These cookies are excellent, with just enough tartness from the lemon zest and juice plus the apricot jam to compliment the sweetness of the confectioner sugar on top.
Besides apricot preserves, I also love red raspberry jam or preserves for thumbprint cookies. I have an eggless cream cheese cookie you might like to try if you have egg allergies in your household. You can find the recipe here at Raspberry Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies.
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Ingredient For Cookies
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Cream Cheese
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Apricot preserves
- Confectioner sugar Enough to sprinkle on top
Prepping and Mixing
Lemon juice or zest just brightens up the taste of almost any cookie. For this cookie, we are using both juice and zest. Zest one lemon and only go over the same spot once or twice. If you go deeper into the underlying layer of white, you will give a bitter taste to your cookies. Then cut the lemon in half and juice.
Weigh or measure the sugar and add it to the mixer bowl along with the butter and the cream cheese. Mix on medium speed for a good 3 minutes.
Next, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, egg, and blend. Weigh or measure the flour into a bowl. Add the baking powder, and whisk together. I scrape down the sides and across the bottom.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the mixer bowl and mix till all the flour is incorporated. Cover and put into the refrigerator for an hour.
Create Thump Print Cookies
You can use a teaspoon or a small cookie scooper to have enough cookie dough to make a ball. A good size is about 1-½ to 2 inches in circumference, and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet pan.
Take your thumb and go straight down from the top of the ball. Only go about ¾ of the way down; you don't want to hit bottom, or the apricot preserves will leak out.
Next, take a teaspoon and fill the wells with the apricot preserves.
Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 11-13 minutes. I check them by touching the cookie, and it should be slightly firm. The bottoms should be golden brown.
Move them to a cooling rack to cool. When the cookies have completely cooled, you can sprinkle confectioners sugar on the tops of the cookies.
The great thing about these cookies is that you can add whatever jam or preserves you have on hand. I have done these cookies with blackberry and strawberry preserves which I also love. But you can't beat the taste of apricot preserves.
More Apricot Cookies
Recipe
Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
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Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) Unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cups (150 g) Granulated sugar
- 4 oz. (4 oz.) Cream Cheese room temperature
- 1 (1) Egg
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Lemon zest
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Baking powder
- ½ jar (½ jar) Apricot preserves
- Confectioners sugar Enough to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add flour and baking powder (either measured or weighed) whisk through to blend. Set the bowl aside.
- Add butter, granulated sugar, and cream cheese into a mixer bowl and blend until all is incorporated. I mix for 3 minutes on medium speed. Beat in egg, then add in lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Slowly add your flour mixture and blend till just incorporated. Cover and put into the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. Roll a teaspoon of dough to make a ball about 1-½ to 2 inches in circumference. Using your thumb, go about ¾ of the way through the ball. Fill the hole with apricot preserves.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 11-13 minutes. I touch the top of the cookie, and if it seems slightly firm, I pull them out of the oven. They should have a light golden brown bottom. Move to a cooling rack to cool. When cooled, sprinkle with confectioner sugar.
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Notes
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
Tj says
Just made these and they're pretty good! I feel like the salt is missing from the recipe, however...
Barbara says
Hi TJ, Thank you. You are probably correct that I should add a comment that if you like, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the recipe. I try to cut down on salt, but I do understand that salt enhances the flavor. - Barbara
Alice says
Look great, I am going to make them. I lost my bourbon ball receipe, do you by chance have the receipe??? I sure would appreciate it.🙏
Barbara says
Hi Alice, I have not made that cookie yet, but what a great idea! It will be on my list.