Egg-Free Cranberry Thumbprints

Photo: Rianne

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

8 ounces bar cream cheese

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup wheat germ, about (for coating)

1 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup seedless strawberry preserves

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, sugar, cream cheese and vanilla extract. Sift together the flour, wheat germ, baking soda and salt. Add them to the butter and sugar; mix until combined. Place some wheat germ in a small bowl. Using a cookie scoop, portion out the dough(about 1 1/2 Tablespoon) , form them into balls and then roll them in the wheat germ. Place them on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Make a small indentation in the middle (I use the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measuri ng spoon) and bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the dried cranberries and strawberry jam. Remove the cookies from the oven (you may have to redo the indentation if it flattens out) and drop about 1/2 teaspoon of cranberry/jam filling into the center. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Cool completely before serving.