Walnut Raspberry Thumbprints

Walnut Raspberry Thumbprints cookies are childhood classics - spiced cookie dough gets rolled in crushed nuts and then finished with raspberry jam.

The cookies are just large enough to make one indentation from a thumb, and that's all the jam they can hold.

Feel free to mix and match the fruit fillings - strawberry, apricot and blueberry jams all make glistening pools just right for the holidays.

Walnut Raspberry Thumbprints Cookies

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg white, well beaten
3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup raspberry jam

Whisk together the all-purpose flour with the whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and cardamom. Set it aside.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Mix in the brown sugar and vanilla extract. When well mixed, add the egg whites and beat for another 30 seconds.

Stir in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the rolled oats and thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets with shortening or cooking spray, or you can line them with parchment paper.

Shape the chilled dough into balls about 3/4 inches. Roll each ball into the beaten egg white and then into the chopped walnuts. Place on the sheet pan about 1 inch apart.

Using your thumb, make an indentation into the center of each ball. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until the edges turn a light golden brown. If the indentation has puffed up during the baking, press it back down with a measuring teaspoon.

Let the baked cookies sit a few minutes on the sheet pan then remove them to wire racks to cool. Just before serving, fill the indentations with raspberry jam.

Good To Know - If you want to freeze the cookies, leave them unfilled. Let them taw out before filling with the jam.

Food For Thought - Not only can you vary the fruit filling, but you can use other nuts for the coating. Pecans go really well with apricot jam.

You Might Need:

• Kitchen Supply Aluminum Half Size Sheet Pan 18-inch by 13-inch

• Calphalon 12-by-17-Inch Rectangular Nonstick Cooling Rack

• Silpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat

• Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop