Have I got a fabulous cookie for you today. Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies. I’ve wanted to make a version of these cookies for years. 🙂 These mouthwatering cookies are absolutely terrific. They have just the right bite from the Lemon Curd to go with all the sweetness from the vanilla glaze icing over top. Yum.

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These awesome cookies almost didn’t happen. I started with a recipe on Pinterest and it was a DISASTER! The cookies flattened out on the cookie sheet and didn’t hold their shape. Against my better judgment (and my husband’s) we went with the recipe as it stated and even chilled the dough twice. To no avail. I was bummed. At that point, I should have added another cup of flour and chilled the dough in the freezer before baking. However,…..

You won’t find me being one of those “anonymous” commenters on blogs that tell you how rotten a recipe turned out. (Yes, I’ve had it happen to me plenty of times, even when people substitute ingredients or don’t follow the recipe). 🙁 But as a general rule, once I have a disaster like this, I rarely go back to that blog. Not unless I’ve already made several delicious recipes and they have a proven track record. While I wanted to complain to the blogger who put out that recipe, I held my tongue (and comments). Instead, I went to work to make a version of Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies I could live with.

I decided to go back to my version of Thumbprint Cookies and went with that. Mine turned out terrific. So I made up a batch with blueberry jam, peach jam and a pumpkin pecan butter. All turned out so wonderfully. I have to admit that the pumpkin and lemon curd were my favorites.

I was planning on including these cookies with my annual baking this year. Since the first batch didn’t turn out, I had to exclude the “bombs.” I started over on Tuesday. I had so many calls for my Thumbprint Cookies. So I made up four batches and gave one to my son (to take to his office). I gave one to my daughter-in-law (to do the same). I made one for the freezer and then I made up a small container for one of the husband’s of a gal John works with. He loves these cookies so I wanted to make sure he got some.

These are not the easiest cookies to make. I crunch the dough (crumbs) in my hands. After one crunch with my right hand I move the dough to the left hand and crunch with that hand. I crunch the dough about 50 times total (and pretty fast) before the dough is pliable enough. By that time, all the ingredients are adhering together and I can crunch the dough into a ball. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or extremely weak fingers, then you need to look for a different recipe. If you’re not ambidextrous when you start, you will be by the time you finish this recipe. 🙂

For a single batch it takes me about 15-20 minutes to “roll” or crunch the dough (crumbs) into balls. The rest is pretty easy. If the dough crumbles when you try to make a thumbprint in the tops, simply pick up the dough and rework it about 15 more times. It should come together and not crumble when you try to put your thumb into the balls. Spoon very small one-quarter teaspoonfuls of lemon curd into the thumbprint cavity; bake, and then glaze when cool. Yummy. These are delightful.

If you want to delight your family and friends, give these Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies a try this holiday season. But don’t say I didn’t warn you! These cookies are addictive. 🙂

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies are awesome.

If you enjoy lemon in desserts, you’ll love these cookies.

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies are drool-worthy!

In case you didn’t believe me, here’s the disastrous first batch before I started over. Pretty ugly.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients for the cookies. Please note these cookies use NO eggs.

Soften butter. Add sugar, salt and vanilla.

Cream with an electric mixer until smooth.

Add UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour. Bleached flour toughens baked goods.

Stir with a heavy metal spoon until well combined. You can also do this on a very low speed of your mixer, but you will have to re-chill the dough a second time before baking. Chill dough one hour.

Grab a handful of cookie crumbs.

Scrunch hard with your fingers and hands alternating each scrunch between each hand. It will take about 50 crunches before the dough is malleable enough to work into a ball shape. I shaped the dough into golf ball-sized balls.

This is the hardest part. If you have weak hands you’ll need to try another recipe.

Scrunch dough into balls and place on greased cookie sheets.

Place a thumbprint into each ball of dough. If the dough crumbles or falls apart, rework it another 15 times or so until the dough is pliable. It should not crumble apart when you press with your thumb if you’ve worked the dough enough.

Place about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of Lemon Curd into each thumbprint.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until done. Allow cookies to cool before placing on cooling racks.

I used these ingredients for the icing.

Whisk ingredients to combine.

Fill a zip-lock bag with icing (this was three batches). Cut off a small corner to pipe icing over top of cookies.

Remove cookies to cooling racks. Pipe icing over top. Allow icing to set about 15 minutes before serving.

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies are terrific for Christmas Cookie Exchanges.

Every bite is irresistible.

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies are good down to the last bite.

Here’s the recipe.

LEMON CURD THUMBPRINT COOKIES

(My own concoction)

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect treats for the holiday season. Everyone loves these. 🙂

If you plan to share these cookies with others, watch them disappear.

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies are festive, beautiful, elegant and terrific for holiday parties.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Four Berry Thumbprint Cookies