Sugarplum Thumbprints
These sweet Sugarplum Thumbprints are a fun Christmas cookie - the powdered sugar topping reminds me of a dusting of beautiful snow!
Ingredients
- 1 c. butter softened
- 1 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2/3 c. ready to spread cream cheese frosting
- Gumdrops
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
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Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla beating well. Add flour and salt, mixing until well combined. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
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Roll dough into 48 (3/4 inch) balls, and place on parchment paper-lined or Silpan lined baking sheets. Press thumb in center of each cookie to make an indention.
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Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on edges. Cool completely on wire racks. Dollop cream cheese frosting into cookie indentions; top each cookie with a gumdrop. Dust with powdered sugar.
Recipe Notes
[My 2 Cents]
You can spoon the cream cheese carefully on to the cookie, but I found it easier and prettier to pipe it on with a pastry bag and tip. Surprisingly, that was less messy than trying to dollop. No matter how hard I tried, I was not only making a mess with the spoon, but I was also adding entirely too much frosting. The piping bag is a win/win. I also made my cookies a day before decorating them. It's nice when a dough can be chilled for that reason because you can prepare it in advance and then they are ready to go when the decorating begins. This would also be a great cookie to make with kids. They can add the gumdrop at the end or even help sprinkle the powdered sugar. I used a sugar shaker.
Adapted from Southern Living Christmas Cookbook