Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter

1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

2 3/4 cups (326 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (170 grams) raspberry jam (or other fruit or berry jam)

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, lemon rind, vanilla, and salt until very light.  Beat in the egg.  Add the flour, stirring until well blended. 

Use a teaspoon cookie scoop (about 2 measuring teaspoons) or tablespoon cookie scoop (about 4 measuring teaspoons) of dough for each cookie.  Scoop cookies onto the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them.  Use your fingertip (for smaller cookies) or thumb (for larger cookies) to put an indentation into the center of each.

Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes.  Remove them from the oven.  Fill each indentation with jam, using about 1/4 teaspoon for each teaspoon-scoop cookie or 1/2 teaspoon for each tablespoon-scoop cookie.  Return to the oven for about 5 more minutes, until the cookies are slightly golden-brown.

Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes to firm up, then move them to a rack to finish cooling.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen to 5 dozen cookies, depending on size.

From King Arthur Flour website