How to make Shrewsbury Cookies from Scratch / Eggfree recipe

Shrewsbury Thumbprint Cookies / How to make Shrewsbury Cookies from Scratch / Eggfree recipe 

    These cookies are basically English Tea Cookies that have a fruity flavour. These are buttery and absolutely delicious. As it has been festival season, I had a lot of sweet lime in my refrigerator. Was glad that I could use some of it here.

Ingredients:

• 200 gms All purpose Flour 
• 100 gms Powdered Sugar
• 100 gms Butter
• 1 tablespoon milk powder
• 3 Tablespoon Sweet lime juice ( adjust)
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• A pinch of Salt
• 2 tablespoons of Strawberry Jam (OR any jam of  your choice) for the thumbprint 

Method:

1. Extract juice from Sweet lime . Keep it aside.

2. In a bowl, add butter and beat it with a hand whisk  so that it becomes light and creamy. You can also use a electric beater if you have one. Add powdered sugar and whisk/beat again .I did this manually. It will look like this. 

3. Mix the flour,baking powder, baking soda,milk powder and salt with a fork so that it mixes uniformly. Add this flour mixture to the butter mixture and using your hand, incorporate the buttery sugar mixture into the flour. You will get a crumbly sand like texture.

4.Add the sweet lime juice and make a smooth,soft,medium stiff dough.

5. Divide the dough into smaller portions. In your worktable, roll out the dough into large circle with a thickness of  atleast 1 cm.  

6. Cut  them in desired shapes using cookie cutters or bottle caps. Line a baking tray with butter paper. Place them at a gap of 1/2 inch. Using your thumb, give a light impression on each cookie. 

7. Using a spoon, carefully add jam on the impression. In a preheated oven, bake the cookies at 180 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes depending upon your oven or till the time the sides and the back of the cookies turn brown. . I baked them in the middle rack.

8. Take them out of the oven and after 5 minutes, they will be manageable to touch.

9. Remove them from the tray and cool them in a cooling rack. They will firm up and become crispier.

Your Shrewsbury Thumbprint cookies are ready for tea time! Enjoy them in style!

Tips :

1. Adding milk powder is optional. 

2.You can add your choice of juice and jam. 

3.You can use Whole Wheat Flour ( I have used WWF) instead of APF or 50:50 APF:WWF, for healthier option.

4.After 8 minutes of baking, have a look at the cookies and decide on the additional time. 

5. Have a watchful eye while baking.

6. Make a smooth dough without cracks.

7.Do not press too much while making thumb impression, else the cookies will crack.

8.Do not add too much jam .

                                                                                                                                      EnjoyFood!