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Home Dishes & Beverages Cookies Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Name: Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, softened; 2/3 cup sugar; 1 large egg, separated, room temperature; 2 tablespoons 2% milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/3 cup baking cocoa; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup finely chopped walnuts; FILLING:; 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar; 1 tablespoon butter, softened; 2 teaspoons 2% milk; 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 24 milk chocolate kisses

47 reviews

Contest Winner

Test Kitchen Approved

Total Time

Prep: 25 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min. + cooling

Makes

about 2-1/2 dozen

Updated: Nov. 19, 2023

My group of friends had a weekly "movie night" during winters on Martha's Vineyard, and we'd take turns making a chocolate treat to share. These terrific chocolate thumbprint cookies were an instant success. Once they debuted, I had to make them many more times. —Laura Bryant German, W. Warren, Massachusetts

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Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated, room temperature
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
FILLING:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 teaspoons 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
24 milk chocolate kisses

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; dip in egg white, then roll in nuts. Place on greased baking sheets. Using a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in center of each cookie. Bake until center is set, 10-12 minutes.
For filling, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Spoon or pipe 1/4 teaspoon into each warm cookie; gently press a chocolate kiss in the center. Carefully remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Tips

How can you prevent chocolate thumbprint cookies from cracking?

Using a gentle touch when imprinting the cookies with the spoon handle or your thumb will prevent the dough from cracking. If you still get a crack, gently reshape the cookie by pressing it toward the center. Because these cookies get a coating of chopped nuts, any remaining cracks should go unnoticed.

What can you do if the thumbprint gets too shallow while baking?

After removing thumbprint cookies from the oven, carefully compress the outside of the cookie to the center while it’s still warm. This will fill in any gap in the bottom of the thumbprint.

How should you store chocolate thumbprint cookies?

Store chocolate thumbprint cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to one week. Cookies can also be frozen, again, in an airtight container, for up to one month. If you liked these chocolate thumbprint cookies, make sure you try more of our thumbprint cookie recipes. Our ultimate guide to baking cookies will help take the guesswork out of cookie baking as you go.

—Catherine Ward, Taste of Home Prep Kitchen Manager

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 117 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 16mg cholesterol, 52mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.