Best Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

Steps

1. 1Chocolate Cookies:
2. 2Whisk the softened butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until the mixture looks really light and fluffy, scraping the bowl at least twice in the middle
3. 3Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla, and whisk again until the ingredients are combined. Scrape the bowl again
4. 4Sift and mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2-3 batches, folding gently with a rubber spatula. Try not to overmix the dough and stop as soon as the dry ingredients are combined. The result should be a soft but workable cookie dough
5. 5Line 1-2 large baking sheets with parchment paper
6. 6Shape the cookie dough into 25g balls, about 1" in diameter each. This should make about ~26 balls. Use minimal pressure to make the balls and remove any cracks from the surface, but don't over work them as that will cause them to become greasy
7. 7Place the balls on the lined baking sheets, keeping about 2" between each
8. 8Use the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measure (or something of similar size; it should be a round shape that is smaller than the size of the cookie ball) to press "thumbprints" into each cookie ball. This will also naturally flatten each ball slightly. You can use your thumbs but it is easier and more consistent with a spoon measure
9. 9Place the sheets in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes (or ~15 min in the freezer). In the meanwhile, work on the chocolate ganache (see below)
10. 10In the last 15 minutes of chilling, pre-heat the oven to 375F (conventional, no fan)
11. 11Once the cookie balls have chilled and oven has pre-heated, bake the cookies for ~9-11 minutes. 9 min will yield softer, chewier cookies while they will be firmer at 11 minutes. I baked mine for 10 minutes, and strongly recommend baking one cookie as a test first
12. 12As soon as the cookies are out of the oven and are still hot, use a larger spoon measure (like 1 tbsp) to press down gently on the cookies again. They puff up and partly lose the thumbprint in the oven, so this step helps bring it back
13. 13Let them cool at room temperature for 10 minutes
14. 14Chocolate Ganache:
15. 15Add the chopped chocolate / chips to a bowl
16. 16Heat the cream until it just starts to simmer. Pour over the chocolate, making sure the chocolate is covered in the cream. Cover and wait 5 minutes
17. 17Gently stir until the chocolate fully melts and a smooth, shiny chocolate ganache forms. Let it cool and thicken up at room temperature while you bake the cookies
18. 18Assembly & serving:
19. 19Once the cookies and ganache have both cooled down, fill each cookie generously with the ganache. I just do this with a spoon
20. 20Let them rest for ~30 or so minutes so the ganache can set more
21. 21Decorate however you like; I used crushed freeze dried strawberries
22. 22Serve & enjoy!