So, I was digging around in my pantry the other day. You know how it goes, searching for something specific, but then you find something else entirely. Tucked way in the back, I spotted this jar of apricot jam I’d totally forgotten about. Looked like it was still good, and it felt like a waste to just leave it there.
I thought, “Okay, what can I make with this?” Didn’t want anything too complicated. Then it hit me – those little thumbprint cookies. They seemed like a good way to use up a decent amount of jam without needing a ton of other fancy ingredients.
Getting the Dough Ready
First things first, I pulled out the basics. Butter, sugar, an egg, some flour, vanilla extract. The usual suspects for a simple cookie dough. Made sure the butter was softened up a bit first – left it out on the counter while I grabbed everything else. Makes mixing way easier.
Then I just started mixing. Creamed the butter and sugar together in my big bowl until it looked kinda fluffy. Cracked in the egg, poured in a splash of vanilla. Gave that a good stir. Then, bit by bit, added the flour, mixing until it just came together into a dough. It felt okay, maybe a tiny bit sticky, but not too bad. I figured it would firm up.
I wrapped the dough ball in some plastic wrap and shoved it in the fridge. Decided to give it maybe 30 minutes or so to chill out. Makes it less of a sticky mess when you try to roll it.
Rolling, Pressing, and Filling
Alright, fridge time done. Pulled the dough out. It felt much better now, easier to handle. I started pinching off pieces and rolling them into little balls, maybe about an inch big. Lined them up on my baking sheet – I put down some parchment paper first, helps with cleanup later.
Once I had a sheet full of dough balls, I went back and used my thumb to press a little dent into the middle of each one. You don’t want to press all the way through, just make a nice little well for the jam. Some came out neater than others, but hey, they’re homemade, right?
Then came the main event: the apricot jam. Opened the jar, gave it a stir. It was nice and thick. I took a small spoon and carefully dropped a little blob of jam into each thumbprint. Tried my best not to get it everywhere, but jam’s sticky stuff. Managed okay, mostly.
Into the Oven and the Final Verdict
With the cookies all prepped and jammed, I slid the baking sheet into the preheated oven. Now, the waiting game. The kitchen started to smell amazing pretty quickly – that warm, buttery, sugary smell mixed with the fruity apricot scent. It’s honestly one of the best parts of baking.
I kept peeking through the oven door, watching them. Didn’t want them to get too brown. After about, I don’t know, 12 minutes maybe? The edges were looking nicely golden. Pulled them out.
Super important: had to let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack. That jam gets incredibly hot, like molten lava. Seriously, don’t try eating one straight off the sheet.
Once they were properly cooled down, it was finally time to taste test. Grabbed one. It looked pretty good, rustic I guess. Took a bite. The cookie part was nice and crumbly, buttery. The apricot jam in the middle was sweet, a little bit tart, and worked really well. Success! Definitely beat letting that jam gather dust. A simple, satisfying bake. Glad I found that jar.
