A crisp meringue sailboat on a cloudberry jam lake surrounded by luscious cookie shore. # 304: Meringue Jam Thumbprint Cookies

I got some cloudberry jam at a farmer’s market on our recent trip to Norway and wanted it to be the star of a bake. I went back and forth about making eclairs with some sort of white chocolate topping and a curd or jam/whipped cream filling, but ended up settling on a classic cookie instead.

I grew up in a household that called jam thumbprint cookies by another name: “Jelly Snow Tops without the Snow Tops.” Why use two descriptive words to name something when you could use seven vague words instead? I know my mom has made these with their little meringue hats, but I mostly remember her making them with just the jam.

Jam thumbprints are inspired by the Swedish cookie called a hallongrotta, so it felt like an appropriate vehicle for a local Norwegian jam. I’m not sure when the meringue topping came into the picture, but this particular recipe comes from a woman named Leila Henderson and was published in the St Stephens Women’s Society Cookbook in 1969. Non-cookie-related fun fact: Leila’s husband Doug was the pastor at St Stephens United Methodist Church who later married my parents in 1984!

It’s one of those pleasing recipes that calls for an equal amount of egg yolks and egg whites, so you’re not left with an awkward amount of either in the fridge. Slight changes I made: no finely chopped nuts, and I piped the meringue instead of trying to dollop it on top.

Also, I’m going to put vanilla in the meringue next time! You surprisingly don’t miss it much, since the cookie has so much flavor and the meringue is more of a texture element… but still.

How cute is this little jar of jam?? The phrase on the side translates to “a taste of midnight sun.” The berry looks more like a raspberry but it’s a bright sunshine orange and the flavor reminds me more of an apricot. I have about half a jar left, and it has a future date with a cheeseboard.

Brown sugar and butter? Yes please.

I finished mixing it by hand so it didn’t get overworked. Shortbread is lazy but we love him anyway.

Eagerly awaiting their jam.

She cute.

If I plug my hand mixer into the farthest righthand plug on my counter I can peek around the edge of the wall and see the tv. Another point for the pros column in the great do-you-or-do-you-not-watch-with-subtitles debate!

Such a dapper hat.

Cooking them for 30 minutes in a 300F oven leaves you with a perfectly crispy topping and golden cookie bottom.

A thicker jam would stay put, but the more liquid-y cloudberry jam wanted to escape.

Sugar stained glass.

Happy munching!