Lemon Strawberry Thumbprints

Happy New Year, Everyone! 🙂

Did you all celebrate it well? I was thankful I had the day off from work, so I kept it low-key. I caught up on sleep and lounged around with my family all day. It was so relaxing and stress-free. Haha!

The holidays are finally winding down. I`m not sure whether it`s a good or bad thing. I have been in a constant state of food coma since Thanksgiving!! I can`t use the excuse: “It’s the holidays!” anymore when I`m sneaking a cookie just before bedtime. And, sadly, my daily cookie intake has slowed to a halt as I let my body recuperate from all the bad food from the past several months! 😛


It`s really amazing how I can just keep eating cookies without getting sick of them. I think it helps since there is so much you can potentially do with cookies.

This recipe needed to get on the blog already. I have been using this recipe since my early baking days from 3 years ago. As you can tell, with all the cookies I eat, this recipe must be special if it`s stuck around with me for this long.

I adore and love the lemon and strawberry combo. The cookie is a delicious lemon shortbread cookie while the center is filled with a dollop of strawberry preserves. Then, I drizzled some lemon glaze on it, because I wanted to add more tart to the cookie. And, I`ll be honest, I just love lemon. 🙂

Lemon Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies
Adapted: Allrecipes| Yields: 18 cookies| Level: Easy | Total Time:  40 minutes
Ingredients:
Cookies:
§  ½ cup (8 tablespoons butter), softened
§  1/3 cup granulated sugar
§  ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
§  1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
§  ¼ cup strawberry preserves
Lemon Glaze:
§  ¼ cup powdered sugar/icing sugar, shifted
§  ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
§  ½ teaspoon milk
Materials Needed:
          nonstick baking sheet(s)
          1 mixing bowl w/ electric mixer
          1 spoon
          cookie scoop
          1 small bowl
          1 whisk
          baking mat/parchment paper
Directions:
Cookies:
1.       Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper, or baking mat.
2.       In a bowl with electric mixer, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
3.       Beat in lemon extract.
4.       Gradually mix in the flour, in 3 additions (add flour, mix, flour, mix, flour, mix).
5.       Using the palm of your hands, roll dough into 1 inch balls.
6.       Poke a small hole in the center of each dough ball (use the back of a small measuring spoon).
7.       Place balls on prepared cookie sheet(s) and chill in freezer for 15 minutes.
8.       Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
9.       Remove cookies from freezer an drop a small amount of strawberry preserves in each cookie’s dent.
10.   Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
11.   Allow cookies to cook completely on cookie sheet.
Lemon Glaze:
12.   In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon extract, and milk.
13.   Drizzle over each cookie.
*Notes:
          Dough can be made and rolled into balls with indents ahead of time (a day in advance). Continue as directed when you’re ready to bake.
          Cookies will taste the same for about a week if kept in sealed container.Â