Chocolate Thumbprints with Irish Cream Ganache

Looking for something new to bring to this year’s holiday cookie exchange? These chocolate thumbprints with Irish cream ganache will win everyone over. They look great with their contrasting white filling and chocolate-brown cookie shell, and they taste even better.

Thumbprint cookies can be filled with jam, frosting or nuts, which offers two great flavors in one bite. What I love about this version is that the Irish cream liqueur used both in the chocolate cookie base and in the white chocolate ganache. The vanilla, caramel, coffee and Irish whiskey notes pair so well with the chocolate. Recipe creator Sue Gronholz of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, recommends letting them sit an extra day so that the Irish cream flavor becomes even more pronounced.

The recipe makes a good-sized batch of cookies to give as homemade food gifts or to bring to holiday potluck parties. But don’t stop at Christmas. With that Irish cream filling, you can make these your signature St. Patrick’s Day dessert!

Ingredients for Chocolate Thumbprints with Irish Cream Ganache

• Cocoa powder: Use the best cocoa powder you can buy for the best chocolate flavor.
• Flour: Use regular all-purpose flour in this recipe. It’s smart to sift the flour and cocoa powder first to remove any lumps.
• Butter: Looking for the best to bake with? Ina Garten’s favorite butter is made by Cabot.
• Egg: Room-temperature eggs and the best egg-cracking technique will make any bake shine.
• Irish cream liqueur: One of the best liqueurs for cocktails and other recipes, Irish cream is sweet and velvety with hints of vanilla, chocolate and caramel. Baileys is the most widely available, but use whatever brand you prefer—even a nonalcoholic one.
• White baking chips: White baking chips aren’t true chocolate; they’re vanilla-flavored candy bits that melt easily. Real white chocolate chips are made with cocoa butter and sugar, and create an even smoother ganache. Use either one, but watch carefully when melting them to prevent seizing.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the cookies and keeps them tender.
• Baking powder: Baking powder adds lift to the cookies when they bake. Did you know that baking soda is one of the baking ingredients you can freeze to make them last longer?
• Salt: A little salt makes the whole cookie more delicious.
• Coarse sugar: You roll balls of dough in coarse sugar before indenting them so they sparkle once baked.

Directions

Step 1: Make the cookie dough

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until they’re light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg and Irish cream. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Gradually beat the dry mixture into the creamed mixture.

Editor’s Tip: Creaming butter and sugar together creates air pockets that help lighten the baked cookies.

Step 2: Shape the cookies

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll them in coarse sugar. Place them 1 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Press a deep indentation into the center of each dough ball using the end of a wooden spoon handle.

Editor’s Tip: You can also use the back of a melon baller or measuring spoon to make the indentation.

Step 3: Bake and cool the cookies

Bake the cookies until the edges are set, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the pans and transfer them to wire racks to cool.

Step 4: Make the filling

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the baking chips and Irish cream. Microwave them on high for one minute, uncovered, then give them a stir. Microwave the mixture in additional 15-second intervals, stirring between each, until the ganache is smooth.

Editor’s Tip: To prevent overmelting the chocolate, stop when a few chips remain slightly intact. Stir, and they’ll melt into the chocolate.

Step 5: Fill the cookies

Fill each cookie with the ganache. Let the cookies stand until the filling sets.

Recipe Variations

• Add holiday sprinkles: While the filling is still soft, add a few holiday-themed sprinkles on top of each cookie.
• Make a chocolate-Irish cream filling: Instead of white baking chips, melt semisweet or milk chocolate chips with the Irish cream.

How to Store Chocolate Thumbprints with Irish Cream Ganache

Once the chocolate thumbprint cookies are cool and have set, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Layer them in between sheets of wax or parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking.

Can you freeze these thumbprint cookies?

Yes, you can freeze chocolate thumbprint cookies. Layer the cookies between pieces of wax paper in a freezer-proof container, and cover it tightly. Store the cookies in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw the cookies in the fridge before serving them, then store them in the fridge.

Chocolate Thumbprints with Irish Cream Ganache Tips

Can you use something other than Irish cream liqueur for the ganache?

Yes, you can make these chocolate thumbprint cookies with other liqueurs, such as Kahlua, Godiva chocolate liqueur, butterscotch schnapps or horchata liqueur. For a nonalcoholic version, add Irish cream-flavored coffee creamer or syrup to the filling instead.

Why did my ganache seize up?

Ganache may seize if the chocolate is overmelted. To prevent this, microwave the mixture in short 15-second bursts, stirring between each, and stopping once it’s smooth. Water in the mixture can also cause ganache to seize, so be careful that no droplets from wet dishes or utensils fall in.