Kim White can always be found behind the counter at Flury’s Cafe in Cuyahoga Falls, where she is the owner and cook. Her restaurant is tiny, but her food is big enough to capture the attention of authors Jane and Michael Stern, who listed Flury’s in the 2008 edition of their book Roadfood.
This cookie is my variation on a family favorite. My mother Sandra, my sister Jennifer and I have been baking these cookies since the 1970s. The three of us were always envious because my dad Bob was able to gobble up as many cookies as he liked because he was a runner.
FLURY’S CAFÉ CRANBERRY THUMBPRINT COOKIES
3 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, for rolling
Homemade cranberry jam (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Sift flour and salt together and slowly add to mixture. Add pecans and combine.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Press thumb into centers of the cookies. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until just slightly brown around bottom edges.
Let cool, roll the cookies in confectioners’ sugar if desired, and fill each thumbprint with cranberry jam.
Makes about 75 cookies.
Note: This recipe can also be used to make the classic powdered sugar cookie I call snowballs. Instead of the thumbprint, just roll into balls, bake, cool and roll in powdered sugar. I like making my own jam but this recipe is delicious with prepared jam of your choice as well.
CRANBERRY JAM
1 bag fresh cranberries
3 cups sugar
Zest of one orange
1 cup orange juice
1 package (1.75 oz.) fruit pectin
In a large saucepan place cranberries, orange zest, pectin and orange juice. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a full boil. Add sugar all at once and stir constantly to return to a full boil, then boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat, skim off foam and cool. Refrigerate until it thickens to jam consistency. Jam will keep in refrigerator for two weeks.