The Forum: Where’d thumbprint go wrong?

  • By Judyrae Kruse Herald Columnist
  • Wednesday, June 9, 2010 1:05pm
  • Life

Believe it or not, we’ve just lucked into two more new and different recipes for thumbprint cookies, and they’ll be coming up in Monday’s Forum column.

First, though, we need to get to the bottom of a problem Constance Webster is having with a previous recipe.

“As for the thumbprint cookies that ran in your Forum on May 28 that Jeanne Metzler of Marysville sent in, I followed the recipe to a tee and had a very bad time trying to get the cookies to stick together to roll into a ball. “I rolled as best as I could, then put my thumbprint in the cookies, my thumb stuck to the cookie dough and made a terrible mess. Plus, the cookies stuck to the cookie sheet.

“I’d like to know what I did wrong. PLEASE HELP, as I want to make these for my senior lady friends when I serve them lunch. We are all over 75 years of age. Thanks for any help anyone can give me.”

OK, you unfailingly wonderful Forum problem solvers, if you can nail down the miserable culprit here that’s causing such a monkeywrench in Constance’s cookie-making plan, or have a favorite recipe to share or a question of your own about something or other, please write to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

As you hopefully do know, we are always happy to receive your contributions and requests, but please remember that all letters and e-mail must include a name, complete address with ZIP code and telephone number with area code. No exceptions and sorry, but no response to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com.

Now, so you can review the recipe, here it is again:

Thumbprint cookies

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg, separated

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Jelly

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix thoroughly the butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Work in flour and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls into 1-inch balls.

Beat egg white slightly. Dip each dough ball into egg white; roll in nuts. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet; press thumb deeply in center of each. Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from baking sheet. Cool; fill thumbprint with jelly. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Chocolate thumbprint cookies: Substitute 1/2 cup granulated sugar for the 1/4 cup of brown sugar; add 1 ounce melted unsweetened chocolate (cool) with the vanilla.

The next Forum will appear in Monday’s Good Life section.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Provided by Bridges Pets, Gifts, & Water Gardens.
Discover where to find the best pet supplies in town

Need the perfect store to spoil your furry friends? Herald readers have you covered.

Holiday hit

Thanks to Everett’s South Fork Baking Co., you can make Ginger Molasses Cookies for yourselves.

VW Jetta SEL is a sedan that passes for a coupe. Photo provided by Volkswagen U.S. Media.
2025 VW Jetta Offers Greater Refinement, Technology And Value

A Perfect Choice For Small Families And Commuters

2025 Land Rover Range Rover Velar (Photo provided by Land Rover).
2025 Range Rover Velar SUV tends toward luxury

Elegant styling and a smaller size distinguish this member of the Land Rover lineup.

Honda Ridgeline TrailSport photo provided by Honda Newsroom
2025 Honda Ridgeline AWDt: A Gentlemen’s Pickup

TrailSport Delivers City Driving Luxury With Off-Road Chops

Photo provided by Subaru.
Subaru Forester is all-new for 2025, a sixth generation

The enduring compact SUV is sleeker but doesn’t ditch its original rugged looks.

(Getty Images)
Stacked and packed: Best sub sandwich spots in town

Craving a delicious sub sandwich? Where will you go first? Let’s find out.

Pippin the Biewer Terrier sits in the lap of her owner Kathy West on Monday, May 20, 2024, at West’s home in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald).
Top 3 pet grooming places in Snohomish County you’ll love

Looking for the perfect place to treat your furry friend? We have the answer for you.

Children fish in the water and climb near the renovated boat launch at Kayak Point Regional County Park on Friday, June 14, 2024, near Stanwood, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Reconnect with nature: Best campgrounds and RV parks to explore

Herald readers voted the top three spots for your next outdoor adventure

A couple stands on a large piece of driftwood in the wind at Mukilteo Lighthouse Park on Friday, Jan. 4, 2018 in Mukilteo, WA. There is a small craft advisory in effect until 10 pm Friday. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Chasing sunsets: The best spots to watch the day’s end

Looking for the perfect place to catch a stunning sunset? Herald readers have you covered.

2025 Subaru WRX (Photo provided by Subaru).
2025 Subaru WRX replaces former TR trim with new tS model

The rally-inspired sport compact sedan is an ongoing favorite among enthusiasts

CX-90 With Three-Rows photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
2025 CX-90 Is A Stylish, Fun-To-Drive Package

Inline 4-Cylinder Hybrid Includes Plug-In Electric Option

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.