An unexpected bright lemon flavor is a bright surprise to this traditional holiday cookie.
Our final cookie this month, Lemon Raspberry Thumbprints, is pretty for the holidays, but they also can be enjoyed for spring or summer celebrations (such as Easter dinner, bridal or baby showers, Mother’s Day). The recipe from Tastefully Simple® caught my eye because growing up, Mom and Grandma baked traditional thumbprint cookies, as well as something they called a Lemon Snowball, which was a rich, buttery cookie that included lemon extract in the dough and in the glaze.
I guess it’s no surprise we had thumbprint cookies every year because Mom’s dad came from Hungary. Thumbprints are believed to be a culinary creation with roots in 19th-century Eastern Europe. The cookie dough is rolled into a ball, an indentation is made with your thumb, and that divot is filled with a spot of jam, almond paste, Nutella or even lemon curd.
I’m featuring this recipe because the cookie starts with Tastefully Simple’s Sunny Lemon Pound Cake mix, so we’re saving some steps without sacrificing any flavor. Of course, you can make these thumbprint cookies with another boxed lemon cake mix (or any flavor for that matter); search “thumbprint cookies with cake mix” on the internet and you’ll find a variety of recipes. But I liked using the Sunny Lemon Pound Cake mix because the packet for glaze is included with it. I made Lemon Raspberry Thumbprints for a St. Louis Culinary Society event, and they were a hit! These culinary professionals were surprised to know a box mix was used!
To make Lemon Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, which yields about 24 cookies, you’ll need these ingredients:
1 package TS Sunny Lemon Pound Cake & Icing Mix
10 Tablespoons butter (1/2 cup softened + 2 Tablespoons melted), divided
2 large eggs
½ cup raspberry preserves
1 Tablespoon water
¼ cup sliced almonds
Follow these directions to make Lemon Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, ½ cup softened butter and eggs. Stir by hand until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 ½-inch balls.
Place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes.
Remove sheet pan from oven. Using the back of a teaspoon, make a rounded indentation in the top of each cookie. Fill with ½ teaspoon of preserves. Continue baking another 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool cookies on sheet for 1 minute before transferring to the wire rack. Cool cookies completely.
In a small bowl, stir together the icing mix, 2 Tablespoons melted butter and 1 Tablespoon water. Whisk until smooth and drizzle over cookies. Top with sliced almonds.
Cookie tips
Lemon Raspberry Thumbprint cookies keep well in an air-tight container, but I noticed a pink color from preserves bled into the white glaze icing after a few days. So, I’d recommend storing the cookies before you add the glaze. If you want to glaze a portion of the cookie yield to serve the next day or two, reserve the mixed icing and store it in a small air-tight container in the refrigerator. When ready to use, microwave the glaze for a few seconds until the consistency has softened enough to drizzle on your cookies.
Did you know . . .
Thumbprint cookies are also known by many other names, including:
Hallongrotta: The Swedish name for thumbprint cookies, which translates to "raspberry cave"
Jam drops: The name for similar cookies sold in Australia
Polish tea cakes: Another name for thumbprint cookies
Other names include bird’s nest cookies or butterballs
About the blog
Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.
תגובות