Apple Butter & Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

You say you want to make a perfect fall cookie? You say you like fall spices? Pecans? How about Russian Tea cookies? You can have it all in this delicately easy autumn treat!

I have combined and mixed from a few recipes (as I always do.. ) so I can't give credit to any one in particular, so here goes:

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup ground nuts (as you may have guessed, I used pecans)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter at room temperature  (I used Kerrygold)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt (skip this step if your butter is salted)
1 tsp vanilla extract, or seeds from one vanilla bean

powdered sugar, and apple butter (or pumpkin butter etc)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grab a couple of cookie sheets, and either lightly grease, or cover in parchment paper. I have some really good non-stick ones from Ikea that never need either grease or paper, you know your kitchen and tools!

Mix sugar, salt, flour and nuts in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl mix the butter and vanilla. Once butter is creamed, add to nut/flour mixture. Mix well until you have a thick dough easy to shape.

Make 1" balls and place on the cookie sheet about 2" apart. Press your thumb, or back of a spoon into the middle of the cookie. Bake for about 15 minutes, keep an eye on them! You want to pull them out just as they start browning lightly along the bottom edges.
Let them mostly cool on the cookie sheet, then gently move them to a wire rack.
Once on the wire rack dust with powdered sugar (I use a tea sieve), and place a small amount of apple butter in the thumbprint.
Let them cool completely. And enjoy!

As a footnote, you can also use pumpkin butter, jam, pear butter or something similar (maybe Nutella!) For a simple pumpkin butter recipe, check here. 

Pumpkin Butter- super easy, no crock pot needed!

I love me a good fruit "butter". When I first tried apple butter a decade ago at an Amish fair, I absolutely fell head over heels with it. I was surprised to find out there was absolutely no butter (or other fat for that matter) involved!
So, I learned to make apple butter, yum! Next, I tried pear butter- it may be even more satisfying than its apple cousin.
So, this time it is Pumpkin Butter's turn. This is my second batch ever, and I must say it is good, the only problem I found was that I had to add more sweetener than I expected and significantly more than in the pear and butter varieties, due to the pumpkins more savory flavor.
My sweeteners of choice in this batch was maple syrup (the real kind) and apple cider. Quantities of all ingredients is pretty much up to you and your preferences.

I start my pumpkin butter with, you guessed it, a PUMPKIN! Not from a can, but from a field. We got ours this year from a local farm- Hill Ridge Farms- where we also had a blast!

Here's some simple directions- play around with the seasonings! I'd love to hear about others versions I always love experimenting and learning! You can completely skip apple cider and maple syrup, and just go for some good ole cane sugar! Or, how about honey? lemon zest? Fresh ginger? I can't wait for my next batch!

Click on the images for larger- more legible version!

You will end up with a guaranteed delicious, nutritious and versatile spread/dip. My kids love dipping apple slices and graham crackers in it. It is also great mixed in with vanilla yogurt and granola. The options are endless. ENJOY!