Jammy Almond Thumbprint Cookies

It's all about the jam with these cookies. These cookies are only so very subtly sweet, so a sweet jam is a good choice. I used apricot and plum, but found myself wishing I had some raspberry which is a little sweeter. It is important not to think of these as traditional cookies. If you are looking for a double chocolate chip, these aren't going to cut it. If you are looking for a little something to go with tea, now these are your cookies. They are also great to toss in a ziploc bag and take to work for a little mid-day snack. Just enough sweetness to brighten your day, but not so much sugar that you end up crashing at 3:00 in the afternoon. The original recipe called for raw almonds, but I only had toasted in the house. I thought they turned out great with them. Also, be sure and let them cool completely before eating them. That jammy middle part is super hot straight out of the oven. Kind of the equivalent of boiling hot jam straight out of the pot. Not that I have ever put my tongue to either because that would just be plain stupid. 

One last thing, this dough is incredibly crumbly and a little frustrating if you don't tell it who is boss right from the beginning. It took me a few tries and a lot of muttering, but toward the end I was pressing the holes in the cookies and adding jam at record speed. It took a little practice though. In the end it was worth it, because I just love cookies filled with delicious jam and a cup of hot tea. This time of year it is especially nice while sitting by a warm wood stove.

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Jammy Almond Thumbprint Cookies
adapted from My Father's Daughter

4 cups barley flour

3 cups toasted unsalted whole almonds crushed in a food processor

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup canola oil

1 cup maple syrup

Your favorite jam flavors

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine all of the ingredients, except the jam, in a large bowl. Take some of the mixture in your hand and see if it will stick together and form a ball. If the dough does not hold together alternate adding a teaspoon of maple syrup or canola oil until the dough holds together.Keep in mind this dough is incredible crumbly.  Form into rounded tablespoon-sized balls and space them evenly on baking sheets lined with parchment. Use a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon to make an indentation in each cookie. I found it helpful to place my hand over the top of the spoon to hold the cookie together while I pressed down. It took a few tries, but once I got it down the rest went pretty smoothly. Fill each cookie with a small amount of jam. Bake until cookies are evenly browned, about 20 minutes.

Yield: 45 cookies