EggNog Filling for Thumbprints

INGREDIENTS:

Cookie Dough

• 3 Cups (375 g) All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 tsp Ground Ginger
• 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 10 Tbsp Unsalted Butter softened
• 1/2 Cup (100 g) Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Cup (125 ml) Molasses
• 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Topping

• 1/4 Cup ( 50 g) Granulated Sugar for rolling dough balls

Eggnog White Chocolate

• 2 Cups (350 g) White Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 Cup (60 ml) Eggnog

INSTRUCTIONS

Cookie Dough

1. In a large bowl sift your flour and hand whisk in baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.
2. In bowl of stand mixer, (or large bowl with hand mixer) beat together softened butter with brown sugar until creamy.
3. Add egg, molasses, and maple syrup to the butter mixture. Mix together on medium until combined. (Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with spatula to incorporate all ingredients.)
4. Add flour mixture a third at a time, making sure its well mixed before adding the next third.
5. Once smooth cookie dough is formed, place bowl in fridge and chill your cookie dough for 30-45 minutes before rolling into balls. (This will help the cookies keep their shape and spread less in the oven.)
6. Preheat Oven to 350 F (176 C)and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. (I had to bake two sets of cookie sheets for a total of 28 cookies.)
7. Measure 1 Tbsp or 1.5 Tbsp of cookie dough, using a spoon or small ice cream scoop.
8. Roll cookie dough into small balls with your hands. Place each cookie dough ball into a bowl with the granulated sugar, roll around for a light coating.
9. Next, place dough balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
10. Use a rounded 'tsp' measuring spoon to press a perfect 'thumbprint' into your cookie dough. (only press halfway down)
11. Bake cookies for 6-7 minutes until almost cooked. These were perfect at exactly 7 minutes for me.
12. Don't bake cookies until they are hard. Bring them out of the oven while still slightly soft. They will firm as they cool.
13. Once out of the oven, take your teaspoon and gently press down your 'thumbprint' again. Don't go lower than halfway through cookie.
14. Let cookies cool completely before filling with eggnog white chocolate.

Eggnog White Chocolate Filling

1. Warm the eggnog and combine with white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1.5 minutes in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.(You can also use a double boiler if preferred.)
2. Transfer eggnog white chocolate to a piping bag. Pipe into thumbprint of cooled cookies.
3. Set cookies in the fridge for chocolate to set.
4. Sprinkle with cinnamon!
5. Store cookies in an air tight container at room temperature or in the fridge.

Tips for making EggNog Thumbprint Cookies:

Use softened butter, not melted.

Beat your butter and dark brown sugar together first until creamy.

Chill your cookie dough for 30-45 minutes before rolling into balls. This will help the cookies keep their shape and spread less in the oven.

Use a rounded teaspoon measuring spoon to press a perfect ‘thumbprint’ into your cookie dough.

Don’t bake cookies until they are hard. Bring them out of the oven while still slightly soft. They will firm as they cool.

Once out of the oven, take your teaspoon and gently press down your ‘thumbprint’ again. Don’t go lower than halfway through cookie.

Let cookies cool completely before filling with eggnog white chocolate.

Warm you eggnog and combine with white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1.5 minutes in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. (You can also use a double boiler if preferred.)

Transfer eggnog white chocolate to a piping bag. Pipe into thumbprint of cooled cookies. ( A spoon work too!)

Set cookies in the fridge for chocolate to set.

Sprinkle with cinnamon!

Store cookies in an air tight container at room temp or in the fridge.

Source:  TwoCupsFlour    Try these 35+ Thumbprint Cookies!