These melt in your mouth Icing Thumbprint Cookies are delicious, buttery shortbread cookies that are filled with a simple homemade icing. These are topped with a little red candy heart for Grinch inspired Christmas cookies!
Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the cookies:
In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and whisk together.
2 cups all purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt
In medium mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar and cream together with an electric mixer (you can also use the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment )
1 cup butter, ¼ cup white sugar
Add in the egg yolk and vanilla extract and continue blending until well incorporated.
1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing after each addition, until it is all blended in.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop out tablespoon sized dough and roll into balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet.
Using a teaspoon sized measuring spoon, your finger, or the handle of a wooden spoon, press a well into the center of each dough ball.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, gently press in the center of each cookie again.
Place back in the oven and bake for an 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned.
Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely .
Make the icing:
In a medium bowl, add powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons of milk.
1 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoon corn syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2-4 teaspoons milk
Mix until well incorporated. Add a little green food coloring (a little goes a long way). Add additional ½ teaspoon of milk if the icing is too thick.
Green food coloring
After the cookies have cooled completely, fill each cookie with the icing and place a red heart sprinkle into the center of each cookie.
Red Heart Sprinkles optional for grinch cookies
Allow the icing to set for approximately 30 minutes.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature. Place in the refrigerator for up to a week.Roll the cookie dough balls in white sugar, or red or green colored sugar crystals.Color the icing any color you'd like if not making Holiday or Grinch cookies.