Food You Can Eat: Spiced Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Cookie Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chili pepper
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Chocolate Ganache

Ganache Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 7 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped (preferably 70 percent cacao)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and spices into a small bowl. Cream the butter, sugar, egg yolks, cream, and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.

Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch (2 teaspoons-1 tablespoon) and roll them in sugar. Arrange them 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press gently in the center of each ball to create an indentation (use your thumb, finger, or a small spoon). Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are just set, about 10 minutes. (If indentations lose definition, press centers again.) Let cool slightly on baking sheets. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and let cool.

While the cookies cool, make the ganache. Bring the cream to a boil pour it over the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let stand for 2 minutes, then mix in the butter and whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool a bit, stirring often. Spoon warm ganache into center of each cookie, giving about 15 minutes for the center to stabilize.