Jam Thumbprint Cookies

With a tea party coming up and bottles of jam at home, I wanted to make some thumbprint cookies. After googling for a recipe, I decided to go with Ina Garten's Jam Thumbprint Cookie. I've used some of Ina's recipe in the past and have always had good results with her recipes. So, using her recipe again is a no brainer!  The only change I made was adding some lemon zest (proud to say, the lemon was from my garden!!) to the cookies, and I used Blueberry and Apricot Jam for the jam filling. The cookies were delicious; the husband couldn't stop eating them! =)
Here's the recipe with my little twist..

JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES RECIPE

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb (3 sticks) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• Zest from 1 Lemon (Optional)
• 3 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 Egg Beaten with 1 Tbsp water (for egg wash)
• 7 Oz Sweetened Flaked Coconut
• Raspberry and/or Apricot Jam (Or your Jam of choice)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla (and lemon zest). Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and 

roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookiesheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

June's Comments: I made my cookies a little smaller; they weigh between 0.7oz  and 0.8 oz. 

I made a slightly deeper indentation into the cookie, so that I can fill it with more jam! =)

Simply June