Description
Holiday baking reaches new heights with these chocolate thumbprint cookies, nestled with rich ganache centers. Festive German-inspired treats invite chocolate lovers to savor delicate, buttery cookies perfect for sharing with family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 ½ tsps vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (40 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 cup (200 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
- Nonpareils for sprinkling on top (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, creating a smooth surface for cookie placement.
- Dry Mixture: Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Wet Base: Cream butter with brown and white sugars using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then blend in egg yolks and vanilla extract until pale and smooth.
- Dough Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Shape dough into 34 uniform balls, creating a small indent in each center using a ¼ teaspoon measuring spoon.
- Chilling Phase: Refrigerate dough balls for one hour to intensify flavor and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
- Baking Process: Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange chilled dough balls on prepared sheets, spacing 1½ inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes, watching carefully to achieve perfect texture.
- Reshaping: Immediately after removing from oven, use a circular cookie cutter to refine cookie shape while still warm. Rest on baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Ganache Creation: Melt chocolate chips by pouring hot cream over them, stirring until achieving a smooth, glossy consistency.
- Finishing Touches: Fill each cookie’s center with ganache, using approximately one teaspoon per cookie. Optional: Sprinkle nonpareils for added texture and visual appeal.
- Final Setting: Refrigerate completed cookies for 10-15 minutes to solidify ganache. Store in an airtight container, maintaining freshness for up to three days.
Notes
- Chill for Perfection: Refrigerate dough for at least one hour to prevent spreading and concentrate rich chocolate flavors.
- Indent Carefully: Use a ¼ teaspoon measuring spoon to create a precise, uniform well in each cookie for even ganache filling.
- Reshape Immediately: While cookies are warm, use a circular cookie cutter to restore their perfect round shape and prevent cracking.
- Ganache Setting Tip: Briefly refrigerate cookies after filling to help the chocolate set quickly and maintain a smooth, glossy appearance.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes(plus 1 hour chilling time)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 22
- Calories: 195
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg