Thumbprint Cookies

The Thumbprint cookie is a very versatile choice in cookie as the ingredients required vary widely by recipe. All that is really needed to make a cookie a thumbprint cookie is the method of forming the cookies before baking. The dough of a thumbprint cookie is rolled into a small ball and then pressed with the thumb which creates an indent that can be filled with whatever the baker chooses. Due to the wide variation in recipes it’s unclear where thumbprint cookies originated. The two most commonly believed places of origin are Poland and Eastern Europe. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-thumbprint-cookies.html

The history of the Thumbprint cookie is pretty much a mystery. Credit for the creation of the thumbprint cookie is often given to either the people of Poland or the Jewish people of Eastern Europe. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-thumbprint-cookies.html Other common names for the Thumbprint cookie are Polish tea cakes, butter balls, or bird’s nest cookies.http://www.joyofbaking.com/ThumbprintCookies.htmlhttp://southernfood.about.com/cs/cookierecipes/a/bl30908e.htm

Some common favorite recipes for Thumbprint cookies are filled with chocolate, jam, icing or preserves. The cookies are sometimes rolled in chopped nuts, coconut, or sugar. Thumb print cookies are common cookie choice for baking with children as they enjoy the literally hands on recipe.