Apricot Jam Thumbprints & Carrot Cake Cookies

Sorry for my disappearing for couple weeks. However, I'm back with 2 yummy recipes for you!

Baking cookies is my most favorite thing to bake and also eat. After looking at my recipe index, I feel I haven't posted much of cookie recipes on here. So today I have two yummy cookie recipes for you.

First one is Apricot Jam Thumbprints. These thumbprints cookies are a little bit different from the normal thumbprints that I made before. It's dipped in egg white and rolled in ground almond-sugar mixture. So, the cookies have crunchy texture on the outside. I like this version of thumbprints better because of the crunchy almond.

The second recipe is Carrot Cake Cookies. If you like carrot cake with yummy cream cheese frosting, you will love this recipe. This Martha's carrot cake cookie recipe has carrots, oats, spices, and raisin in it. I think the recipe is already great and the cookies do taste like carrot cake. However, I might add shredded coconut and some nuts when I make this again next time. I think they will be even better.

Hope you all enjoy them!

Jam Thumbprints
(from Martha Stewart Magazine - Holiday Cookies; Make: 24 cookies)

(Note: my dough was abit too soft to handle since I'm in a tropical country. I chilled my dough for 30 mins to 1 hour or until it is firm to handle.)

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 C plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 C finely grounded almond
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 C jam or preserves (I used apricot jam)

Preheat at 325F

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and 1/2 C sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract. Beat well. Add the flour-sugar mixture to the egg mixture, beat until combine.

In a small bowl, combine the almond and the remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Set aside

Form dough into 1-inch ball, dip in egg white, then in the almond-sugar mixture. Make a deep indentation in the center of each ball with your finger. Place in lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and press down the center again. Rotate sheets and bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Fill centers with about 1 tsp of jam.



Carrot Cake Cookies
(adapted from Martha Stewart Magazine - Holiday Cookies; Make: 36-48 cookies)

(Note: I omitted 1 C of granulate sugar in the recipe because my parents do not eat too sweet stuff. The cookies is sandwiched together with cream-cheese frosting. So, you already have extra sweetness there. You can also omit the cream cheese frosting too since the carrot cake cookies are also good by themselves!)

1 C packed light-brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 C all-purpose flour, plus more for flattening cookies
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 C old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2C finely grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
1 C raisins
cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat at 350F

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and light-brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined. 

Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, mix until just blended. Mix in oats, carrots, and raisins. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Shape 1 tbsp of dough into a ball. Flat the ball by hand and place on a lined baking sheet, 2 inch apart.

Baking for 12-15 mins or until browned and crisp, rotating halfway through. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Once cooled completely use an offset spatula to spread about 2 tsp of cream cheese frosting onto a cookie. Sandwich together with a second cookies. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days in the refrigerator.


Cream Cheese Frosting
(Note: I only made half of this cream cheese frosting recipe and it's more than enough for the cookies that I made.)

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in butter and beat until well blended. Sift in confectioners' sugar and continue beat until smooth. Add vanilla extract and stir to combine.