Iced Almond Thumbprint Cookies for Springtime | Kid Friendly Things To Do
Delicious springtime cookies
Yield: 2 dozen
Materials
- 1 cup of margarine melted
- ¼ cup of sugar
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. of milk - I used 2%
- 2 cups of flour
- optional - 1 cup of finely chopped nuts almonds
Filling
- for each color
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 2 - 3 Tbsp. of water
- Gel food coloring - I used neon colors
- *you can use liquid food coloring but you'll want to use less water so your icing isn't too runny
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Melt the butter until it is warm enough to dissolve the sugar (I usually microwave the 1 lb. for about 30 seconds) If it is only partially melted, that's fine. It will probably have a warm, and creamy texture)
- In a large bowl mix melted margarine or unsalted butter and sugar together until sugar is dissolved
- Add extract and milk - stir in
- In a small bowl mix the salt, flour, and *optional nuts
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together
- Roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter
- Push the center down with your thumb or the back of a Tbsp. measuring spoon that has been greased
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes
- While that is baking - stir the ingredients for the icing together adding the water 1 Tbsp. at a time, and stopping when the icing is a nice smooth consistency but not too runny
- If it gets too runny...just add a little more powdered sugar
- After the cookies are done and cooled - add a spoonful of icing to each center
- Enjoy!
Notes
Updates to recipe explained:
The addition of milk is a new ingredient. Feel free to omit this ingredient. Your cookie will still turn out delicious, but it will have a more dense texture. The original version from my mom's generation did not have the milk. The milk binds the dough with more moisture so it is not so crumbly, it adds fat and flavor, and it even contributes to color.
Almond extract in place of vanilla - these 2 extracts are completely interchangeable in this recipe. I happened to like the almond flavor over the vanilla, but it is entirely a personal preference
*Also, I have discovered that it is not necessary to refrigerate the cookie dough before baking which gives us one less step to worry about. :)