Liz's Thumbprint Cookies

INGREDIENTS
¾ pound butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 Tbsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
3 ½ cups flour
Jelly (Currant, Seedless Raspberry, Apricot)


In a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add vanilla and egg yolks
In a separate bowl, combine salt and flour
In a few small batches, add flour to mixer until combined – DO NOT OVERBEAT
Form dough into a giant pancake shape, seal in a Ziplock bag, and chill for at least 1 ½ hours or overnight.

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Let the dough sit out until it comes to room temperature (it should be easy to work with). Break off a piece of dough, roll it into a small ball, and place it on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using your finger, make a dent, or “thumbprint”, in the center of the dough ball, then fill it with jelly. Chill the baking sheet/cookies. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes. The edges should just barely turn brown around the edge.

Let cookies cool on the pan for a moment, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Keep cookies in an airtight container, separate layers with wax paper.

One batch will make roughly 50 cookies.

NOTES:
You can use parchment paper on your baking sheets but it may take a little extra time to bake. If you make the ball of dough too big, the edges will crack when you make the dent. Be neat with the jelly and don’t overfill the dents. While baking, it may bubble over, and any messy jelly spots may burn. If you’re making several batches, it’s easiest to make the dough on one day, and bake on another day. The dough can be refrigerated for several days before baking.