Grinch Thumbprint Cookies

Recipe made, written & photographed by the creators of the Point

If you love pistachio fluff, and icing, and sprinkles, and cookies, you will love this recipe.

It's not too complicated, and the outcome is an adorable, green cookie with crunch and flavor that you thought you could only find in your Pistachio Fluff!

PLEASE make these for your Christmas cookie exchange - they'll be the talk of the table since they're not your traditional recipe.

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Grinch Thumbprint Cookies

makes 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, at room temp*

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

• 2 cups flour

• 1 - 3.4oz package of instant pistachio pudding mix

• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

• 1 to 2 cups pecans chopped

Icing:

• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

• Sprinkles to top

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Begin by beating your 1 cup butter with your 1/3 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.

3. Once combined, add in your egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until evenly combined.

4. Top with your 1 cup flour and half of your pistachio pudding mix. Beat, and then add the remaining 1 cup flour and pistachio pudding mix. Beat again until evenly incorporated.

5. Sprinkle in your mini chocolate chips and mix with a spatula.

6. Form dough into 1-inch balls and roll in your chopped pecans. Place on your prepared cookie sheet.

7. Use a 1/2 teaspoon to make indents in the middle of each cookie (this will hold the icing).

8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they begin to brown on the bottom.

9. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Icing:

1. For the icing, beat together your 2 tablespoons butter and sifted 1 cup powdered sugar.

2. Once fluffy, add in your 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Slowly add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.**

3. Pour a spoonful of the icing into each cookie's thumbprint.

4. Top with sprinkles of your choice. Let the icing set for at least 1 hour (4 hours before stacking).

5. Keep stored in an air tight container!

Notes:

* I've been using margarine as a butter substitute. My mom always had this instead of sticks of butter (Tyler says his mom did too!). It's a great budget friendly alternative, especially as prices continue to go up!

** If your icing continues to have little clumps in it, microwave it for a few seconds (maybe 10 second increments) to dissolve the sugar. Mix in between microwaving to make sure it doesn't stay in too long!