These classic shortbread thumbprint cookies have a background of citrus and are filled with a lemon jelly or lemon curd and then dusted with powdered sugar. Very pretty on a platter of holiday cookies.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the mixer bowl in 2 additions and beat just until moist clumps form. Gather the dough together into a ball.
2 sticks, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 large egg yolks, 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch off the dough to form 1-inch balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Use your floured index finger or 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to create depressions in the center of each ball. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely (you may want to push down the puffed up indentation a bit at this point).
Fill each indentation with nearly 1/2 teaspoon of lemon preserves.
1/2 cup lemon ginger marmalade
Notes
Pro Tip: Make sure your cookie dough is well chilled before filling and baking. This helps make sure that the cookies don't spread too much making the filling drip over the edges.