Fig and Sour Cherry Thumbprint Cookies
The following recipe and photography were provided by our partner, Yoko Segawa of Yoko’s Kitchen.
Leave your mark on the holiday season by baking these simple and sweet Fig and Sour Cherry Thumbprint cookies for all of your seasonal celebrations.
It’s not uncommon to find thumbprint cookies on a holiday dessert table, but this is not your average thumbprint cookie recipe. In fact, it might just be better because it features minor Heinen’s-inspired tweaks to the traditional dough and center filling that elevate the texture and flavor.
This recipe calls for almond flour and rolled oats in the dough, which enhances the texture without detracting from the traditional tender, buttery nature of the cookie. When it comes to the filling, most recipes call for raspberry or apricot preserves, but this recipe uses Heinen’s fig and sour cherry spreads from the Specialty Cheese Department. Made with high quality ingredients and packed with fruity flavor, the deep red and purple color of these spreads gives the cookies a “wintery” appearance, and the texture is just like that of the preserves you would use in a traditional thumbprint cookie recipe.
‘Tis the season to get creative with cookies!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s not your average sugar cookie. Most thumbprint cookie recipes call for a sugar or shortbread cookie base. This recipe gives the classic sugar cookie a wholesome touch with the addition of almond flour and rolled oats. The resulting texture is rich, tender, and buttery, and the sweetness is just as prominent as the sugar cookies you know and love.
- It offers another way to use Heinen’s fig and sour cherry spreads. Located in the Specialty Cheese Department, Heinen’s fig and sour cherry spreads were created for cheeseboards, but they offer ample versatility. Their jelly-like texture and deep fruity flavors make then the perfect center filling for these thumbprint cookies, but they can also be spread on toast or baked into any dessert that calls for preserves. The fig spread has a gorgeous purple hue and subtly sweet flavor, while the cherry spread offers a deep red color and slightly sour flavor. They’re great for the holiday season, but they’re also available year round, so you can enjoy them anytime.
- It’s easy to get the family involved. If baking is a part of your holiday traditions, grab your loved ones and make this recipe a family affair. Rolling the dough, forming the “thumbprint,” and dolloping the center filling are perfect jobs for little hands.
Fig and Sour Cherry Thumbprint Cookies
Servings: 38-39 Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Heinen’s butter
- ¼ cup Heinen’s sugar
- ¼ cup Heinen’s brown sugar
- 1 Heinen’s cage free egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats, plus more for coating
- ½ cup Heinen’s fig spread or Heinen’s sour cherry spread
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and oats. Use a spatula to mix until just combined.
- Use a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop or measuring spoon to scoop the cookie dough and roll into balls. Coat the cookie dough balls with oats, if desired.
- Arrange the cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to create an indent in the center of each cookie. If the cookie cracks, roll it back into a ball between your palms and create another indent.
- Spoon ½ teaspoon of the fig or sour cherry spread into the indent of each cookie. If the spread is too thick, microwave for 15-30 seconds or cook over the stovetop until runny. Refrigerate the cookies for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the cookies for 11-15 minutes until the bottom edges are golden brown. Let cool completely.
