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In July we celebrate National Sugar Cookie Day! We’ve asked our talented team of Culinary professionals to share some of their best recipes so everyone can enjoy a sweet treat on a Summer day!

This recipe comes from Stone Hill at Andover Culinary Director, Andrea D’Angelo, who was recently featured in a Northbridge Growth Story

Thumbprint Cookies:

Ingredients:

Cookies

• 1 stick room temperature unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup unsifted powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white sugar (or as needed)
• 1/2 cup fruit jam, divided

Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar (or as needed)
• 1 tablespoon milk (or as needed)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)
2. Mix butter and powdered sugar together with a rubber spatula until creamy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, salt and egg yolk. Mix with the spatula. Add flour and blend until just combined.
3. Portion dough into 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) balls. Roll balls in a plate of white sugar to coat; roll again between your palms. Place several inches apart on a silicone- lined baking sheet. Flatten balls lightly with your fingers.
4. To make shortbread cookies with a little jam, poke a well into each cookie using your thumb or the end of a thick wooden spoon dusted with powdered sugar. Fill cookies with fruit jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter to let jam settle.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until tops are barely blonde and bottoms are slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before icing.
6. Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar wit ha little milk until you have a consistency that will hold its shape when piped. Pipe icing on top of cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
7. For a more jam-forward cookie, press your thumb into the cookies to make large, shallow indentations then spoon in the jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter.
8. Bake until not quite golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let rest on pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar.