Coconut-Pistachio Guava Thumbprints
Another cookie for the canon!
I can tell from the comments (and the response) on my previous two posts that you are still baking! Baking is a great form of escapism, which I think we can all use right now. I’m attending a cookie swap this Sunday, and I’ll be making the Chocolate Nutella Crinkles that I shared last week. This week I have these cute little thumbprints for you. What I love about thumbprint cookies is that they are so innocent and unassuming. They are simple to make, but are often the cookie that everyone reaches for. Maybe it’s the juicy, jammy centers that attract us? I think so.
I bought a jar of guava preserves last winter when I saw it at my supermarket in the Bonne Maman section. I was actively and constantly scouting the shelves of my store for cookie inspiration because I was elbow-deep in recipe development for my book. I instantly thought, “Hmm. I think this would be great with coconut.” But it stayed in the back of the pantry in our temporary house, and when we moved back home, it came with us, and I continued to overlook it.
I finally had a chance to try out this idea, and they are as good as I’d hoped they’d be! Even if you can’t find the guava preserves, any kind of jam or preserves will work here, or you can use a variety in your batch of cookies. I love doing that with thumbprints, especially if I’ll be displaying them on a platter. The different colors look pretty, and people can choose the one that speaks to them. The pinkish-orange color and the slightly tropical flavor of the guava is delicious though, so give it a try if you can!
I hope you all have a lovely Christmas, and see you next week.
Some practical matters:
This recipe is for a small batch, just 21 cookies, but if you are power-baking, feel free to double the recipe.
I used pistachio flour because I already had it on hand, but you can finely grind pistachios yourself to use instead. I like the flavor and the pale green color this gives the cookies, but almond flour works just as well.
These can easily be made gluten-free by using an equal amount of a 1 to 1 GF blend like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, or King Arthur Measure for Measure flour.
I know it seems fussy to call for two different kinds of coconut, but there’s a reason for this: The cookies are better with sweetened, soft coconut (like Angel Flake) in the dough, but long-shredded (not ground) unsweetened coconut looks cuter and spikier on the exterior, and the added crunch is nice too. That said, if you only use one, use the sweetened kind. It’s fine on the outside. It doesn’t stick quite as well, but it works!
You can chill the rolled balls before baking (if you’re in cookie production mode) but you don’t have to.
Gift guide stragglers
If you’re still looking for gifts for yourself or others, here are two things that caught my eye this week.
This gorgeous knife with an off-white handle from Material Kitchen is full-tang just like the much more expensive models. My very first official chef’s knife had a white handle, so I’m partial to them.
Or maybe this beautiful and functional salad bowl? This is perfect for the potluck-er who always brings a salad, or even just to keep your salad fresh in the fridge when you’re prepping for a big party. The lid saves space in the fridge since you can stack things right on top.
