Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 375 grams all purpose flour (10.5-11% protein)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 50 grams granulated sugar (for rolling)
Wet Ingredients and Others
- 140 grams unsalted European style butter (82% butterfat), softened
- 147 grams light or dark brown sugar, packed
- 50 grams egg (room temperature)
- 170 grams unsulphered molasses (not blackstrap, can substitute treacle)
- 170 grams quality white chocolate baking bar or white chocolate chips, roughly chopped
- 60 grams alcohol-free eggnog
Instructions
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and sea salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until creamy and smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add Egg and Molasses: Mix in the egg and molasses on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture in three additions, mixing after each addition until a smooth cookie dough forms. Scrape down the bowl as necessary to ensure even mixing.
- Scoop and Chill Dough: Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into 1 ½ inch balls. Place balls on a parchment-lined tray or dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to develop flavor and firm the dough.
- Preheat and Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃). Line a rimmed cookie sheet with a double layer of parchment paper.
- Roll Dough in Sugar: After chilling, roll each dough ball between your palms to smooth and pack, then gently roll in granulated sugar to coat.
- Form Thumbprints: Arrange dough balls spaced 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Gently press a rounded half teaspoon into the center of each dough ball, creating a thumbprint about one-third deep. If cracks form, roll and reshape.
- Bake: Bake cookies on the middle oven rack for 9-10 minutes, until set but still soft. Avoid overbaking as cookies will firm as they cool.
- Reshape Thumbprints: Immediately after removing cookies from the oven, gently reshape the thumbprints again using a teaspoon while the cookies are still warm to compensate for indent shrinking during baking.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Eggnog White Chocolate Filling: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine eggnog and chopped white chocolate. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until fully melted and smooth. Alternatively, melt using a double boiler.
- Fill Cookies: Transfer the melted eggnog white chocolate to a piping bag and fill each cooled cookie’s thumbprint.
- Set Filling: Allow the filling to set at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. To speed up, chill briefly but avoid long-term refrigeration.
- Garnish and Store: Lightly sprinkle cookies with cinnamon or grated nutmeg for extra festive flavor. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Chilling the dough before baking prevents excessive spreading and enhances the flavor development.
- Do not overbake to maintain soft, tender cookies rather than crispy ones.
- Rolling dough balls before chilling is easier than trying to scoop chilled dough.
- Use alcohol-free eggnog for a family-friendly version, or spiked eggnog if preferred.
- Store cookies at room temperature; refrigeration may cause the cookies to become too firm and affect texture.
- Quality white chocolate impacts the flavor and texture of the filling—choose a good baking bar or chips.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
