Active Time

　　1 3/4 hr

　　Total Time

　　3 1/2 hr (includes chilling dough and cooling cookies)

　　Thumbprint cookies are a holiday classic, and we've tripled their appeal by forming each cookie into a tiny trio that showcases three jewel-toned jams. Each one is like a miniature holiday ornament.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies

　　2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 cup sugar

　　1 large egg

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　About 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

　　About 2 tablespoons apricot preserves

　　About 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves

　　Equipment: a 1/2-inch-thick wooden spoon handle or dowel

　　

Make dough:

Step 1

Whisk together flour and salt. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until very pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes, then beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches just until a dough forms. Divide dough in half and form each piece into a 6-inch disk, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.

　　

Assemble and bake cookies:

Step 2

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

　　

Step 3

Roll 3 separate level teaspoons of dough each into a ball, then flatten each ball slightly (to 1 inch wide and less than 1/2 inch thick). Arrange them in a triangle on baking sheet with edges touching in center, then make a deep indentation in center of each round with wooden spoon handle. Make more cookies, arranging them 1 inch apart on baking sheets.

　　

Step 4

Fill indentations in each cookie with about 1/88 teaspoon jam (each cookie should have 3 different fillings), avoiding any large pieces of fruit.

　　

Step 5

Bake until cookies are baked through and golden-brown on edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

　　

Step 6

Bake more batches on cooled baking sheets lined with fresh parchment.

　　Cook's notes:

　　· Dough can be chilled up to 2 days. · Cookies keep, layered between sheets of parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.