Nut Goodie Thumbprints

These Nut Goodie Thumbprints taste just like the popular candy bar, only in cookie form! The combination of fudgy cookie, maple cream filling, salty peanuts and chocolate ganache drizzle make a perfect combination. They are always popular during the holidays and are sure to be one of the prettiest cookies on your cookie tray. They have become a favorite on our family and are sure to be one of yours.

Ingredients:

For Cookies:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg, separated

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup chopped cocktail peanuts

Filling:

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon maple extract

2 teaspoons milk

1 ¼ cups powdered sugar

Ganache:

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons whipping cream

In medium bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, until creamy.

Add egg yolk, milk and vanilla; beat on medium speed 1 minute, until well blended. Set aside.

In small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder and salt.

Reduce mixing speed to low and gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Continue mixing just until blended.

Form dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking pan with parchment paper. Form tablespoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Dip half of dough ball into egg white and then into chopped peanuts.

Place dough balls, peanut-side-up, 2 inches apart onto lined baking pans.

Using a teaspoon or your thumb, press an indentation into the center of each ball. Bake 10-11 minutes, until cookies are just set. Remove from oven and carefully press the indentation again. Cool completely.

While cookies are cooling, make filling. Combine all filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat on low speed until creamy.

Spoon a half teaspoonful of filling into the center of each cookie.

In a small microwaveable bowl, heat chocolate chips and whipping cream until creamy, about 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir to blend. Continue heating and stirring in 10 second increments until smooth.

Spoon warm ganache into a sandwich bag. Using scissors, snip very tip off of one corner of bag.

Drizzle warm ganache evenly over cookies. Let ganache set before serving.