INGREDIENTS
For the Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled see notes
½ cup cocoa powder Dutch process
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated white sugar
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
For the Chocolate Ganache
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup heavy whipping cream
nonpareils for sprinkling on top optional
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Add flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder to a medium sized bowl. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
Add butter, brown sugar and granulated white sugar to a large bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer for two minutes.
Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until pale in color and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
Scoop the dough into 34 portions, then roll into balls. (About 1 tablespoon of dough.)
Transfer the dough to the baking sheets.
Using a ¼ tsp, press down on the dough balls to create an indent.
Chill the prepared indented dough balls for at least one hour. (You can chill all the dough together on one baking sheet and then separate it out on multiple baking sheets when ready to bake.)
Baking the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Arrange the prepared dough about 1 ½ inches apart on the baking sheets.
Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes. (I think 10 minutes is perfect.)
When the cookies are done baking, lightly press down on the centers again with a ¼ tsp. (They may have lost their indent a little as they baked.) Go around them in a circular motion with a circular cookie cutter/biscuit cutter while they are still hot to give them a perfect circular shape, and to get them back to their original smaller size.
Then let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack to completely cool.
For the Chocolate Ganache
Add the chocolate chips to a small bowl.
• Heat the heavy cream in the microwave, or on the stove, until just about boiling.
Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute.
Stir to combine the cream and chocolate together.
Assembling the Cookies
Fill each well of the cookies with about 1 teaspoon of ganache, more if it’ll fit.
Sprinkle sprinkles over the cookies if you wish.
Chill the cookies in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to allow the ganache to set.
Store left overs in an air tight container for up to three days.
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