Dark Chocolate Cappuccino Thumbprint Cookies with Maple Pumpkin Butter

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Cookies aren’t really cookies without chocolate, so the dark chocolate drizzle on these maple-infused pumpkin butter thumbprint cookies is a must!

Have you started counting down yet? 9 days! That means only 9 more days of being able to listen to your favorite festive Christmas vinyl. And 9 more nights to get in all the must-watch Xmas movies starring Chevy Chase and Will Ferril. 9 more days to make every cookie recipe you see on Pinterest. We must hurry, guys! No time to waste here!

Christmas is known as a holiday to bring people together but it has built a barrier between my boyfriend and me. Instead of growing more cheerful the closer it gets, I notice him retreating more and more into an annoyed and irritated state. I’m not sure why or how but he hates Christmas decorating, making cookies, festive music, and holiday themed movies. I know, I know – I don’t understand either. This last month has been a battle for the radio, where in the house I can squeeze in a tree without him moving it back into the closet, and a struggle for who is going to put a movie on first.

I want to watch Christmas Vacation, he wants to watch Dune. I want to listen to Sufjan Steven’s Christmas boxset, he wants ambient new-age noise. I want a fragrant and fresh wreath, he wants to use that money to go out to brunch. I wear ugly sweaters almost all December long, he only wears black.

He finally got the relief he was looking for last week when I was talked into joining the decorating committee for our work Christmas party. This let me put all my Christmas build-up into nerding out over festive themes with co-workers who had similar passions for the holiday. We spent hours after work making garland and shopping for the perfect Christmas tree to decorate and picking out a delicious catering menu. All the while he was able to stay at home in the heated studio and pretend like it was July (or something – who knows what he does when I’m not around).

These cookies were made for our work Christmas party which was last night (and was a great success! The venue we had it at enjoyed our decorations so much that they asked to keep them up through the New Year!). I had been looking for an excuse to make maple pumpkin butter for what seems like ages now. Unlike it’s counter part, apple butter, (which takes hours and hours of simmering down the fruit) pumpkin butter simmers in under 20 minutes. I also have a mentality that cookies aren’t really cookies without chocolate, so the dark drizzle was a must. When I make these again, I might even consider dipping half the cookie in dark chocolate for presentation effect and because there is no such thing as too much chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Cappuccino Thumbprint Cookies with Maple Pumpkin Butter recipe below:

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Dark Chocolate Cappuccino Thumbprint Cookies with Maple Pumpkin Butter

Cookies aren't really cookies without chocolate, so the dark chocolate drizzle on these maple-infused pumpkin butter thumbprint cookies is a must!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Author: Shelly Westerhausen

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup butter , softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 15 oz . can pumpkin puree (or two cups fresh pureed pumpkin)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ~ 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, disolve the coffee granules into the vanilla extract and set aside. In a stand mixer bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy. Next, add in the egg and coffee mixture. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the mixer until everything is combined.
3. Use our clean hands to shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and place two inches apart on baking sheets. Use a floured thumb to make deep indents in the center of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until the bottoms start to brown. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. While the cookies are cooling, add the pumpkin, maple syrup, lemon juice, and pumpkin butter spices into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then lower to medium low to let simmer for 20 minutes or until thick and fragrant. Stir frequently while it simmers. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Once cool, drop dollops of maple pumpkin butter into the centers of the cappuccino cookies.
6. Finally, heat the dark chocolate and butter in a double boiler until melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before slowly adding in a tablespoon of milk while whisking. If the chocolate is too thick to drizzle, slowly add in a little more milk until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over the pumpkin cookies and enjoy!