Description
Delicious Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies filled with creamy chocolate ganache, featuring a rich cocoa-flavored buttery cookie base. These cookies are perfect for chocolate lovers and make a delightful treat for any occasion, combining a crisp exterior with a soft, chocolatey center.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies:
- 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup (40 g) cocoa powder, Dutch process
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 cup (200 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
- nonpareils for sprinkling on top, optional
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside to prevent sticking and easy cleanup.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder until evenly combined.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for two minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla: Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract or paste until the mixture becomes pale in color and fluffy, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Portion the dough: Scoop the dough into 34 equal portions, about 1 tablespoon each, and roll into balls.
- Form indentations: Place dough balls onto prepared baking sheets. Using a 1/4 teaspoon measure, gently press down on each ball to create an indent for the ganache filling.
- Chill dough: Chill the prepared dough balls for at least one hour to help maintain shape during baking. You may chill all dough together on one sheet and separate later for baking.
- Preheat oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) before baking.
- Arrange dough for baking: Place dough balls about 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes until set; 10 minutes is ideal for a soft center with a firm exterior.
- Refine indents and shape: While cookies are still warm, gently press down the centers again with a 1/4 teaspoon and use a small circular cutter to perfect the shape and size.
- Cool cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare ganache: Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat heavy cream until just about boiling, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute to soften the chocolate, then stir until smooth and glossy.
- Fill cookies: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of ganache into each cookie’s indent, adding more if space allows.
- Add decorations: Optionally sprinkle nonpareils or other decorations over the ganache while still soft.
- Set ganache: Chill the filled cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the ganache to set firmly.
- Store: Keep leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Measure your flour properly: To avoid dry or dense cookies, spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife instead of scooping directly from the bag. Alternatively, weigh your flour for best accuracy (1 cup = 125 grams).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
