You know the drill: Roll dough in a ball, press with your thumb, bake, and fill. It’s the same deal, except in six designer flavors (ever sampled a coffee truffle or pumpkin-spice thumbprint?). It’s easy to make the homemade box, too.

Prep: 30 minutes per variation  
Bake: 8 minutes/batch   Oven: 350°

1 recipe Sugar Cookie Dough
Assorted Variations (see variations as listed below)

Prepare Sugar Cookie Dough as directed except divide dough into 6 equal portions before chilling (if making Peppermint-Chocolate Thumbprints, see directions before chilling dough). For each variation, dough will be shaped into 1-inch balls (at this point, see variations, as some are rolled into toppings) and placed 2 inches apart on lightly greased or parchment-paper-lined cookie sheets. Use the back of a small measuring spoon or your thumb to make imprints in centers of balls. Bake cookies in a 350° oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are just firm and centers are set. If needed, press back of a measuring spoon into cookie centers while warm to reshape imprints. Cool cookies on a wire rack. See below for filling variations. Makes 16 cookies per variation (96 total).

Peppermint-Chocolate Thumbprints:
Stir or knead in 1 ounce melted bittersweet or semisweet chocolate into 1 portion of dough before chilling the dough. Make cookies and bake as directed above. For filling, in a medium bowl beat 1 tablespoon softened butter until smooth; beat in 2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar. Beat in enough milk, 1 to 2 teaspoons, to make of spreading consistency. Beat in a few drops of peppermint extract; tint pink using pink food coloring. Spoon filling into center of cooled cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Coffee Truffle Thumbprints:
Roll 1 portion of dough into balls. Roll balls in a mixture of 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar. Make cookies and bake as directed above. For truffle filling, in a small microwave-safe bowl combine 2 ounces semisweet chocolate and 1/4 cup whipping cream. Microwave on high (100%) for 40 to 50 seconds or until whipping cream is bubbly. Let stand 1 minute; stir. Let stand 1 minute more. Stir until smooth. Cover and chill 40 to 45 minutes or until just set (chocolate should not be too firm). Beat with an electric mixer just until creamy and a spreading consistency. Using a piping bag with an open-star tip pipe filling into centers of cooled cookies.

Pumpkin-Spice Thumbprints:
Roll 1 portion of dough into balls. Roll balls in a mixture of 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Make cookies and bake as directed above. Fill cooled cookies with a scant teaspoon purchased pumpkin butter. Sprinkle each with finely chopped crystallized ginger.

Brandy Iced Thumbprints:
Roll 1 portion of dough into balls. Make cookies and bake as directed above. Whisk together 2/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon brandy, and enough hot water (1 to 3 teaspoons) to make a smooth drizzling consistency (icing will set up as it stands; add more hot water if needed to keep drizzling consistency). Before transferring cookies to a wire rack, generously spoon brandy icing over the warm cookies, spreading it as needed to completely coat the tops of the cookies. Press a few dried cranberries into centers of iced cookies.

Lemon-Pistachio Thumbprints:
Roll 1 portion of dough into balls. Roll balls in finely chopped pistachio nuts (about 1/4 cup nuts). Make cookies and bake as directed above. Fill cooled cookies with purchased lemon curd.

Traditional Jelly-Filled Thumbprints:
Roll 1 portion of dough into balls. Roll balls in colored sugar or sanding sugar. Make cookies and bake as directed above. Fill cooled cookies with green mint or strawberry jelly. If desired, press a toasted pecan half into jelly.

TIP: Each variation is based on using1 portion of dough and makes about 16 cookies. If you want to make more of one variation, increase the amounts of ingredients by the number of dough portions you want to use.

Per 1 Pumpkin-Spice Thumbprint:  75 cal., 3 fat (1 g sat. fat),
8 mg chol., 33 mg sodium, 11 g carbo., 0 g fiber, 1 g pro.

HOMEMADE BOX INSTRUCTIONS
To wrap the box, lay the box bottom in center of paper and trim, being sure to leave enough paper to wrap over the sides and down the inside about 1/4 inch. Repeat process with the lid. At each corner, make a miter cut to the corner of the box. These will cover the corners nicely once glued. Using a glue stick, adhere paper to box bottom and lid, folding over the top of the edge. In a similar fashion, measure and cut the paper for the inside of the box bottom and top. Using a glue stick, adhere paper to the inside of the box top and bottom.

For the dividers, measure the inside of your box bottom. Cut two pieces that measure the width of the inside of the box (less 1/8 inch). Cut two pieces that measure the length of the inside of the box (less 1/8 inch). Cover the dividers with papers on both sides for a finished look.

Depending on the size of your box and the size of the cookies you have made, cut narrow slits where you would like the dividers to cross each other. (Cut halfway from the top down on the dividers that will be placed along the width of the box. Cut halfway from the bottom up on the dividers that will be placed along the length of the box.) Assemble the dividers by sliding the slits together.