Thumbprint Cookies with cherry no. 9 fall in love again® Pepper Jelly Jam

3 Tumbprint Cookies on decorative holiday plate - Photo by Nancy FarrarThis Texas Christmas recipe combines not one, but two of my favorite food traditions – my grandmother’s Christmas thumbprint cookie recipe, and a filling made with Village Farms cherry no. 9 fall in love again tomatoes®, mixed with Texas red pepper jelly.

Texans love their hot, spicy jams and jellies! Red pepper jelly isn’t quite as hot as a jalapeño jelly, and blends perfectly with the red, juicy tomatoes. It’s also a break from the traditional super-sweet raspberry jam filling you typically see in thumbprint cookies. The cherry no. 9 tomatoes are perfect because of their bright red color and their smooth, sweet flavor. The filling is savory, spicy and sweet all at the same time.

All you do is combine the tomatoes with red pepper jelly and a bit of sugar and you’re done!

5 Thumbprint Cookies shown with Cherry Tomatoes and Red Pepper Jelly - Photo by Nancy Farrar

 

Closeup of Thumbprint Cookies - Photo by Nancy Farrar

The cookie dough recipe is so simple even I can make it. I’m not a baker, but this dough takes about 5 minutes to make, which makes it perfect at this busy holiday time. Be sure to freeze the formed cookies for 15 minutes BEFORE baking. It keeps them from loosing their shape in the oven. You fill them with the luscious cherry no. 9 pepper jelly jam when they come out of the oven.

Cherry Tomatoes and Tumbprint Cookies - Photo by Nancy Farrar

Thumbprint Cookies with cherry no. 9 fall in love again® Pepper Jelly Jam

Makes 2 dozen cookies

cherry no. 9 Pepper Jelly Jam:

1 10 oz. package Village Farms cherry no. 9 fall in love again® tomatoes, halved

2 Tablespoons red pepper jelly

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Place tomatoes in a saucepan and cook on medium for 12-15 minutes or until liquid is reduce to a thick sauce. Let cool slightly. Add red pepper jelly and sugar and stir until dissolved. Pulse in a small food processor until tomato skins are combined. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before filling cookies. Mixture should be thick.

Cookie Dough:

1 egg, separated

1/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed

1 cup flour

1 pinch salt

1/4 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup butter

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, shortening and brown sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla. Combine flour and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to the mixer a little at a time, making sure not to over beat. In a separate bowl, beat 1 egg white and set aside. Make 16 quarter-sized balls with the dough and create a deep well in each cookie using your thumb or the back of a small spoon. Cookies expand when baking, so smaller balls are better. Place unfilled cookies into the freezer for 15 minutes prior to baking. Remove and bake for 16-18 minutes until golden brown. Remove and reform the wells if needed. Let cool and fill with tomato jam.

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