Pretzel Jammy Tarts

November 25, 2012

Pretzel Jammy Tarts

Pretzel Jammy Thumbprints, tarts, pretzel cookie

Today I'm tweaking my mom's beloved holiday jammy tarts. I can do this because I know she'll still make her classic version and I'll get to enjoy this delicious cookie two ways. These have the au courant salted sweet flavor, fruity jam and crunchy pretzels. The cookies have both pretzel "flour" I made by pulverizing mini pretzels in my food processor, and pretzel bits on the outside of the cookie. I make them on the large side (so it feels like I'm eating fewer?), but you could make bite-size ones (like my mom does) and they would be quite elegant. This is one good cookie.

Pretzel "Flour"

Pretzel Jammy Tarts

Makes approximately 2 dozen

1 cup butter (two sticks), room temperature

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 egg yolks (save whites)

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 cups mini pretzels*, divided

1 cup flour

1 cup pretzel flour (see directions below)

2 egg whites, beaten lightly

Jam of your choice

* look for pretzels without corn syrup or sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375º.

2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

3. Put 3 cups of pretzels into the food processor and run until it resembles a coarse flour (don't worry if it's not completely uniform). Pulse other 3 cups of pretzels into tiny pieces (or bash in a plastic bag with a rolling pin). Put in a shallow bowl and set aside.

4. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer. Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour and pretzel flour and stir until combined. It won't be a smooth dough but will come together when you scoop and roll it. Form into balls (approximately one inch) by rolling gently between your hands. Roll in egg white, then in pretzel crumbs.

5. Put on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from oven and make small indentations in the center with a small spoon. Add a spoonful of jam. Return to oven and bake for an additional 6-7 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and place on racks to cool.