Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted 85% fat butter, room temperature
• 132g granulated sugar (2/3 cup) (try reducing to 125g)
• 1 large egg yolk (no whites)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 282g all-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• seedless raspberry jam

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until fluffy and light. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Gradually add to mixer, scraping the bowl as needed. Dough will be dry and crumbly at first. Keep mixing until the dough comes together.
3. Chill the dough, then weigh and roll out 15g balls; Roll with hands to smooth the outside completely.
4. Make a dent in the center of each dough ball with a 1/2 teaspoon that's dipped in granulated sugar to help it release cleanly. Indent immediately after rolling the balls, while the cookie dough is still warm from your hands to prevent cracks. It's finicky, the dough can't be too cold or too warm for this part. If they are pressing cleanly this is the right temperature.
5. Freeze the shaped cookies
6. Warm the jam so it is pipe-able and add 1/2 cup or so to a piping bag, no tip. Let the jam chill back down to room temperature. If the jam is too hot it soaks into the dought and the cookies will look spooky. Pipe all of the cookies and then immediately pop them back in the freezer.
7. Bake for 13min @ 350º

• To Freeze: Allow cookies to cool for a few hours so the jam sets, then stack the cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. The cookies will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Notes

• 1 batch yields 42 cookies