Almond and Orange Marmalade Thumbprint Cookies

Our delightful almond and orange marmalade thumbprint cookies bring together two flavors that perfectly complement one another and are a beautiful addition to any tea table. The buttery, flaky shortbread cookies hold a dollop of sweet-tart orange marmalade, and are finished with a drizzle of sweet almond glaze. Pair these thumbprint cookies with our Sunrise fruit scented black tea. Or, for a lighter, complementary fruity-floral pairing, try them with our Garden Bouquet green tea.

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened to room temperature – use a good European butter if you can
• 2/3 cup sugar
• ¾ tsp. almond extract
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ cup orange marmalade
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 4-5 tsp. milk
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. orange zest

Instructions:

1. Note: dough needs time to chill so you do not need to preheat the oven yet.
2. Whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a stand mixture, use the paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple times. Beat in the almond and vanilla extracts.
4. Add the flour mixture into the butter and mix on a low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and stir, but try not to overmix. Tightly cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap to chill for at least an hour – until firm enough to roll into smooth balls. You do not want soft dough for this.
5. Once the dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats if you have them. Use a tablespoon to measure out level spoonfuls of dough and roll them into smooth balls. Gently press your thumb into the center of each ball to make a round well that’s about the size of a ½ teaspoon. The cookies will crack slightly when you press your thumb into them, so smooth them out with your fingers. Place on the prepared cookie sheet with about an inch in between cookies.
7. Fill each cookie well with ½ teaspoon of marmalade (or more or less depending on how big you made the wells).
8. Bake the filled thumbprint cookies for 14 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the bottom. They will still be light in color on the top but should have puffed up and spread out a little. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack and allowing to cool completely before drizzling with glaze.
9. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, almond extract, and orange zest until smooth. Add more milk to thin out or more powdered sugar to thicken if it’s not the right consistency. Drizzle in clean, thin lines back and forth over the cooled cookies. Allow to sit until glaze sets, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!