You have probably seen plenty of thumbprint cookies, but you might not have known what they were called. Small and rich, with a golden brown and creamy texture, they are the little cookies with a spoonful of jam or jelly in the middle. One bite into the luscious thumbprint cookie and your mouth is flooded with the taste of sweet cream butter, the hint of down-home fluffy biscuits, and the burst of fresh fruit. It's a match made in heaven!

There are many varieties of thumbprint cookies, but the tried-and-true recipes always uses the same basic ingredients.

Perfect Thumbprint Cookies

1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, separated
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup jelly or jam of your choice

Mix the butter and brown sugar together until it is light and fluffy. Add in only the egg yolk, reserving the egg white. Stir in the vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients very well, until smooth. Then add the flour, a bit at a time, along with the salt. Mix it until just combined.

The mixture should be a bit stiff, and you should be able to make 1-inch balls that hold together well. If the batter seems over-mixed and isn't holding together like it should, refrigerate it for 30 minutes to let it firm up.

Whisk the egg white with a pinch of salt until foamy. In another bowl, add the finely chopped nuts. (If you choose to omit the egg white and nuts, the baked cookies will be soft and chewy, but will still taste fantastic.)

Roll the 1-inch balls in the egg white, then dip in the nuts. Place them on a baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper. Bake them in a 350 degree oven for ONLY five minutes.

Remove them from the oven and make the indentation in the middle. Many people use their thumb (hence the name), but you can also use the back of a wooden spoon, the back of a teaspoon, or any other handy kitchen utensil that makes an appropriate well in the cookie.

Put the indented cookies back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Watch them closely and don't let them get too brown!

In the meantime, heat the jelly in a saucepan on the stove until it is just melted. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly. You should be able to pour it from the tip of a spoon, but it should be thick, and not runny.

Let the cookies cook slightly to set up their shape. Fill each indentation with jelly. Let them cool completely, then enjoy the perfect thumbprint cookies! Store any leftover cookies (IF you have any!) in an airtight container.