Description
Rich chocolate thumbprint cookies filled with glossy chocolate ganache, arranged on a white plate with scattered nonpareil sprinkles.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (40 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
For the Ganache Filling
- 1 cup (200 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
- Nonpareil sprinkles for topping (optional)
Instructions
Get your parchment paper down on two baking sheets first – trust me on this one, cleanup will thank you later. Grab a medium bowl and whisk together your flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder until everything looks evenly mixed. Set this bowl aside because we’re about to make some cookie magic happen.
Time to cream that butter with both sugars using your mixer for about 2 minutes until it looks fluffy and lighter in color. This step matters more than you think – it’s building the structure for tender cookies. Toss in those egg yolks and vanilla, beating until everything looks pale and smooth, maybe another minute or two.
Now fold in your dry mixture, but here’s where people mess up – mix just until it comes together and then stop. Overmixing makes tough cookies, and nobody wants that.
Scoop your dough into 34 little portions (I use a tablespoon) and roll each one into a ball between your palms. Space them about 1½ inches apart on your prepared sheets – they need room to breathe.
Here comes the fun part – take that ¼ teaspoon measuring spoon and press it right into the center of each ball, making a nice deep indent. Don’t be shy about it, really press down to create that thumbprint well.
This part is non-negotiable: Stick those trays in the fridge for at least an hour. I know waiting stinks, but this keeps your cookies from spreading into sad, flat pancakes.
Heat your oven to 350°F and bake for 9-11 minutes. I always set my timer for 10 minutes and check from there. They should look set but still have a little give when you gently touch the edges.
The second they come out, grab that ¼ teaspoon again and gently press the centers to re-create those indents. The cookies puff a bit while baking, so this little fix ensures perfect wells for your ganache.
Let them hang out on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then move to cooling racks. Patience here pays off big time.
Put your chocolate chips in a bowl and heat that cream until you see tiny bubbles forming around the edges – don’t let it actually boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and just let it sit there for a full minute. I know it’s tempting to stir right away, but resist.
Now stir until you get this gorgeous, glossy ganache that coats your spoon. Fill each cooled cookie well with about a teaspoon of ganache – or more if it fits, I won’t judge. Sprinkle those nonpareils on now if you’re using them.
Pop the whole batch in the fridge for 10-15 minutes so the ganache sets up properly.
Notes
- The Circle Fix: When cookies come out slightly wonky-shaped, I use a round cookie cutter to gently reshape them while they’re still warm. Works like a charm every single time.
- Ganache Timing: Let your ganache cool for a few minutes if it’s too runny – you want it thick enough to stay put in those little wells without overflowing.
- Freezer Strategy: Bake the cookies without ganache and freeze them for up to 3 months. Add fresh ganache when you need them, and nobody will ever know they weren’t made that day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American