Citrus Thumbprints

(50)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Yield:
2 dozen

If you want your cookies to sparkle, roll dough balls in sanding sugar before freezing; omit confectioners' sugar in step 2.

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

  • ¾ cup confectioners' sugar, divided, plus more, sifted, for rolling

  • ½ teaspoon fine salt

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice

  • 1 tablespoon grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon juice

  • cup fruit jam or citrus curd, whisked to remove lumps, for filling

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Combine flour, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and citrus zest and juice on medium until combined; increase speed to high and beat until pale and fluffy, 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture on low. Roll rounded tablespoons dough into balls; place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze 10 minutes.

  2. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven; with small end of a melon baller or a small round measuring spoon, make indents in centers of cookies. Return to oven, rotating sheets, and bake until set and light golden at edges, 12 minutes more. Transfer cookies on parchment to wire racks; let cool 10 minutes. Gently toss in sifted sugar, then sift more sugar over tops. Fill centers with jam. To set jam, bake cookies on racks set on sheets (without parchment) 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool completely.

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    Johnny Miller
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