Thumbprint cookies are a delicious teatime classic – and with this easy recipe, totally irresistible to make. This citrusy, tangy take on these soft and buttery biscuits is ideal for the summer, with lemon curd taking the centre stage.
This recipe takes just 45 minutes to make, baking up 50 biscuits that are perfect for sharing, gifting or storing for up to a week in an airtight container. Sharing this fuss-free method, Good Food said these cookies can also be presented as fried eggs by dusting icing sugar around the edges. One of the best things about this recipe is that it only calls for a few cupboard staples, and no fancy ingredients or complicated tools are used.
Method
Place the flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl through a sieve to remove any lumps. Incorporate the vanilla extract, finely grated lemon zest, and a small amount of salt.
Using only your fingertips, work the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the texture becomes similar to moist sand. Add the egg yolks and combine until a cohesive dough forms. Shape it into a disc, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour, or up to forty-eight hours.
Once chilled, take the dough out and allow it to sit at room temperature for approximately ten minutes. Roll it into a uniform log shape, then divide into fifty even sections.
Shape each piece into a ball and place them on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper – several trays may be required. Create a small hollow in the centre of each ball using either your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon.
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan) or gas mark six. Spoon half a teaspoon of lemon curd into the indentation of each biscuit. Bake for twelve to fifteen minutes until just golden.
Allow the biscuits to cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.