Barefoot Bloggers: Jam Thumbprint Cookies

I don't think there have been any cookie recipes so far for Barefoot Bloggers and now this month there are two. Unfortunately I was on vacation the beginning of this month and did not get to make the Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies. I may have to go back to that one because they sound really good. I decided this recipe would be a good opportunity to do something I have been wanting to do for a long time - cook with my 2 1/2 year old son.

I have let Victor do a little cooking with me but I decided this might be a little better than most of my projects. There are some tasks he could do and have fun with and the fact that they were cookies would make it a little more fun for him.

The cookies were a great success. Victor helped add ingredients to the mixer and he helped clean off the mixer beater when we were done with it. It was also his job to roll the cookies in the coconut. As you can see in the picture below there may be more coconut in his cheeks than there is in the bowl.

The cookies were really good. Unfortunately I have do not have any homemade jam so I used some store bought raspberry and peach jams. I have had similar cookies in the past but without the coconut. I think the coconut was a nice addition but I made a few without for my wife. Thanks to Cassandra at Foodie with Little Thyme for this recipe pick. The eclairs for her son look really good.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

(Source: Barefoot Contessa Family Style, page 208)

Yield 32 cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
• Raspberry and/or apricot jam

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.