Recipe: Thumbprint Cookies (Husarenkrapferl)

Here’s another one of our favorite cookie recipes. In Germany they’re called Husarenkrapferl, which literally translates to hussar’s donuts (don’t ask me why). They look a lot like thumbprint cookies, but the ingredients and preparation steps vary a little. The biggest difference is that you add the jam before baking the cookies.

Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies (Husarenkrapferl)

This cookie recipe is another quick and easy one. Perfect for those who don’t have a lot of time but still want to eat homemade cookies. Just like me. Feel free to use a different kind of jam, like blackberry, strawberry, or apricot. As long as they don’t contain any chunks, they should all work just fine.

Note: I used a converter for the volume measurements, so I can’t guarantee for their accuracy! To be safe, use the metric measurements!

Prep time: 20 minutes, plus about 1 hour to chill in the fridge

Bake time: 12 – 15 minutes

Yield: Makes about 50 bite-sized cookies

*Vegetarian*

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 3/4 cup (85 g) blanched almonds, finely ground
• 1/3 cup (75 g) sugar
• 2/3 cup (150 g) soft butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup (150 g) smooth raspberry jam
• Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and salt. Then add the egg yolks and mix them in. Add flour and ground almonds and proceed to knead the dough with your hands. After a few minutes, the dough will come together and you can shape it into a big ball.

Dust a cutting board with some flour to prevent sticking. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll each one into a long roll, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the dough rolls tightly in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge for at least one hour.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and pre-heat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C).

Cut the dough rolls into slices, about 1 inch thick. Roll the slices into small balls, place them on the lined baking sheets and make a deep indentation in each ball, either with your finger or with the bottom of a thick wooden spoon. Put the jam into a small plastic bag and cut off one corner to create a very small hole. Squirt the jam into the holes of the balls.

Bake the cookies for 12 – 15 minutes, until they turn slightly golden.

Let cookies cool completely and dust them with some confectioner’s sugar.

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Enjoy!

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