Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

For the Cookies:

  • 1 1/2 cups Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1/2 cup Cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup Brown sugar
  • 115 g Butter, softened
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons Milk
  • 1/3 teaspoon Salt

For the Chocolate Ganache:

  • 100 g Dark chocolate
  • 100 g Heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare a muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Mix with a whisk until well combined and set aside.
  3. In another large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Cream the mixture for 2-3 minutes or until it's creamy and light in color.
  4. Add the egg, vanilla extract, milk, and salt. Mix until well combined.
  5. Sift half of the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until almost combined. Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture is just combined, without visible pockets of flour.
  6. Cover the dough bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour. Overnight chilling is optional but beneficial.
  7. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop out balls and roll them into balls. Use your thumb or a teaspoon to make indents in each cookie.
  8. Bake the cookies in the preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 10 minutes. Be careful not to overbake; you want these cookies to stay soft. If the cookies lose shape in the oven, reshape them immediately with a spoon or your thumb when you take them out.

Making the Chocolate Ganache:

  1. Melt dark chocolate and heavy cream in a small to medium mixing bowl in the microwave for about 50 seconds.
  2. Allow the chocolate and cream to sit for 10 minutes, letting the chocolate melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
  3. Fill each cookie with a teaspoon of chocolate ganache and top with sprinkles. Enjoy!

Notes:

  • Use room temperature ingredients, especially eggs and butter, for a homogeneous mixture and even baking. Avoid using cold ingredients.
  • Ensure your butter is at room temperature; it should be soft to the touch. Cold butter can result in lumps in the dough.
  • Avoid overmixing the dough to prevent gluten development and maintain moist cookies.
  • Measure your flour correctly; do not scoop with a measuring cup. Stir with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level with the back of a knife.
  • Use parchment paper or a silicone mat to line your sheet pan to help the cookies bake evenly and release easily.
  • Use a cookie scoop for even-sized cookies that bake uniformly.
  • Sift your flour and cocoa powder to remove lumps.
  • Ensure your ingredients, such as baking powder or baking soda, are not expired to prevent issues during baking.
  • Prepare your ingredients before starting to make the recipe for a smoother cooking process.
  • Chilling the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour is crucial to prevent excessive spreading.
  • Allow the cookies to cool for at least 15 minutes so they firm up and avoid crumbliness. Cool on a wire rack to prevent the bottom of the cookies from becoming soggy from steam.