Brown Eyed Susan Thumbprint Cookies

These are my husbands favourite cookie at Christmas time. His mom made them for him when he was growing up and I have made them for him most every year since we have been married. This tender butter cookie is flavoured with a little almond extract and after baking the cookie a rich smooth chocolate sauce is placed into the indent and topped with a whole almond giving them the appearance of a eye. I have no idea where the name Susan came from, a good question to ask my mother-in-law one day!

Ingredients:
2 cups butter
⅔ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4-6 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon almond extract
Whole Almonds

Directions 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 

Cream butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in almond extract. Add flour and salt; mix well.

Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Flatten middle of dough ball with thumb print. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Once out of the oven push the indented area down to allow enough room for the chocolate filling. Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack for about ten minutes.

To make Frosting: combine confectioner's sugar and cocoa. Add enough water to make a smooth, soft frosting, add almond extract. Place chocolate frosting into thumb print indention of cooled cookies. Top with a whole almond.

This recipe makes 5 dozen cookies.

Print Recipe:Brown Eyed Susan Thumbprint Cookie

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add almond extract.

Add flour and salt, mix.

Roll small pieces of dough into balls.

Press your thumb into the centre of the dough ball.

Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake in 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine icing sugar, cocoa powder, hot water and almond extract.

Beat until icing is smooth.

After baking the centre rises up a little so press the centre of each cookie to make the indent deeper.

Place a little icing into the centre of each cookie.

Top with a whole almond.