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Photo of guava thumbprint cookies from Marisel Salazar's cookbook "Latin-ish." Photo by Hipolito Torres.

Guava Thumbprint Cookies

This Cuban and American-inspired thumbprint cookies recipe comes from Marisel Salazar's cookbook Latin-ish: More Than 100 Recipes Celebrating American Latino Cuisines.
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Prep Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 42
Calories 3267 kcal

Equipment

  • Small bowl
  • Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or large bowl with electric beater)
  • Baking sheet with parchment paper (or silicone baking mat)
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 cup guava jelly or paste
  • Powdered sugar or coconut flakes for dusting

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl using an electric beater, beat the butter on low speed until soft, about 1 minute.
  • Add the sugar and beat until the mixture becomes fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and continue to beat until the mixture combines well and becomes creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and continue to beat until the dough comes together, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Meanwhile, if using guava paste, use a wooden spoon to break the paste into chunks and melt the chunks in a small saucepan over medium heat until thick, smooth, and glossy, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
  • With your hands, roll 1 to 1½ tablespoons of the dough at a time into balls, arranging them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Using your thumb, press a cavity in the middle of each cookie. Don’t press all the way through. Spoon 1 teaspoon of guava paste into each cavity. It should form a slight mound.
  • Bake until the cookies barely turn golden, about 25 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, transfer to a rack to cool, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Notes

• Cornstarch makes the dough less sticky and allows the cookies to hold their shape.
• In an airtight container in the refrigerator, the cookies will stay fresh for up to 2 days.
This recipe originally appeared in Latin-ish: More Than 100 Recipes Celebrating American Latino Cuisines. Written by Marisel Salazar and published by Countryman Press (an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company). Shared with permission.

Nutrition

Calories: 3267kcalCarbohydrates: 354gProtein: 37gFat: 191gSaturated Fat: 118gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 50gTrans Fat: 7gCholesterol: 651mgSodium: 1101mgPotassium: 432mgFiber: 8gSugar: 135gVitamin A: 5905IUCalcium: 359mgIron: 14mg
Keyword American, Cookies, Cuban, Desserts, Guava, Latin American
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