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Ruby Red Grapefruit Poppy Seed Cake

This tender grapefruit poppy seed cake is bright and light. It is bursting with sweet and tart fresh grapefruit juice and is topped with a silky grapefruit Swiss meringue buttercream.

slice of grapefruit poppy seed cake on a plate

I have been sitting on this recipe for almost a year now. Mr. two sugar bugs is a gigantic grapefruit fan and asked me to create a cake highlighting this sweet and some what sour fruit. By the time this recipe was ready to share, grapefruit had gone out of season. I am so excited to share this cake today!

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Biscoff Glazed Gingerbread Scones

Gingerbread scones with a Biscoff {cookie butter} glaze are easy to prepare and make a cozy recipe with the ultimate winter flavor. Perfect for Christmas or a cold winter morning!

Gingerbread scones on parchment paper with a spoonful of Biscoff spread on the side

Three days until Christmas! Yikes! I am feeling mostly prepared, how about you?

Let me take a moment to thank you for visiting and supporting two sugar bugs in 2019. I have loved getting to connect with some of you and look forward to sharing more recipes in 2020. I also hope to get to know all of you better. Sending warm wishes for a wonderful Christmas and holiday season!

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Shortbread Peppermint Bark

This easy bar cookie recipe combines an addictive shortbread cookie base with a peppermint bark topping.

Cookies piled on a parchment lined cutting board

If you only make one cookie this Christmas season, it should be THIS cookie!

Why, you ask?

#1. It's an incredibly easy recipe.

#2. The cookie is a simple shortbread. No rolling or chilling required.

#3. The topping is peppermint bark; comprised of melted chocolate chips and candy canes.

#4. The buttery shortbread marries perfectly with the chocolate and peppermint; creating a cookie that everyone is going to be fighting for!

A stack of shortbread peppermint bark

Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This cookie joined my Christmas cookie list in 2009. I was not yet a mom and had invited my niece and nephew over to bake Christmas cookies. We had finished what I had planned and had a little bit of time left before my sister was coming to pick them up. My Bon Appetit magazine was sitting out and I asked if we should try and sneak in one more cookie. My nephew, who is a huge peppermint and chocolate fan, responded with a resounding YES!

I'm so glad we gave this recipe a try. Shortbread peppermint bark is neck and neck with coconut jam thumbprint cookies as my favorite Christmas cookie!! They also top Big E's list. I just know that you are going to LOVE them too.❤️

cut pieces of shortbread peppermint park with one on it's side to show the layers

WHAT IS PEPPERMINT BARK?

Peppermint bark is a chocolate treat. Typically comprised of layers of white and dark chocolate with peppermint candy pieces, such as candy canes. It tends to be quite popular during the Christmas season.

HOW TO MAKE SHORTBREAD PEPPERMINT BARK

Nine ingredients are all you need to make this easy recipe. My photo isn't showing the unsalted butter or salt.

Ingredients for the cookies

Start by preheating the oven to 350ºF.

Then prepare a 9x13 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Be sure to leave a little bit of overhang so you can easily pull the finished cookies out of the pan by the parchment paper.

Next, whisk together the flour and salt and set aside.

Then use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (love my SideSwipe Blade!) or a hand-held mixer and beat the butter until creamy. Slowly add in sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Stop and scrape up and down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg yolk and vanilla until well combined. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Use moistened fingertips to press the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. The dough is sticky and can be a challenge to work with. Keeping my fingers damp helps the most.

Use a fork and pierce all over the dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The edges will be very lightly brown and be starting to pull away from the edges of the pan.

shortbread cookie dough in prepared pan with fork piercings

HOW TO PREPARE THE CRUSHED CANDY CANES

While the cookie base bakes, prepare the candy canes. I tend to buy the mini candy canes as I find them easier to work with.

meat hammer crushing a candy cane

I find crushing the candy canes in their individual wrappers works most effectively. It also seems to be the cleanest way to accomplish this task. Just a couple of whacks with a meat hammer seems to do the trick. You can also place the unwrapped candy canes in a zip top bag and crush with a rolling pin or meat hammer. I find this method to be messier as the candy canes get sharp and create holes in the bag.

MAKING THE MELTED CHOCOLATE LAYER

Once the shortbread cookie layer has baked, immediately move it to a wire cooling rack and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot cookie base.

baked cookie base with softened chocolate chips being spread with an offset spatula

Allow the chips to sit for about 3 minutes, which will start to melt and soften them. Then using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate in an even layer over the cookie and immediately top with the crushed candy canes.

crushed candy canes on top of melted chocolate layer

Finally melt the white chocolate using your preferred method and drizzle it over the chocolate and candy canes. This doesn't have to be fancy! Just use a spoon or spatula and have fun flinging the white chocolate over the candy canes. Allow the white chocolate to set by chilling for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

white chocolate drizzled over the chocolate and candy canes

HOW TO CUT AND STORE THE COOKIES

Use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the chilled cookie out of the baking pan and transfer to a work surface. Then using a sharp knife, cut the cookie into various sizes and shapes. This gives the cookies the iconic peppermint bark look.

Cookies can be stored covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. They also freeze well for up to 3 months.

hand taking a cookie off the top of a stack of shortbread peppermint bark

To pin this recipe, you can use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of the page. Come follow me on Pinterest and Instagram to see all the things that inspire me. Thank you for being here and happy baking!

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

Yield: Approximately 30 cookies

Shortbread Peppermint Bark

shortbread peppermint bark piled on parchment paper

A delicious shortbread cookie topped with melted chocolate and candy canes! Super easy to make and perfect for the holidays!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooking Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 14-16 mini candy canes, finely chopped
  • 2 ounces white chocolate, melted

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
    2. Prepare a 9x13 in baking pan by lining it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang.
    3. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and set aside.
    4. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add in sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape up and down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg yolk and vanilla until well combined. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
    5. Roughly divide the dough into six portions and drop into the prepared baking pan, spacing evenly. Use moistened fingertips to press the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. The dough is sticky and can be challenging to work with. Damp fingertips seem to help the most. Use a fork and pierce all over the dough.
    6. Bake the cookie base until lightly golden and the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 20-25 minutes.
    7. While the cookie base bakes, crush the candy canes. I use 14-16 mini candy canes and find crushing them in their individual wrappers works most effectively. You can also place the unwrapped candy canes in a zip top bag and crush with a rolling pin or meat hammer.
    8. Place the baking pan on a rack and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips, doing your best to keep them in a single layer and evenly dispersed over the baked cookie. Let the chocolate chips sit about 3 minutes, until they start to melt and soften. Then using an off set spatula, spread the chocolate in an even layer over the cookie. Immediately top with chopped candy canes.
    9. Melt the white chocolate with your preferred method and then drizzle the white chocolate all over the chocolate candy cane topped cookie. Chill until the white chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.
    10. Pull the cookie out of the pan using the parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut into irregular shaped pieces.

Notes

Store cookies covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. Cookies also freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.

Recipe slightly adapted from Bon Appetit

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As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 182Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 27mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g

The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please make my day and PIN to Pinterest and share a photo on Instagram ~ making sure to tag @twosugarbugs! THANK YOU!!

© Tasia
Category: Cookies

Homemade Caramels

An easy and favorite old-fashioned holiday candy. This simple homemade caramels recipe uses only 5 ingredients and creates chewy, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth caramels!

wrapped and unwrapped caramels

Homemade caramels are a truly indulgent and nostalgic treat. Today we are going to satisfy our candy cravings with caramels made from scratch.

I know making homemade candy seems intimidating. If you can stand at the stove and stir a pot, you are all set to rock this recipe!

cut and uncut homemade caramels on a parchment lined cutting board

Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My love for caramel runs deep as evidenced shortbread caramel bars, biscoff caramel tart and caramel chocolate chip cookies.

This is a tried and true recipe. I make these caramels at Christmas every year. I only allow myself to make them once a year as they are SO good that I can eat an entire batch all by myself.

WHAT TOOLS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE HOMEMADE CARAMELS?

You will want to use a quality heavy bottomed saucepan. Cheaper and thinner saucepans won't distribute the heat as evenly and increase the chance of you scorching or burning the candy as it cooks.

A candy thermometer is also highly recommended. The thermometer is your friend in this recipe as it tells you when the candy is ready. I have a no-frills thermometer, but wouldn't mind a digital version. Hint, hint Santa.😉

CAN I MAKE CARAMELS WITHOUT A CANDY THERMOMETER?

Yes, you can use the cold water test if you do not have a candy thermometer. Fill a small cup with cold water. After the caramel has been boiling for 15 minutes or so, drizzle a little caramel into the cold water. You should be able to form the caramel into a ball with your fingers. It should be soft and pliable and a little sticky.

wrapped and unwrapped caramels on parchment paper

STEP BY STEP PHOTOS OF MAKING HOMEMADE CARAMELS

Start by lining a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper and greasing the paper with butter. You can also use aluminum foil, but I tend to have the best luck with parchment paper.

Next melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Once the butter has melted add the brown sugar and light corn syrup and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Then add the sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine.

melted butter and brown sugar in a saucepan
butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan
homemade caramel mixture at a low boil in a saucepan
caramel mixture in a saucepan
candy thermometer in saucepan showing caramels at the correct temperature

Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches between 238° and 240° on a candy thermometer. This takes about 20-30 minutes. I typically add the candy thermometer after the mixture has been at a low boil for 8-10 minutes.

Start watching the candy thermometer closely once it reaches 230°. It can quickly move those last few degrees!

The mixture may bubble up slightly as you add the vanilla extract. Be sure to use caution pouring the extremely hot caramels into your prepared baking pan.

Allow the caramels to cool at room temperature for 3-4 hours (or overnight) until cool and set. You do not have to cover them.

HOW TO CUT AND WRAP CARAMELS

Remove the caramels from the pan by lifting out the parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut the caramels into your desired size.

knife cutting homemade caramels

I like to cut ten rows and then individually cut each row into 10 or 11 pieces.

To wrap the caramels, either cut wax paper into 4x5 inch rectangles, or use candy wrappers. Place a caramel in the center of the rectangle.

caramel centered on wax paper rectangle

Then wrap the long sides of the paper over the caramel.

wax paper wrapping a homemade caramel

Finally, twist both sides of the waxed paper to seal in the caramel.

hand holding a wrapped caramel

HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE CARAMELS

Wrapped caramels will stay fresh at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. You can also store them in the refrigerator, but I would allow them to come to room temperature before serving.

To pin this recipe, you can use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of the page. Come follow me on Pinterest and Instagram to see all the things that inspire me. Thank you for being here and happy baking!

Yield: 100 candies

Homemade Caramels

cut homemade caramels on a parchment lined cutting board

An easy and favorite old-fashioned holiday candy. This simple homemade caramels recipe uses only 5 ingredients and creates chewy, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth caramels!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 ¼ cups dark brown sugar*, firmly packed
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

    1. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and butter well. Set aside.
    2. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and mix until incorporated. Stir in the corn syrup. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well blended, about 3 minutes.
    3. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and increase the temperature to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches between 238° and 240° on a candy thermometer. This takes about 20-30 minutes.
    4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
    5. Cool to room temperature, about 3-4 hours, or until completely set. There is no need to cover the caramels.
    6. Use the parchment paper to remove the caramels from the baking pan. Use a sharp knife to cut the caramels into your desired size. Wrap the individual caramels in waxed paper.

Notes

For optimal freshness store wrapped caramels at room temperature for 1-2 weeks or in the refrigerator for up to one month.

*You can use light brown sugar

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

100 candies

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 59Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 10mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 0g

The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please make my day and PIN to Pinterest and share a photo on Instagram ~ making sure to tag @twosugarbugs! THANK YOU!!

© Tasia
Category: Sweets

Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies {Santa Surprises}

A soft and chewy peanut butter cookie stuffed with a Snickers miniature and drizzled in chocolate! We call them Santa Surprises. They are perfect for holiday cookie platters or anytime that peanut butter and chocolate craving hits!

cookies and milk sitting on parchment paper

Fifteen years. I've been making these cookies for at least 15 years now. And I'm pretty sure someone would disown me if I didn't make them for Christmas every year.

Peanut butter Snickers cookies are good. Not just good, they are phenomenal. I mean, what's not to love? A soft and chewy peanut butter cookie. A slightly melted Snickers miniature inside. Finished with a drizzle of melted chocolate. Pretty much heaven in a cookie!

[Read more...]

Brown Butter Peppermint Blossoms

Brown butter and peppermint come together in an irresistible shortbread cookie! Add a white chocolate candy cane kiss on top and you have a festive holiday cookie perfect for Christmas.

brown butter peppermint blossoms cookies on a cooling rack with kisses and milk in the background

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What is it about brown butter that just makes food SO much better??

This recipe brings a simple shortbread cookie to a whole other level with the addition of browned butter and a white chocolate peppermint kiss.

brown butter peppermint blossoms on a plate

I absolutely love Christmas baking! What I don't love is how involved so many of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes are. I've been making a version of this cookie for many years now. In previous years I would roll out and cut the shortbread, bake it, dip it in white chocolate and then crushed candy canes. The cookies are amazing, but time consuming to create.

This year I set out to make the recipe easier. I mean it is the Christmas season. We are all busy and frankly, we all need easy in our lives. The flavor is still all brown butter, white chocolate and peppermint, but is much faster to complete.

It took me five different tries to be happy with the result on this recipe. The first three didn't have enough flour and spread too much. I experimented with just scooping the dough onto the baking sheet and rolling them into balls. I tested scooping the just made dough and chilling the dough prior to scooping. Needless to say, every result came out delicious even if they didn't look the way I wanted them to.

white chocolate peppermint kisses in a bowl

WHY CALL IT A PEPPERMINT BLOSSOM?

Peanut butter blossoms are a well recognized cookie. The cookie had it's debut in 1957 at the Pillsbury Bake-Off (click here for the iconic recipe). They grace everything from bake sales to holiday cookie trays. Comprised of a soft peanut butter cookie topped with a Hershey's Kisses.

I call this recipe a peppermint blossom since the brown butter shortbread is topped with a Hershey's Kisses Candy Cane Kiss. You get the same iconic look, but a new flavor combination.

WHAT IS BROWN BUTTER?

Brown butter or beurre noisette is a French classic. It can be used in savory dishes and sauces or in baking and pastry. Brown butter has a deep yellow to brown color and adds a wonderful nutty flavor. The brown bits that form are the toasted milk solids and they hold a lot of the flavor. Make sure to scrape all those bits out of your pan!

The whole process to create brown butter is quick. In 10 minutes or less the butter will melt, foam up, then brown. It can go from browned to burned quickly, so stay with it!

brown butter peppermint blossoms on a cooling rack

MAKING BROWN BUTTER PEPPERMINT BLOSSOMS

First brown the butter and set it aside. For detailed instructions and photos of browning butter see this post. The brown butter needs at least an hour to cool and firm up before proceeding.

brown butter and butter in a bowl

Once the brown butter is ready; beat the brown butter, room temperature butter and brown sugar in either a stand mixer or with a hand mixer. It takes 1-2 minutes until the mixture is creamy and well combined.

brown butter, butter and brown sugar creamed together in a bowl

Add the flour and salt and mix on low until combined. The mixture will be very sandy and may not form a thick ball of dough. Grab a handful and squeeze the dough, if it sticks together in a ball it is ready. Press the dough together into a ball, cover, flatten to about 1 inch and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

brown butter shortbread dough in a hand

After the dough has chilled, scoop 1 tablespoon portions of dough. You can either lay the flat side of the dough scoops onto the prepared baking sheet or you can roll each portion into a ball first. I prefer the look of the cookies when they are rolled into a ball, but the taste is the same whichever method you chose.

Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes. Then allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before placing a candy cane kiss into each cookie. The cookies may split a little as you place the kiss. Move the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. If you notice the kisses melting too much you can place the cookies in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to prevent melting.

hand placing a white chocolate candy cane kiss into a cookie

I also experimented with placing a kiss point side down into the cookie, letting it melt a little and then pressing it in further and allowing it to melt. I think they look kind of fun that way too!

cookies on a plate
pinterest graphic for brown butter peppermint blossoms

MORE FESTIVE COOKIES YOU MAY ENJOY

To pin this recipe, you can use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of the page. Come follow me on Pinterest and Instagram to see all the things that inspire me. Thank you for being here and happy baking!

Recipe shared with Meal Plan Monday - Holiday Treats and Miz Helen's Holiday Cookie Exchange

Yield: 30 cookies

Brown Butter Peppermint Blossoms

brown butter peppermint blossoms on a cooling rack

Browned butter and brown sugar come together to make the most irresistible shortbread cookies! Add a white chocolate peppermint kiss on top and you have a festive holiday cookie perfect for Christmas.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature and divided
  • 6 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 30 Hershey's Kisses Candy Cane Kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

    1. Brown ½ cup of the butter. To brown your butter, place the unsalted butter over low heat and let it cook until small brown flakes form. You will want to stir or swirl the pan frequently to keep it from burning. The butter will foam and bubble up during the process, just keep stirring/swirling and move the foam aside from time to time to check the color. The butter will turn an amber/brown color and will smell nutty and toasted when it’s ready. Pour melted butter and all the browned bits into a glass bowl to cool and solidify. It needs about 1 hour at room temperature to be cool and solid.
    2. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the browned butter, room temperature butter and brown sugar for about 1-2 minutes.
    3. Add the flour and salt and mix on low until combined. The mixture will be very sandy and may not form a thick ball of dough. Grab a handful and squeeze the dough, if it sticks together in a ball it is ready. Press the dough together into a ball, cover, flatten to about 1 inch and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    4. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
    5. Once chilled, scoop 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Place on the prepared sheet pan about 2 inches apart.
    6. Bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly golden at the edges.
    7. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 3-5 minutes, then place one white chocolate peppermint kiss into each cookie. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

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As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 125Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 37mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g

The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please make my day and PIN to Pinterest and share a photo on Instagram ~ making sure to tag @twosugarbugs! THANK YOU!!

© Tasia
Category: Cookies

Cranberry White Chocolate Scones

You will love these cranberry white chocolate scones because they are crisp on the outside and crumbly and tender inside. They are exploding with tart fresh cranberries and sweet white chocolate!

Up close photo of cranberry white chocolate scone

The holidays are coming whether we are ready for it or not. Don't worry though, I've got you covered with these fluffy, yet crumbly scones. The tartness of the cranberries is perfectly matched with the sweet white chocolate chips and warm spices of nutmeg and cinnamon. These scones are what holiday breakfast and brunch dreams are made of!

[Read more...]

Coconut Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Coconut jam thumbprint cookies are a buttery shortbread cookie; coated in shredded coconut, filled with jam and baked to create an addicting cookie. You'll want to add these to all your cookie trays!

Stack of coconut jam thumbprints

We've officially entered my favorite time of the year, holiday baking season! I must admit that I tend to get a little carried away with the amount of cookies I make every year. I just can't help myself!!

Over the next several weeks, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite holiday cookie recipes. Some of the recipes have been altered by me over the years, but several of them are recipes I have gotten from others. Santa Surprises, Shortbread Peppermint Bark and Brown Butter Peppermint Blossoms will be coming soon.

Coconut jam thumbprints on a cooling rack with a jam filled spoon

Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

First up are coconut jam thumbprint cookies. This is a slightly adapted version from Ina Garten's Jam Thumbprint Cookies. The cookies are my mom and my favorite and Big E is quite fond of them too. The cookie has a buttery shortbread base, which is dipped in an egg wash and shredded coconut. Then you make an indentation or thumbprint and fill it with your favorite jam. They bake up perfectly to be a soft shortbread cookie that isn't overly sweet, but is amazingly addictive.

LET'S MAKE THE COOKIES!

Start by sifting the all purpose flour into a bowl. This ensures that no lumps are in your flour and gives the cookie the best texture. Could you skip this step? I suppose you could, but I've been making this recipe for at least 14 years now and I always sift the flour.

Flour being sifted into a bowl
Salt being poured into a bowl

I always use kosher salt and I find it is too coarse to be sifted with the flour. It all just ends up at the bottom of the sifter! I sift the flour, then add the salt and give it a quick whisk to distribute the salt through the flour.

Next, cream the butter and sugar using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand held mixer. You just want to cream the two together until combined, which takes about 1-2 minutes. Then add the vanilla extract. Finally, slowly add in the flour mixture until the dough just starts to come together. Gather the dough in a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, flatten the dough to a 1 inch disk and chill for about 30 minutes.

Unbaked ball of dough
Dough wrapped in plastic wrap

PUTTING THE COCONUT JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES TOGETHER

After the dough has chilled, portion the dough into 30 cookies, using a 1 ½ inch cookie scoop (this is the one I have). Then roll each portion into a ball.

Cookie dough balls with cookie scoop

Dip each cookie dough ball into an egg wash and then shredded coconut. Place the dipped and coated dough onto a prepared baking sheet. The cookies do not spread much so they can be placed fairly close together.

Coconut and egg wash in bowls with shortbread cookie dough balls
Dough balls rolled in coconut on a baking mat

Next, using your (clean) thumb, the end of a spatula or a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, create an indentation in the middle of each dough ball. If you find that the cookie splits a little bit you can just press the dough back together.

Thumb pressing indent into coconut jam thumbprint

Finally, fill each indentation with your favorite flavor of jam. Come to think of it, they would probably taste amazing with Nutella or salted caramel in the thumbprint too! If you choose to use one of these alternatives, I would bake the cookies without the filling and add it when the cookies have come out of the oven.

Overhead shot of an unbaked coconut jam thumbprint

Bake the coconut jam thumbprints for about 20 minutes until the cookies and coconut are light to golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 2 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Baked coconut jam thumbprints on a baking mat

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

  • The butter is a key ingredient in this recipe so use real butter and make sure it is at room temperature before starting.
  • Chill the dough for 30 minutes. This allows the butter to firm back up and solidify, which helps to prevent the cookies from spreading.
  • Use a fresh bag of coconut. An old bag in the back of your pantry isn't going to yield as nice of a texture or flavor. Did you know that an open bag of coconut should be stored in the refrigerator??
  • When making the thumbprint, it's better to have it deep rather than wide.
  • Do not over bake them. The cookie will still be light in color on top, but be golden on the underside. The coconut will have toasted to a golden color as well.

CAN I FREEZE COCONUT JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES?

Yes! This recipe freezes beautifully!! Bake the cookies and allow them to cool completely. Then place in an airtight container or zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Pinterest graphic for coconut jam thumbprints

To pin this recipe, you can use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of the page. Come follow me on Pinterest and Instagram to see all the things that inspire me. Thank you for being here and happy baking!

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

Coconut jam thumbprints on a cooling rack with a jam filled spoon
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Coconut Jam Thumbprint Cookies

This buttery shortbread cookie recipe is coated in shredded coconut, filled with jam and baked to create an addicting thumbprint cookie. You'll want to add these to all your cookie trays!
I highly recommend using weight {metric} measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coconut cookies, holiday baking, jam thumbprints
Servings: 30 cookies
Calories: 109kcal
Author: Tasia

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour 438g
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature (339g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
  • 6 ounces sweetened flaked coconut 170g
  • Jam of your choice approximately ¼ cup

Instructions

  • Sift the flour (3 ½ cups/438g) into a bowl and whisk in the salt. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter (1 ½ cups/339g) and sugar (1 cup/200g) until combined about 1-2 minutes. Then add the vanilla (2 teaspoons).
  • With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix until the dough starts coming together in large clumps.
  • Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and flatten into about a 1-inch disk. Chill for about 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
  • Portion the dough into 30 cookies, using a 1 ½ inch cookie scoop. Then roll each portion into a ball.
  • Dip each cookie ball into the egg wash (1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water) and then roll in coconut (6 ounces/170g) and place on prepared baking sheets. The cookies don't really spread so you can place them about an inch apart.
  • Use your thumb (or the end of a spatula) to make a "thumbprint" impression in the middle of each cookie and fill with the jam of your choice.
  • Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes until the cookies and coconut are light to golden brown. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking pan for 2 minutes then remove to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Notes

If the dough chills longer than 30 minutes, it may need to warm on the counter for 15 minutes or so. If the dough feels crumbly after chilling, allow the heat of your hands to bring it together.
Some readers have had difficulty with the dough being crumbly initially. Make sure you are measuring your flour correctly, weighing will give you the most accurate results. If you don't have a scale, spoon and level the flour. If the dough doesn't want to come together, add some egg white to the dough; I would start with 1 tablespoon and add a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The baked cookies also freeze well for up to 3 months.
Recipe slightly adapted from Ina Garten.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g

Recipe shared with Meal Plan Monday - Holiday Treats and Miz Helen's Holiday Cookie Exchange

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