Valentine Thumbprint Cookies

These Valentine Thumbprint Cookies are a new twist on an old favorite. Thumbprint cookies have been around for years, but these Valentine cookies with red dough, dipped in white chocolate and sprinkles, with white chocolate pink hearts, are the best take on them I've ever eaten.

Kelly Reci

Ingredients

3 sticks of butter - softened
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of Vanilla
3 1/2 cups of flour - sifted
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 package of White Chocolate Almond Bark
1 bottle of Red food coloring gel - See link
1 tube of Neon pink food coloring gel - See link
Assorted Valentines Sprinkles - we used red pink and white

Instructions

In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, blend the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and blend.
In a separate bowl sift the flour and salt together, and add it to the mixing bowl with the butter mixture a little at a time until all the flour is added, and blended well.
Add the Red food coloring gel, starting with about 5 drops, and blend until the dough is all red. If you want the dough a darker color, add another drop and blend, until the desired color is achieved.
Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place them on a Parchment lined cookie sheet about an inch apart.
When the cookie sheet is full, use your thumb or knuckle, and press a 'thumbprint' into the center of the cookies, making an indentation.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies start to turn golden brown.
When the cookies are done, remove them to a wire rack to cook completely.
When cookies are cool, melt 4 squares of the white chocolate almond bark,in the microwave on 15 second intervals, until it's smooth and creamy, stirring between intervals.
When the white chocolate is melted, fill the centers of the cookies with the white chocolate.
When all the centers have been filled, dip the bottoms of the cookies in the melted white chocolate, and immediately in the sprinkles.
Sit the cookies on parchment paper to let the chocolate set.
Melt the rest of the white chocolate in the microwave on 15 second intervals, and stir between intervals.
When the chocolate is melted, remove it from the microwave, and add 1 - 2 drops of the Neon pink gel food coloring to the white chocolate, and stir well to combine the food coloring into the chocolate.
Place the pink chocolate in a squeeze bottle with a tip, and squeeze heart shapes out on parchment paper to decorate the cookies. (you can make the hearts large or small, or some of both)
Drizzle the remaining pink chocolate over the cookies as shown.
Let the cookies set for at least one hour before moving them or serving them, to allow the chocolate to set.
After the chocolate is set, serve, and Enjoy!

Notes

White Chocolate Almond Bark is a great melting chocolate. It has a better flavor than most of the melting chocolates, and is easy to work with. If you find that you left your chocolate in the microwave too long, and it's a little thick, don't throw it away, just add a couple of drops of heavy cream to the chocolate, and place it in the microwave for about 5 seconds, and stir well. Keep adding a drop or two of cream until the chocolate thins, and is easily stirred. You'll find the White Chocolate Almond Bark on the baking isle typically in the chocolate chips section.