These are easy cookies to make, and the color from the green pistachios and red cherry preserves will jazz up your holiday cookie platter. By filling the cookies with preserves before baking, the preserves will heat and bubble-up while the cookies are baking, making less of a “jelly mess” when you bite into the cookie.

Cherry Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt (If using salted pistachios, omit salt)

1 cup pistachio nuts, finely chopped

About ½ cup cherry preserves

Tip: if the fruit chunks in the preserves are large, it will be hard to fill the cookies. Spoon the preserves out of the jar and onto a cutting board; use a knife to chop the fruit chunks smaller. Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
   
   Dough:
2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, add butter and sugar; mix together on medium speed until combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the side of the bowl as needed. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract; mix until thoroughly blended. Add flour, salt (if using), and pistachios, mixing just until combined.
   
   
3. Shape dough into small balls, about 1” in diameter.  Place balls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. With your thumb or index finger, press an indentation in the center of each ball to hold the filling. Tip: instead of using your finger, use a wooden spoon with a rounded handle; make a deep indentation with the tip of the handle in the center of each cookie. If the dough sticks dip the tip in flour before pressing.
   
   
4. Fill the center of each cookie with about ½ teaspoon cherry preserves. Do not overfill or the preserves will run over while baking. Tip: to fill the cookies neatly, use a teaspoon, point the tip of the spoon down into the indentation and slide the preserves off with another spoon or your fingertip.
   
   Bake:
5. Bake 15 minutes or until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Using a thin metal spatula, remove cookies from baking sheets and place on wire cooling racks to let cool.
   
   Makes about 3½  dozen cookies
   
   TheBakingPan.com
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