The last recipe from our Passover sweet adventure is Walnut Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies. Although you can fill the thumbprint with a whole pistachio, or a whole almond as I did with some of these, fig jam is my favorite flavor so I also spooned in some L’Epicurien White Fig & Almond Confit, and Black Fig Preserves. Did I mention fig is my favorite flavor of jam?
We love thumbprint cookies. For Christmas, Geoffrey made some Almond Thumbprint Cookies with our Mixed Red Berry Jam. Thumbprints are not only fun (and feels a little naughty) to stick your thumb in the middle of the cookie, you also get to create so many different flavor combinations by choosing what to spoon into the thumbprint, like Cashew Thumbprint Cookies with Cajeta Caramel Sauce. For these Walnut Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies, I made some with pistachios in the middle, and some with whole almonds in the middle. But... did I mention I love figs?
Recipes with White Fig & Almond Confit
Some of the Walnut Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies have our White Fig & Almond Confit in the center. This wonderful jam is produced by L'Epicurien in France, and is a delicious combination of white figs, white wine, and almonds with a hint of lemon. We have made so many recipes with this Fig & Almond Confit including Fig Jam-Filled Almond Cupcakes and a Fig Almond Torte just to name a few. Geoffrey even made some Vanilla Fig Almond Ice Cream which was out of this world. So spooning some in the thumbprint cookies was a “no brainier.”
Black Fig Preserves is Ruler of the Night
I also made some Walnut Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies with my personal favorite, Black Fig Preserves. This delightful jam has all natural ingredients; fresh figs, pure cane sugar, and lemon juice. Simmered in small, handmade batches, this fig jam was the unknowing star of a wine-cheese-jam tasting cocktail party we hosted. We invited some friends over, and presented five wines from different countries, paired with five different cheeses of varying potencies, paired with five of our jams, spreads and tapenades. The Black Fig Preserves was the ruler of the night going along with every cheese and almost every wine. We were surprised and very pleased.
So, if you haven’t figured out yet how much I love figs, and fig jam, and Walnut Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies with fig jam centers, I’m not sure what else I can tell you – except try this recipe. You will love it almost as much as I do.
More Traditional Jewish Dessert Recipes
If you are looking for more Jewish traditional dessert recipes for Hanukkah or Passover, check out these recipes.
- How to Make an Easy Rugelach with Jam Walnut Filling
- Lemony Almond Macaroons
- Persian Almond Cardamom Pistachio Cake
- Hazelnut Citrus Torte
Have a figtastic week,
Carlos Leo
Your Recipe Concierge
Walnut Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies with Fig Preserves
- Total Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 36 cookies 1x
Description
Walnut Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies are crunchy with just the right amount of sweetness. You can fill the thumbprint with a whole almond or pistachio, or Spoon in some L’Epicurien White Fig & Almond Confit, or Black Fig Preserves, or shelled pistachios.
Adapted from the NYT Cooking section.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups blanched almonds
- 1 ½ cups walnuts
- 1 scant cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 large egg
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup of rose water, optional
- ½ cup of:
- L’Epicurien White Fig & Almond Confit
- or Black Fig Preserves
- or ½ cup shelled pistachios.
Instructions
- Put the almonds in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until mostly powdered with a few crunchy bits remaining, about 15 pulses. Transfer to a large bowl. Put the walnuts in the food processor and pulse until mostly powdered. Add the walnuts to the almonds.
- Add the sugar, cardamom, egg and egg whites to the bowl and mix to combine. Cover with a towel and let the mixture sit for at least 8 hours or overnight to dry out a bit.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour rose water (or regular water) in a small shallow bowl. Dampen your hands with the water and scoop up about a Tablespoon of the dough at a time, pressing it into walnut-size balls. Place the macaroons on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart and flatten them slightly. Use your thumb to make a small indentation in the middle of each.
- Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and cook for 15 minutes, then remove and put either ¼ teaspoon of the White Fig & Almond Confit, Black Fig Preserves, or a pistachio or whole almond, in each thumbprint.
- Rotate the pans and continue baking for 10 more minutes or until golden and firm. Cool to room temperature on the baking sheets and serve or freeze.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 36 cookies
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
Hey there, I'm Carlos, a food and drink enthusiast, recipe blogger and 
Katie
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
Geoffrey Swetz
Always great to hear about family hits!
Beth
Thumbprint cookies are a must for the holidays! Love the flavor of this version!
Geoffrey Swetz
I completely agree Beth. Wouldn't be the holidays without them.
Kelly Anthony
Oh wow, that White Fig and Almond Confit looks heavenly, especially in your thumbprint cookies.
Geoffrey Swetz
Thanks Kelly. The White Fig and Almond Confit IS certainly heavenly. Hope you give it a try.
Kate
Sounds like the ultimate Christmas cookie! Can't wait to make the these!!
Geoffrey Swetz
Can't wait to hear all about them after you make them Kate. Let us know.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
This is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s such a crowd pleaser for the whole family
Geoffrey Swetz
That is true Shadi. The whole family will love these cookies.
Renee Gardner
What a yummy little cookie! Love the fig preserves!
Geoffrey Swetz
Thank you, Renee!
I’m a huge fan of fig preserve. The fig confit that we have is one of the best; it’s like Fig Newton without the dough.
Dan from Platter Talk
Thumbprints are so fun and with this yummy fig filling being upfront and center these babies are a bona fide show stopper! Thanks for this lovely treat idea; we are bookmarking this one!
Carlos Leo
Thank you, Dan!
I'm obsessed with this Fig preserve. I Appreciate your comment!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
Yummy. Figs. Love them! I wonder how delish they would be with prunes in them too. Lovely cookies! I've never made Macaroons but this is inspiring me!
Carlos Leo
Thank you, Elaine, for stopping by. I love your ideas with prunes!
Laura | Wandercooks
Yum these cookies look so gorgeous and I love the sound of that fig jam! Naughty thought... I bet those cookies would be amazing crumbled on top of that vanilla & fig ice cream!
Carlos Leo
Laura, you just gave me a great idea. The next time I will try with Vanilla ice cream and spoonful of the fig jam. Thank you!!
Vicky @ Avocado Pesto
I love love love figs so like you I know I would love to fill these with the fig jam/preserves! But the ones filled with nuts sound delightful as well!
Carlos Leo
Vicky, I'm addicted to Fig in any form or style. The ones with the almond and pistachio are crunchy and nutty!
Sarah
Oh I have the most delicious preserve at home that would be just perfect with these cookies! Yum! Thanks for sharing - can't wait to try!!! :)
Carlos Leo
Sarah, I highly recommend that you try this jam. I will say any of the jams with a fig that we carry have a different taste with a unique flavor.
Rae
My husband's uncle is a fig farmer and I always consider making fig jam but never do because I don't think it would be consumed. Fig jam in cookies on the other hand sounds like a way it would surely be eaten!
Carlos Leo
OMG.. Rae, I will be so happy leaving on a farm with fresh fig and making homemade fig jam. Here is Florida, I have to wait a long time to wait for fresh figs. Where you uncle has the farm?:)
heather (delicious not gorgeous)
mm these sound so good! i've made a cookie similar to this before without the jam center that was really tasty, but it sounds even better thumbprint-ified (: at first i was like, whoa a whole cup of rose water?! but it sounds like a really cool way to add a touch of rose flavor!
Carlos Leo
Heather, I like your idea of adding rose water to the jam to give a flowery aroma.
Kate
Love this! We make strawberry fig preserves and I could TOTALLY see using them for these beauties!
Geoffrey Swetz
Hi Kate. For sure! Where can we see your preserves?
Carlos Leo
Kate, These cookies will go great crumbled over your Samoa ice cream:)