Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 beaten egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 slightly beaten egg white
• candied cherries or chocolate Hershey's chocolate kisses

For the vanilla filling mix the following

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (may need to add a little more if frosting is too thin)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. 1

   Cream butter, 2/3 cup of sugar, egg yolk, milk and vanilla in a small bowl.

2. 2

   In another bowl combine flour, cocoa, and salt and blend them into a cream mixture.

3. 3

   Chill dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.

4. 4

   Roll the dough into 1 inch balls.

5. 5

   Combine the chopped nuts and 2 tbsp of sugar in a small bowl.

6. 6

   Dip the balls in egg white then the nut mixture.

7. 7

   Place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

8. 8

   Press thumbprint gently in the center of each cookie.

9. 9

   Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

10. 10

    As soon as cookies come out of the oven place about 1/4 tsp of the vanilla filling in the print.

11. 11

    Gently place a halved cherry or chocolate kiss in the print.

12. 12

    Remove the cookies from the sheet and cool.