Chocolate Thumbprints with Cherries and Walnuts

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Description

Chocolate thumbprint cookie with cherry in the middle, drizzled with chocolate and sprinkled with walnuts.

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
  • 2 tablespoons shortening, divided
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
  • ¾ cup cherry pie filling, including 36 cherries

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon shortening in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently
  3. scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching
  4. until chocolate is melted
  5. about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  6. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in cooled chocolate mixture. Add egg
  7. milk
  8. and vanilla extract; beat until well combined. Add flour
  9. cocoa powder
  10. baking powder
  11. espresso powder
  12. and salt; beat on low speed until just combined and a dough forms.
  13. Shape dough into 3 dozen 1-inch balls and roll in chopped walnuts to coat. Place balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie using your thumb.
  14. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are firm
  15. 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool
  16. about 30 minutes.
  17. While cookies are cooling
  18. place remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon shortening in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently
  19. scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching
  20. until chocolate is melted
  21. about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
  22. Spoon a cherry with some of the sauce into the center of each cooled cookie and drizzle chocolate mixture over the tops. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Prep Time: 40 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Servings: 36

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