Macadamia-Cheesecake-Thumbprints

As you might know by now, I love any kind of cheesecake! Some time ago I came across a recipe for Cheesecake Thumbprints by the fantastic Martha Stewart - a total revelation! I slightly changed the original recipe and added macadamias for a little extra crunch.

This recipe yields about 40 cookies.

For the cookie base you will need:

• 225g(8 oz.) butter
• 200g (7 oz.) all-purpose flour
• 50g (2 oz.) ground macadamias
• 50g (2 oz.) sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1egg yolk

For the cheesecake filling you will need: 

• 125g (4.5 oz.) cream cheese
• 50g (2 oz.) sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C / 320 F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
For the cookie base, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead until an elastic and smooth dough has formed. Refridgerate for about 30 minutes. 


2. For the cheesecake filling, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined and smooth.
Shape tablespoons of dough into balls and place them onto the baking sheets. Using your thumb, make an intendation into the centre of each ball. Bake for about 10 minutes at 160°C / 320 F.
While the cookies are still hot you might want to reshape the indentation, using the handle of a thick wooden spoon. Then fill the centre of each cookie with about 1 teaspoon of the cheesecake filling. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes. Let them cool completely.