It took me a while to discover the joys of Biscoff cookie butter, but now I’m a full-fledged junkie. When I’m not eating it straight form the jar, I’m adding it to baked goods, as I did with these simple thumbprint cookies. Biscoff features the flavor of warm spices – cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger – so it’s a great ingredient for holiday baking. To bump up the spice flavor even more, I rolled the cookie dough in Biscoff cookie crumbs, and sprinkled even more crumbs over the white chocolate filling. The cookies have a slightly chewy texture and a holiday flavor that, if you’re like me, you will adore.

Makes about 32 cookies

Ingredients

Thumbprint Cookies

• 1 ¼ cups (162 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (114 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup (108 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (tk grams) Biscoff cookie butter
• 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup (80 grams) Lotus Biscoff cookie crumbs

Chocolate Filling

• 4 ounces (114 grams) good quality white chocolate, chopped (I used Lindt)
• 4 1/2 teaspoons (23 grams) whole milk

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, gently whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed while gradually adding the sugars. Increase the speed to medium-high and cream the mixture until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add the Biscoff cookie butter and the vanilla and mix at medium speed until well blended. Add the egg and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. While mixing at low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.

4. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls (about 18 grams per ball). Place the Biscoff cookie crumbs in a pie plate or shallow dish. Roll each ball in the crumbs, coating them evenly (reserve the remaining crumbs for garnish). Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart (about 12 per baking sheet). Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and, using a melon baller or teaspoon and working quickly, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Return the cookies to the oven for another 7 to 8 minutes, until they are nicely browned. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and, using the melon baller or spoon, press down on the center well, making sure that the indentation is well defined. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining cookies.

Fill the cookies

5. Fill a saucepan one-third of the way with water and bring to a low simmer.

6. Put the chopped white chocolate and milk in a stainless-steel bowl and place the bowl over the saucepan. Heat the chocolate, stirring frequently, until half melted. Remove the bowl from over the saucepan and stir vigorously until completely melted, shiny and smooth.

7. Scrape the melted chocolate into a disposable pastry bag and cut a small hole in the tip. Pipe the chocolate into the indentation of each cookie, filling it. Sprinkle with some of the reserved crumbs. Set the cookies aside on the wire rack to allow the filling to set (to speed things up, you can refrigerate them).