Orange Thumbprints

I swear I’ve tried for a few days to come up with an amusing little story for this post, but the apartment right above mine is being renovated. They are making a new bathroom. Right this moment, they are banging and breaking the walls. Since 8AM.

I thing I might bring some of these orange cookies to the workers, and see if they can, for the love of Martha, make a gentler use of their hammers.

Speaking of Martha, this recipe came from the Martha Stewart Holiday Sweets magazine, which landed in Brazil only because my friend Caroline Adobo was super sweet to send me an issue. Thanks for helping a friend in need, Caroline! A little something is going your way and should arrive soon in California! 😉

I really liked the recipes in the magazine, and these pretty little treats are a very good sample of them – a tender, buttery cookie with a creamy orange filling, not very sweet, perfect with a cup of coffee.

Orange Thumbprints (slightly adapted from Martha Stewart’s Holiday Sweets magazine/December 2009) – makes 60

For the dough

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (used almond extract)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

For the filling

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt

Make the dough: Cream butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until pale and fluffy. Add yolks and vanilla, and beat for 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour and salt until combined. Cover, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour (or up to 1 day)

Make the filling: Preheat oven to 325 °F/ 180°C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk granulated sugar, flour, and eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in lime zest and juice and salt.

Roll balls using 2 teaspoons dough for each. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheets. With the handle of a wooden spoon, press gently in the center of each ball to create an indentation. Bake for 10 minutes. If indentations lose definition, press centers again. Spoon filling into centers. Bake until cookies are light brown around edges, about 10 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.

Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 2 days. Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar.