Mango Cookies
Soft, buttery and slightly tangy these mango cookies are the perfect bite size treat and the best part – they’re super simple to make.
Thumbprint cookies are a holiday favorite in many households, but I bet you haven’t tried this mango version yet!
I love mango flavored anything in the summertime – homemade mango ice cream is a summer staple over here! But when my cookie cravings hit, these mango cookies really hit the spot. Plus, they are so easy to make which is always a bonus!
Why This Recipe Works
- Most of the ingredients in this recipe you should have in your pantry – except maybe the mango preserves., but this recipe will work with any jam / preserves you may have on hand.
- If you have a stand mixer then this recipe becomes super simple, just a few steps of adding ingredients then rolling them out and filling with preserves.
- This is a type of shortbread cookie, they’re buttery, soft and tender and as you know, shortbread cookies pair with anything. In fact, one of my favorite snacks is to pair shortbread with blue cheese. My husband thinks I’m nuts. It’s the sweet and sour thing.
Ingredients
- Cornstarch when added to a baking recipe will add a softness/ tenderness.
- Flour this can All Purpose Flour, nothing special needed here.
- Mango Preserves or any other fruit preserves or Jam works fine.
- Vanilla Extract is important to the flavor of the shortbread cookies.
- Egg Yolk adding an egg yolk will help prevent there being too much gluten which makes things tougher, resulting in a softer cookie.
Variations
- Preserves/ Jam – you could use any preserves or jam for these cookies, any flavor would be excellent. I also really like to use apricot!
- Almond Extract – add a tiny bit of almond extract (about 1/8 teaspoon) to give an additional flavor dimension.
Instructions
Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (you may instead use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer) and beat until creamy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add sugars, and beat, gradually increasing mixer speed to medium-high until ingredients are well-combined (about 30-60 seconds).
Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients until completely combined. This dough will seem very dry and crumbly, so be sure to pause occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. If it starts to strain your mixer you can use your hands to finish working the dough together.
Scoop cookie dough into 1 Tablespoon-sized balls and roll very well (so that the dough is round and there are no cracks/seams in the cookie dough — this will help keep your thumbprints from cracking).
Roll in granulated sugar (if using) and place on a wax-paper covered plate or small cookie sheet.
Use your thumb or the rounded back of a teaspoon to gently press an indent in the center of the cookie dough. Repeat until all of the dough has been used.
Transfer cookie dough to freezer and chill for 30 minutes.
Once dough is done chilling, preheat oven to 375F and place your jam in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat briefly (about 5-10 seconds) or until jam is not hot but is no longer firm and is easy to stir.
Spoon jam into each thumbprint, filling each indent to the brim.
Once oven is preheated, place cookies at least 2″ apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake on 375F (190C) for 11 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown.
Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying.
Hint: don’t skimp on the chilling time. A minimum of 30 minutes in the freezer is needed or the cookies will thin out too much.
Storage
Once cooled store in an airtight container at room temperature for one week.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you add an egg yolk it helps prevent too much gluten forming which in turn helps create a softer more tender cookie.
Cornflour makes a softer cookie. It also attaches to the liquids in the recipe so helps prevent the spreading you often see making cookies.
Get the kids to help making these cookies, they will especially love pressing the well into each cookie and filling it up with the preserves. Easy for their little ‘not too dextrous’ hands.
Mango Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspooons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar for rolling optional
- ⅓ cup mango preserves
Instructions
- Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (you may instead use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer) and beat until creamy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add sugars, and beat, gradually increasing mixer speed to medium-high until ingredients are well-combined (about 30-60 seconds).
- Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients until completely combined. This dough will seem very dry and crumbly, so be sure to pause occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. If it starts to strain your mixer you can use your hands to finish working the dough together.
- Scoop cookie dough into 1 Tablespoon-sized balls and roll very well (so that the dough is round and there are no cracks/seams in the cookie dough — this will help keep your thumbprints from cracking).
- Roll in granulated sugar (if using) and place on a wax-paper covered plate or small cookie sheet. Use your thumb or the rounded back of a teaspoon to gently press an indent in the center of the cookie dough. Repeat until all of the dough has been used.
- Transfer cookie dough to freezer and chill for 30 minutes.
- Once dough is done chilling, preheat oven to 375F and place your jam in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat briefly (about 5-10 seconds) or until jam is not hot but is no longer firm and is easy to stir.
- Spoon jam into each thumbprint, filling each indent to the brim.
- Once oven is preheated, place cookies at least 2″ apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake on 375F (190C) for 11 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown.
