thimble is a little cap worn on the finger while sewing. Common in past days, maybe not so common today (unless you are a quilter), a thimble can also be used to make a characteristic imprint on a traditional Christmas cookie.
Children will enjoy doing the thimble job. Cranberries are filled into the thimble-holes of these little cookies.
If you can’t locate a thimble, use the skinny end of an old wooden spoon. As in days of Klondike Christmas past, one needs to be able to improvise when life calls for it.
Cranberry Thimble Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups toasted pecans or almonds or walnuts, very finely chopped or ground in food processor
1/2 cup low bush cranberries
PREPARATION:
– Beat butter and sugar together.
– Add in egg yolks and continue beating till mixture is light and fluffy.
– Add in vanilla and almond extracts.
– Gradually add in the flour and continue creaming till dough clings together.
– Place the egg whites in a small bowl.
– Using about 1 heaping teaspoon of cookie dough at a time, roll into a round ball.
– Dip each dough ball into the egg white and then coat with the crushed nuts which you have placed in a separate pie tin.
– Place the dough balls on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
– Dip a thimble in flour and then make a depression into the top of each cookie.
– Place one larger or a few smaller cranberries in the thimble-depression.
– Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and firm.
Yield = 3 dozen 1 inch cookies
