Nutty Chocolate-Raspberry Thumbprints

These are basically the most delicious cookies ever. They were a finalist recipe in the Cook's Country Christmas cookie contest, which coincidentally happened to be in the first issue my grandparents sent me.

Nutty Chocolate-Raspberry Thumbprints

Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, or shortening
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped fine
6 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
½ cup white chocolate chips, melted

1) Make Dough: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

2) Shape and Bake: Place pecans in shallow dish. Roll 1 tablespoon dough into 1-inch ball, then roll in pecans, pressing to adhere. Repeat with remaining dough. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using teaspoon measure, make indentation in center of each ball. Fill each dimple with ½ teaspoon jam. Bake until set, about 10 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

3) Drizzle Chocolate: Drizzle cookies with melted chocolate and let sit until chocolate hardens, about 15 minutes. (Cookies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.)

Tips:
- Dutch-processed cocoa has deeper flavor than natural cocoa.
- To pipe the white chocolate from a plastic bag, pour the melted white chocolate into the bag. Use scissors to snip one corner and drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.

(Source: Ronna Farley, via Cook’s Country)