Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

I know I'm a little late on listing all the cookies I made this year for Christmas and that is mainly because I'm not done making them.  Every day for the last couple of weeks I would start the day off with "Today I'm going to try out some new Christmas Cookie recipes" and every day I was lucky if I got one or two recipes made.  Then when it came to a couple of days before Christmas and time to recreate them, I didn't have the time.  Hence, I am still making cookies!



Here is one of our family favorites, which I get asked to make for all the Christmas functions.  I hope you'll give it a try too.  These are good any time of the year; not just for Christmas.

Here's what you need:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 egg yolks
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 egg whites
1 - 2 cups walnuts, finely chopped

Cream Cheese filling
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbl. butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Almond M&M's

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour and salt in a small bowl and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer or medium bowl cream butter, margarine, and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks and vanilla, stir to combine.

 

Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.  Place egg whites into a small bowl and beat until frothy.  Place walnuts in a separate bowl and set aside.  Shape dough into 1" balls.  

I found it easier to roll them out then proceed with rolling in the nuts.

Dip each ball into egg white and then roll in nuts.  

 

Place 1" apart on cookie sheet.  Press thumb or as I did; a teaspoon dipped in flour,  into center of each cookie to make indentation. 

 

(The reason the first picture doesn't have the nuts is because I make them both ways because my daughter is allergic to nuts)

Bake for 10 minutes.  As soon as they come out of the oven press down in the center to reshape the well in the center.  Cool completely.  

Make cream cheese filling and place in a plastic baggie; zip closed and snip off a small diagonal piece in one corner.  Fill each cookie and place an Almond M & M  in center of each cookie.  I put them upside down so you don't see the M on them.

 

YUMMY, YUMMY Addictive cookies!!!!

The cookies can be frozen before you fill them.  Just place the cookie shells in a resealable zip bag and freeze.  Before filling thaw cookies in the refrigerator overnight.

Enjoy!

~Hugs~

Michelle

Here's the handy printable - Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

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