Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened and at room temperature ((2 sticks))
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam, plus more as needed ((preferably seedless))

Instructions

1. 1

   In a bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Set aside.

2. 2

   With an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, cream the softened butter with the granulated sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Lower to medium speed and mix in the almond extract and vanilla extract. Lower to medium low speed and gradually add the flour. Once incorporated, increase speed back to medium and mix until evenly combined and a smooth dough forms. At first, it may look crumbly but it will come together as you keep mixing.

3. 3

   Wrap the dough with plastic wrap. Chill for 4 hours or overnight. Tip: flatten the dough to form a disk so you don’t have a big block of dough.

4. 4

   After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. 5

   Remove the dough from the fridge. Let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes if it’s too stiff.

6. 6

   Make 1 tablespoon balls of dough with your hands. Make sure you work fast because the dough needs to stay cold. They should be smooth and round. Tip: if you think the dough balls are getting too soft, refrigerate them for 15-30 minutes.

7. 7

   Press down each ball of dough with your thumb or a measuring spoon. They may crack around the edges, and that's okay - just use your fingers to bring the dough back together. Fill each indentation with about ½ teaspoon of raspberry jam. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 to 3 inches apart. Note: You may need to do multiple batches – just refrigerate the dough until ready to bake the next batch.

8. 8

   Bake each batch for 13 to 15 minutes until the bottom is slightly browned. Once ready, remove from the oven and, after about 10 minutes, transfer them to a cooking rack to cool completely. Enjoy!