This recipe is from one of my dear friends, Kathi Baty. During the holidays she makes so many delicious cookies it is hard to decide which one to eat first but these thumbprint cookies are my favorite!

Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Cookie Dough
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
Seedless red raspberry jam (I use Smucker’s)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cream sugar and butter with a mixer for 3 to 4 minutes. Add almond extract. Add flour gradually. Mix until combined. Scrape sides of bowl and mix briefly again to make sure everything is incorporated. Scoop dough using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop. Roll dough around in your palms to make balls.

Place balls of dough on two parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheets. Using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon, make indentations in the cookies large enough to hold 1/4 teaspoon of raspberry jam. Fill indentation with preserves. Freeze cookies for 15 minutes to prevent them from spreading too much. Bake 350ºF for 14 to 16 minutes. Cool completely then glaze cookies. Note: there is no baking powder, salt, or eggs in this recipe yet it turns out perfect every time! Makes 40 cookies.

Almond Glaze
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon water
1 drop red gel food color, optional

Combine glaze ingredients. Drizzle glaze on cooled cookies. Enjoy!