Boozy fudge thumbprint cookies are the perfect way to celebrate love

I resisted the whole “put black beans in your baked goods to make them healthier” movement for as long as I could. Really, I refused for years before giving in a few months ago.

After an overzealous wholesale purchase of a case of black beans, I decided I had enough on hand to finally give this thing a shot. And you know what? It’s actually not bad. Heck, I’d say they’re pretty good!

They’re also pretty much perfect for Valentine’s Day, with their fudgy cookie texture and red strawberry filling. The fact that they have a little hint of booze and a whole lot of healthy going on in them doesn’t hurt either. Say “I love you” with some cookies this year.

Fudge thumbprints with strawberry-amaretto jam recipe

These fudgy cookies with a secret healthy ingredient have a boozy strawberry center and are the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Yields 12-14

Prep time: 10 minutes | Inactive time: 10 minutes | Bake time: 12 minutes | Total time: 32 minutes

Ingredients:

For the cookies

• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons Nutella
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine the beans, coconut oil, Nutella and vanilla extract. Process until smooth.
2. Add the remaining cookie ingredients to the food processor, and process again until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Transfer the mixture to freezer-safe bowl (it will be the consistency of brownie batter), and pop it into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to help firm up.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
5. In a small saucepot, combine the strawberries, honey and amaretto. Bring to a simmer, and let cook down, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are broken down.
6. In a small bowl, mix together the water and cornstarch, add it to the saucepot, and stir until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat, and set aside.
7. Roll a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough into a ball, and place it on the baking sheet. Gently press down in the middle with your thumb to create a well. Repeat until you use up all the cookie dough.
8. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then remove them from oven, and press the middles down again with either your thumb or a spoon, as the cookies will be hot enough to reinforce the well.
9. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack, and let them cool completely.
10. Once cooled, fill the cookie centers with the strawberry mixture.

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