish off the frozen dough balls in my freezer. Again, not proud.
Itโs August 3, 2009 and Iโm thinking itโs going to be really awkward when Dr Martens come back into style and I bust out my original pair that I sported back in middle school. Yes, I still have them. Yes, they still fit.
Itโs August 3, 2009 and among the many other things Iโm thankful for today, Iโm also thankful for internet shoe shopping and these beautiful thumbprint cookies.
I like to think of these cookies as the slightly grown up version of thumbprint cookies from my youth.
See, instead of adding a bunch of peanut butter to the cookie dough, I ground up honey roasted peanuts, added some flour, butter and sugar and baked them up. The ground peanuts add a great texture and a subtle peanut flavor. These cookies are crisp, almost crumbly and just lovely paired with a good quality jam.
Consider these the thumbprint cookie for those of us who are real life grownupsโฆ maybe with a little college debtโฆ maybe with the cheap health insuranceโฆ maybe hoping our rent check doesnโt get cashed until 7th of the month. Grownupsโฆ. yea. Grownups.
Honey Roasted Peanut Thumbprint Cookies
adapted from Baking: from my home to yours
makes 30-34 cookies
1 3/4 cup finely ground honey roasted peanuts (use a food processor fit with a blade attachment)
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
powdered sugar for dusting
about 1 cup good quality jam of your choice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment or foil and set aside
Whisk together ground peanuts and flour.
Using a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the extract and beat to blend. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and gradually add the nut-flower mixture, mixing only until just incorporated. Use a spatula to hand mix any flour or nuts that have not been mixed in thoroughly.
Working with a scant tablespoon (just eyeball it) of dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms to form small balls and place the balls two inches apart on the cookie sheet. Steadying each cookie with the thumb and finger of one hand, use the pinkie of your other hand to poke a hole in the center of each cookie. Be careful. You donโt want to press all the way down to the cookie sheet.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. The cookies will only be slightly colored and might even look underdone. Thatโs fine. You donโt want them overbaked. When the cookies are done, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest on the sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks with a metal spatula.
Repeat with the remaining dough until all the cookies are baked off and cooling.
Bring the jam to a boil in a small saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave. Remove from heat. Sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar and then fill the indentations (they might have smoothed over slightly during baking) with you jam of choice. Enjoy!
66 Responses
Just made these today, but used limoncello curd for the filling. I didnโt realize how much effort it would take to mold the dough. Iโm a rookie in baking and didnโt realize the dough wouldnโt expand and assumed it would since the recipe specified to place each ball 2โณ apart. My first batch looked more like balls with a hole in the middle, but flattened out the balls and made wider indentations for the 2nd batch which made them look much better. Not sure if I would have the patience to make these again, but when I do, Iโll try the roasted honey peanut filling next time.
Will ground almonds work in place of the honey roasted peanuts? If I use that, is there any way I could still incorporate the honey into the baking?
Wow, I didnโt heard about that till now. Thanks!
These look amazing. Excited to try them. Also wanted to comment to tell you that I loved the chocolate avocado cake recipe, but came to this post so you wouldnโt think I was posting just to try to win something. ;)
Good luck saving the worldโฆ uh, the earth!
I made these cookies last night and used a raspberry-peach jam! Divine! Thanks, Joy! <3
Thanks a lot! Iโm also a gourmet and pastry enthusiast and this would really go to my compilation. I would also like to share. I came across a good site about European and Swiss cooking which also gives free sample family-secret recipes.
YUM, justโฆ yum! Yum!!!
what a wonderful idea!!! i love honey roasted peanuts
Adding ground roasted peanuts are genius! I love peanuts, or rather all types of nuts, in cookies and homemade bread. This is definitely getting bookmarked.
Dag. These were awesomeโthough I think the quality is certainly bumped up a notch by using better jamโhomemade would be best. We used basic store-bought, and it was just too runny. But overnight in the fridge? Blam-tastic.
Add a slice of bannana to the top and a glass of milk? Mini-lunch.
Morning Joy! Just wanted to drop you a quick note to say that I made Vanilla Cupcakes last night. Your photos inspired me to tint my frosting and the cupcakes are beautiful (taste good too!).
Next time, Iโm going to make cream cheese frosting for the cupcakes!! And tint it!
My grandmother used to make these for meโฆshe filled the thumbprint with orange juice concentrate.
Iโll consider making these to cure my grownup worries, although itโs probably better to tackle the worries first. Thanks for the recipe!
Most days I donโt want to be a real grown up. But, these cookies look amazing. May need to put my big girl pants on so I can make them.
Weโve got a similar thing here in Australia called jamdrops. The only real difference is we put some jam in the hole before you bake the biscuit (cookie) so the jam is melted into the top. I like the idea of using peanuts for flavouring.
Joy, sometimes I miss my Docs. Iโm not afraid to admit it. Even though wearing them this far north guarantees that you will stunt-fall on your behind at least once per winter.
I just canโt justify wearing them with Business Casualโฆyet.
Yummo! This is a keeper. Iโve got to try it after my daughterโs wedding. If I do any more stress eating the diet shakes are going to drive off with the blender and say, โWe give up, lady!โ
love the cookies great job on teh โthumbprintโ
These look so cute and delicious! I love that you used freshly ground honey-roasted peanuts! I used to scarf them down when I was little! Iโm a little afraid to bake these now, becuase theyโll be gone in no time!
These are scrumptious looking โ I love that they have honey-roasted peanuts, one of those things that I donโt keep on hand (without a purpose) because they are so addictive to me.
I love the top pictures. It is beautiful! Cookies look tasty too of course.
I will definitely be trying this recipe out. I like the suggestion that someone else made about using chocolate as a filling instead of jam. Thanks for yet another inspirational cookie!
mmmmmโฆ.peanut thumbprint cookies. I know what Iโm making tonight!
I am thankful for internet shoe shopping too!! And your picnic is going to be AMAZING- you areโฆ
This is great. Thanks for sharing.
YUM.
I still have my first pair of chuck taylors, and theyโre pretty beat up, but I love them.
The homemade pb is a nice touch. After seeing you make it a while ago, we gave it a try, and itโs so good!
I also still have the Docs. Canโt bring myself to throw them out. :)
Okay, Iโm going to have to give these a go! I have a serious soft spot for peanut butter cookies and thumbprint style does me in!
original & evr so creative. Cookies after my ? Joyโฆthey are special!
Picnic stress? Donโt worry, Iโm sure it will be fabulous.
Iโve got those whole wheat chocolate chip cookie dough balls in my freezer, too. Theyโre great stress relievers.
Yeah, I canโt believe itโs almost 2010 either. It seems like it was turn of the century 5 minutes ago. All that baking must be making time fly. Using honey roasted peanuts in thumbprint cookies is an intriguing idea.
This look so great. I just made thumbprints that I considered very โgrown upโ using pistachios and lemon. I am excited to try this recipe โ thanks Joy!!!
beautiful cookies.
and the mention of Doc Martens brought back some memories :)
Ignore the typo. It is still early and I havenโt had coffee. Sorry.
My husband still occasionally wears his Docโs from middle school! I wonder what ever happened to mineโฆ.i wanted a pair so bad, they were super heavy!
The cookies look fantastic! Thank goodness the weather here is cooling down enough to bake :)
Your cookies look like their sporting some sort of apricot or peach jam. They look yummy. I wonder if apple butter would work. That is my favorite.
Lovely pictures, and a yummy recipe. What a great way to start the day.
Thanks.
Yum! I still have my Doc Martens from middle school as wellโฆand they fit!
These cookies are so deliciously lovely! Mmmโฆmy mouth is watering!
Itโs August 4, 2009 and thatโs awesome because itโs my 18th birthday on August 7. ;-)
Thumbprint Cookies is such a cute name! Never heard of them before. Which jam did you take? I think Iโd use rasberry jam, I love it so much. But melted chocolate as filling is also a really good idea, I think.
Hi
I stumbled across your blog the other day. I like it. I have to be honest though, dough balls would never last in my freezer. They would call my name in the middle of the night, especially after a glass of wine or two.
I did print the recipe, thanks. :-)
Frank
I can just imagine the taste! My mouth is watering!
Holy smokes those cookies look ggoooodd! Your blog is really inspiring. Its amazing to be sitting in my office in South Africa and sharing in a small part of your American life!
Itโs August 4, 2009 and, although it is barely breakfast time, I could eat a handful of these cookies with cafe au lait. Also not proud. ; )
Oh my Dr Martens back in fashion. I remember sporting a pair when I was around 11 or 12 I think. I guess that makes me feel quite old. Definitely time to make these cookies!
I canโt quite believe itโs August either. I just thinkโฆwhat have I been doing the past 8 months?!!??!
These cookies are fabulous all around! I love the honey roasted rouch and the sprinkling of confectioners sugar! beautiful!!!
Yummy!!
omg joy!
truthโฆyesterday i was closet cleaning & trying on my oldies but goodiesโฆ.the comfort of the already exisiting foot form was cozy & felt greatโฆ.like eating your thumbprint cookies with its great texture & delicious centerโฆwhat a treatโฆ
btw: nothing like shoppinโ oneโs closet!
Whooaa, i go to a holiday and thereโs an abundance of posts i have to read and, whatโs worse, try! If i gain weight, it is all on you! ;) Iโll start with the icecream and granita recipes and move on from there. :)
I have baked a of dozen cookies already but never tried this one. I guess this is not that complicated to make. I love your photos!
Fantastic, just like my Mumโs.
I just love thumbprint cookies. That little indentation in the centre for a flavour surprise gets me every time. Lovely, lovely.
Oh Joy these sound amazingly lovely! No worries, the picnic will be wonderful, cant wait!
Wow yum! Honey roasted peanuts? Mmmm I wish more people in my house liked peanut flavor in their cookies so I wouldnโt have to eat them ALL! These look scrumptious!
YumoโฆI think I might have to try these but iโm going to fill up the centre with melted chocolate instead of jam =)
yummy. I like this version of thumbprint cookies. the peanut adda nice flavour. :)
I love homemade products, like peanut butter. I canโt wait to buy some roasted peanuts, make peanut butter, and try this! Thanks!
Thumbprints are one of my daughterโs favourites. I like this take on them, and I think she will too.