I do love Trader Joe’s. Going there used to be just another errand, although I always enjoyed it. Now it has become one of the few bright spots of this awful Coronavirus pandemic time. Every time I go, the workers could not be nicer or friendlier. It’s such a highlight. The grocery store workers really are heroes. On one of my last trips, I picked up the new Watermelon Fruit Spread. At first taste, I thought it might be a tad too sweet, but I decided to incorporate it into some recipes. As it happens, I was cooking as a personal chef for one of my seniors the next day. She is in her 80s, has a sweet tooth, and loves watermelon, so I knew these would be right up her alley. Watermelon Thumprint Cookies. I don’t think I’ve ever made thumbprint cookies unless it was at Christmastime, but hey, why not? They were delicious. Buttery and crisp, with the watermelon jam plopped in the middle. I took these to her, along with a bunch of meals. I also brought coffee cake, some groceries, some books for her to read, and we got to chat and catch up in the yard from many feet away! It was the best part of my week. Cooking for seniors is one of the things I love best about being a personal chef. They always make my day. (As an added bonus, she called me when I was on the way home to tell me she had already dug into the cookies and that she loved them!)
Here is the recipe:
Watermelon Thumbprint Cookies
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
2/3 cup sugar, (plus about 1/4 cup more for rolling the cookies in)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup Trader Joe’s Watermelon Fruit Spread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
In another bowl, beat the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions. Don’t overmix.
Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep. Fill each indentation with about 3/4 teaspoon jam.
Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. (Rotate pans halfway through.)
