Make your mark on the autumn dessert spread that’s covered with unoriginal pumpkin-flavored everything! Mix up the flavors a bit and serve your party-goers a batch of these Fall Thumbprint Cookies instead. They’ll be pleasantly surprised by these discs of crisp, sweet treats that are adorned with a dollop of creamy chocolate and hazelnut goodness. Fall Thumbprint Cookies are what your fall party was missing and they’re sure to leave a lovely legacy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup hazelnut flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 orange, zested
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange juice, plus more, to taste
- 1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread
- flaky salt, to taste, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, whisk the hazelnut flour, the all-purpose flour, the pastry flour, the orange zest, and the salt together.
Step 4 –In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and the sugar and beat, scraping the sides as needed, on medium-high speed until it is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Step 5 –With the mixer still on medium-high, add the vanilla and 1 teaspoon of the orange juice.
Step 6 –Reduce the mixer speed to low.
Step 7 –Add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, to the butter mixture and mix, scraping the sides as needed, until it is incorporated and comes together into a soft dough. If the dough is too dry, add the extra orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, and mix until the desired consistency is reached.
Step 8 –Roll the dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon per cookie, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 9 –Use your thumb to make a 3/4-inch-wide indentation in the center of each ball, ensuring your thumb does not touch the bottom of the pan. If the edges of the cookies start to crack, use your fingers to gently smooth the edges together.
Step 10 –Bake the cookies until they are lightly puffed on top and golden on the bottom, about 12-15 minutes.
Step 11 –Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 12 –Spoon the chocolate-hazelnut spread into a pastry bag and evenly pipe it into the indentation of each cookie.
Step 13 –Serve the cookies lightly sprinkled with the flaky salt.
