Chocolate Thumbprints

The title of these cute little cookies is a little misleading. I was feeling lazy today (I blame it on the sun) and I opted for Nutella instead of real chocolate. So really, they should be called "Nutella Thumbprints". Although, the "thumbprints" would be misleading as well, because the second shortcut I used, was using the end of a wooden spoon instead of my thumbs! Easy, easier, easiest. Anyways, they tasted fabulous! They were so tiny and cute. Perfect for a tea party! Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Chocolate Thumbprints recipe: MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients:
- 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I substituted this & the corn syrup for Nutella)
- 1 ½ teaspoons light corn syrup

Instructions:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 1 stick butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium high.
- Roll dough by teaspoonfuls into balls, and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and press thumb into tops of cookies to make indentations. (I used the end of a wooden spoon to make the indentations) Return to oven, and bake until light brown on the edges, 7 to 9 minutes more. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
- (I piped Nutella into the cookies) Combine chocolate, 4 tablespoons butter, and corn syrup in a small heat-proof bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water; stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly. When cookies are cool, fill the thumbprints with the chocolate mixture.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen thumbprints, but I would recommend doubling it, because the cookies are so tiny & little.

Using the end of a wooden spoon to make the indentations: shortcut #1.

Nutella piped into the thumbprints: shortcut #2.

Stuffing my mouth with two thumbprints at the same time: shortcut #3!