Walnut Thumbprint Cookies

Walnut Thumbprint Cookies are my FAVORITE holiday cookie recipe! It is a dense, but moist cookie rolled in walnuts and topped with a sweet confectioners icing. They have the perfect balance of richness from the abundant walnuts and sweetness from the icing. Every year my mom threatens to not make cookies for the holidays. We all know it is an empty threat though, because she would never dream of celebrating Christmas without the traditional cookies all her kids love. I let her know a long time ago that as long as she makes Thumbprints, I am happy! 🙂

This year, with their big move, things are more chaotic than ever. My sister and I volunteered to make the majority of the cookies and naturally I volunteered to make these Walnut Thumbprint Cookies. The best part of these, are that they freeze great, so you can make them well in advance and toss them in your freezer to enjoy during the holidays with less stress.

My favorite cookie deserves nothing but the best ingredients.  Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached White Flour was the perfect choice. It is freshly milled from Organic hard red wheat and both the bran and the germ have been removed leaving the endosperm that is made into white flour. It is not enriched with any additives. This is the same high protein flour used by professional bakers and produces high, well-textured loaves of bread equally as well as it produces light, airy baked goods. This kitchen staple is incredibly versatile and perfect for all of your baking needs.

I now have a few dozen of these cookies storing in my freezer and I am working my hardest to resist breaking them out before the holiday! This recipe only makes a dozen per batch, so if I am craving them during any other time of the year, I can whip up a small batch just to satisfy that craving. It also multiplies very easily, so during the holidays, we triple or quadruple it to feed all the family.

Print Recipe

Walnut Thumbprint Cookies

Walnut Thumbprint Cookies are a dense but moist cookie rolled in walnuts and topped with a sweet confectioners icing.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Cookie

Servings: 1 doz.

Author: Danielle - Krafted Koch

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. shortening
• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. Bob's Red Mill Organic Unbleached All Purpose White Flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg separated
• 3/4 c. chopped walnuts
• Confectioners Sugar Icing
• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Whipping cream
• 5 drops food dye

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, mix shortening, butter, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Blend flour and salt into the mixture. Roll into one inch balls, dip balls into slightly beaten egg white, then roll into chopped nuts. Arrange on a lined cookie sheet and indent the middle of each cookie gently with your thumb. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, food dye and just enough whipping cream for a smooth icing. Top each thumbprint with icing and store in an airtight container.
• Freeze any extras the same day for the freshest cookies.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.