Sprinkles. They were everywhere. Embedded in the crevices of our countertops, staining our fingers with vibrant reds and greens, and even clinging to the soles of my feet.
It was one of those moments where you can't help but wonder, "Why did we do this again?" Of course, not the cookies. Never the cookies. I'm talking about involving the kids in a baking frenzy in our rather cramped apartment.
Then came the neighbors, drawn in by the joyful chaos and peeking through the window. The initial shyness quickly melted away into laughter as tiny hands dove into sticky frosting. And of course, the fact that we were still without a working vacuum cleaner added to the charm.
I'm still recovering from the workout.
The highlights of our cookie-making session include:
- Mountains of chocolate and chocolate frosting.
- Our timid neighbor children joining in the fun.
- The hilarious moment when they discovered the joy of eating frosting straight, a clear indication they've been watching me a bit too closely.
- My daughters' infectious laughter.
- My daughters' laughter reaching an almost unbearable level.
- The team sprinkle cleanup effort and discovering we actually own a broom.
- The continuous sweat pouring off of me. Who needs a gym when you have cookies?
And then, I captured some glamour shots of these frosted, sprinkled mini chocolate thumbprint cookies under the dramatic pre-typhoon light.
Yes, a Super Typhoon was brewing, which happened to rip through the Philippines. Luckily, we were safe here in Cebu as the storm largely passed to the south of us. My heart goes out to all the communities in the neighboring islands that lost their homes and families. Let's all keep them in our thoughts and prayers.
That pre-typhoon light was absolutely breathtaking. It was a mix of nervousness and excitement, a common feeling during these kinds of weather events. The power went out mid-shoot and I started to pack up when I realized you don't need electricity for a food photo shoot. It was unexpectedly stressful.
The wind picked up, and the light became even more magical. Sprinkles were dancing in the wind and squishing between my toes, a constant reminder of the team sprinkle cleanup that was a bit of a failure. The sprinkles were still present three days later. Everywhere.
Cookie. Mouth. Repeat.
These cookies are a celebration of fudgy goodness. Unless you prefer a more shortbread-like texture, in which case, bake them a bit longer, let the frosting set fully and voila! But honestly, who can resist underbaking these a bit?
Mini Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
These mini chocolate thumbprint cookies are adorable and easy to make. And mini means you can eat more, right? I think so.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks + 2 tablespoons of butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 heaping cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons hot water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Cream the butter and the sugar until smooth. Add the 1/3 cup cocoa powder and mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Roll into small balls and make an indent with your thumb in the center of the ball. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until dry looking and lightly cracked on the surface but still very soft. I left mine a little bit underdone so they were softer and fudgier, almost like a brownie.
- When they come out of the oven, press the centers down again to make a more defined well for the frosting. Allow to cool.
- Whisk the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, hot water, and vanilla. Spoon the frosting into the centers of the cookies and add sprinkles. Allow frosting to set before storing in tins.
Notes
- Store at room temperature or in the freezer after the frosting has set.
- The recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.
And a little PS - I started experimenting with making a video on my phone. I am all ears if you have any cool movie making apps. And no, I am not wearing pajamas.