Salted chocolate thumbprint cookies

There are a few salubrious occasions in life when oversized thumbs come in handy. These buttery thumbprint cookies are most definitely one of those. Filled with bitter dark chocolate and hazelnut, the bigger the thumbprint, the more cookie filling. A sprinkling of salt flakes enhances their bittersweet flavour.

Credit: China Squirrel

• makes

  18

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 125 g unsalted butter, softened
• 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour, sifted
• 80 g (¾ cup) almond meal 
• 75 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
• 3 tbsp hazelnut-chocolate spread
• sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Place butter, sugar and vanilla into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add flour and the almond meal. Mix until a soft, sticky dough forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 160°C.

Scoop tablespoons of dough and roll each into a ball. Place onto baking paper-lined trays, allowing room for spreading. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the top of each cookie.

Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden.

Whilst still hot, carefully use the tip of a teaspoon to lightly reshape the thumbprint indent in each cookie. Allow cookies to cool on trays.

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in a heatproof bowl in a microwave oven. Remove from heat and stir in hazelnut-chocolate spread. Allow to cool until until mixture thickens slightly, about 8–10 minutes. Use a teaspoon to spoon chocolate filling into the top of each cookie. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Photography, styling and food preparation by China Squirrel.

This recipe is from Cookie Scout, our weekend cookie project. Bake with us. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.