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Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies with Rich Chocolate Ganache Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 119 reviews

These Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are rich, fudgy, and irresistibly chocolatey, featuring a soft cocoa cookie base with a luscious homemade chocolate ganache center. Perfectly sized for snacking and ideal for parties or gifting, these cookies combine a tender crumb with a smooth, creamy filling, finished with optional festive nonpareils for a delightful crunch and visual appeal.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 cup (40 g) cocoa powder, Dutch process
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
  • 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

Chocolate Ganache

  • 1 cup (200 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
  • Nonpareils for sprinkling on top, optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder until well combined. Set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter with the light brown sugar and granulated white sugar for about two minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  3. Add Egg Yolks and Vanilla: Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste or extract until the dough is pale and fluffy, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients and mix just until fully combined without overmixing.
  5. Shape Dough Balls: Scoop the dough into 34 equal portions, about 1 tablespoon each, and roll into smooth balls. Place the balls onto two parchment-lined baking sheets.
  6. Create Indents: Using a 1/4 teaspoon measure, gently press down on the center of each dough ball to create an indent. Chill the shaped dough on baking sheets in the refrigerator for at least one hour to firm up.
  7. Preheat Oven: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  8. Bake Cookies: Arrange the chilled dough balls about 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, aiming for about 10 minutes for perfect doneness.
  9. Refine Indents: Right after baking, press the centers with a 1/4 teaspoon again if the indents have puffed up. Use a circular cookie cutter to reshape each cookie and maintain a neat round shape while they are still hot.
  10. Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Make Ganache: Place chocolate chips in a small heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in the microwave or on the stove until just about to boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute, then stir gently until smooth and glossy.
  12. Fill Cookies: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of ganache into the indent of each cooled cookie, adding more if space allows.
  13. Add Toppings: Sprinkle nonpareils or other decorative sprinkles over the ganache if desired.
  14. Set Ganache: Chill the filled cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the ganache to set firmly.
  15. Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated for up to three days.

Notes

  • Use Dutch process cocoa powder for a richer chocolate flavor and darker color.
  • Allowing the dough balls to chill makes them easier to handle and helps the cookies maintain their shape during baking.
  • Pressing the center after baking helps preserve the thumbprint well for the ganache filling.
  • Vanilla bean paste adds a more intense flavor than extract, but either works well.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh up to three days.
  • To intensify the chocolate ganache, use a mix of semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate chips.

Keywords: Chocolate cookies, thumbprint cookies, chocolate ganache, easy chocolate cookie recipe, holiday cookies, homemade cookies

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