COFFEE AND MILK THUMBPRINTS
ACTIVE: 1 hr 15 min l TOTAL: 2 hr (plus cooling) l MAKES: 24 to 30
FOR THE MILK JAM
1¾ cups whole milk
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE COOKIES
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted
butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup ground coffee beans
(preferably freshly ground)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- Make the milk jam: Whisk the milk and
granulated sugar in a large microwave-safe
bowl until dissolved. (The bowl should
be at least 3 quarts to prevent the milk
from overflowing.) Microwave 10 minutes,
then stop and whisk. Microwave 10 more
minutes, whisking halfway through. The
mixture should be thick, bubbling and dark
ivory in color. If it is still loose, continue
microwaving in 1-minute intervals until
thickened. Whisk in the vanilla until
smooth. You should have about ½ cup; the
mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. - Make the cookies: Whisk the flour,
cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a
medium bowl. Beat the butter, granulated
sugar, brown sugar and ground coffee in
a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high
speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the
egg and vanilla until combined. Reduce
the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour
mixture in two batches until just combined.
3. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of dough
into 1-inch balls. (If the dough is too soft
to roll, refrigerate about 20 minutes.) Dip
the tops of the dough balls in the turbinado
sugar, then make a ½-inch indentation in the
center of each with the handle of a wooden
spoon. Place on a large plate and refrigerate
until firm, at least 30 minutes.
4. Position racks in the upper and lower
thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 ̊.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment
paper. Arrange the dough balls about
2 inches apart on the pans. Bake,
switching the pans halfway through,
until the cookies are set around the edges
(but not browned) and the centers are
still soft, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from
the oven and re-indent the center of each
cookie with a ½-teaspoon measuring
spoon. Fill each indentation with
½ teaspoon of the milk jam. Transfer the
cookies to a rack to cool completely.
Milk jam is a thick,
sweet spread made
from caramelized
milk and sugar,
similar to dulce de
leche. It’s great as
a cookie filling!coffee
DECEMBER 2020 ●FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE 129