CORNMEAL THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Cornmeal Thumbprint Cookies image

Yield makes about 2 1/2 dozen 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookies

Number Of Ingredients 11

1/2 cup blanched, unsalted almonds
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup peach or your favorite fruit preserves

Steps:

Combine the almonds and confectioners' sugar in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground, about 1 minute.
Add the flour, cornmeal, lemon zest, salt, and nutmeg and pulse several times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Stir the egg and vanilla in a small bowl and add to the almond-butter mixture. Pulse just until the dough begins to stick together.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead several times to form a flat disk. Wrap tightly in parchment paper or plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour, until slightly firm.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Pinch off small pieces of the dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on ungreased baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Using your thumb, press the center of each cookie to form an indentation.
Spoon a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of preserves in the indentation of each cookie. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Serve warm or transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve, or for up to 4 days.