Rebecca Firth from the blog Displaced Housewife crafted these jewel-toned Five-Spice Cranberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies. They are a cinch to throw together and require zero fridge time. The Five-Spice Cranberry Jam is a holiday favorite in her house—consider making extra to serve with your next cocktail hour cheese board!
Five-Spice Cranberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Makes 21 cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 8 pieces
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (19 grams), room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) whole milk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) almond extract
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (64 grams) bread flour
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) sea salt
- ½ cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- Five-Spice Cranberry Jam (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Position oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add egg yolk, milk, and almond extract, and beat at low speed for 1 minute.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, and beat at low speed until dough comes together, stopping to scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Using a 1-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, scoop dough, and roll into balls; place 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Using your thumb, press down center of each dough ball. Freeze or refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Bake, one batch at a time, until tops are dry to the touch, about 11 minutes. Using the curved end of a wooden spoon, immediately press down centers. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire racks.
- Sift confectioners’ sugar over cooled cookies. Spoon 1 teaspoon (7 grams) Five-Spice Cranberry Jam into center of each cookie.
Notes
These are best served the same day they are made. If you want to prepare them ahead of time, wait to sift with confectioners’ sugar and fill with the Five-Space Cranberry Jam until just before serving.
Five-Spice Cranberry Jam
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (165 grams) fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
- ⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (12 grams) tightly packed orange zest
- ¼ cup (60 grams) fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) Chinese five-spice powder
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, and orange zest and juice to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced, about 15 minutes. Using the edge of a spatula, mash cranberries. Stir in five-spice powder. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, and let cool completely before using. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
