Les Madeleines Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped almonds
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar, plus
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• jam or fruit preserves

Directions

1. 1

   Lightly toast then cool nuts; chop until very fine and set aside ~ If using a food processor for chopping, allow nuts to cool very thoroughly before chopping them in order to avoid turning them into a paste.

2. 2

   Cream butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until extra light-colored and fluffy; stir in vanilla.

3. 3

   Whisk together dry ingredients; add gradually to butter mixture, stirring just until (do not overmix) dough comes together; stir in chopped nuts.

4. 4

   Chill dough if it seems too soft.

5. 5

   Form dough into 1 1/4" balls and place onto parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheets; indent the top of each ball of dough with your fingertip or with the dampened end of a wooden spoon.

6. 6

   Bake at 325° for 10-12 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown at the edges; remove from oven and sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar; fill each indentation with a bit of jam or fruit preserves ~ I like to use red raspberry preserves.

7. 7

   NOTES: Yield becomes 60 cookies when dough is formed into 1" dough balls. And any type of toasted and chopped nuts may be substituted for the almonds.