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1
Preheat oven to 350u00b0F.
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2
Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer until butter is pale in color, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla, mix until everything is well incorporated.
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3
Sift cocoa powder and flour before measuring. Use a knife to make level measurements of both, and add each to a medium-sized bowl. Add salt and whisk all the ingredients together. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until everything is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl.
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4
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on baking sheet and use your finger to make a depression in the cookie. Don't depress so much that you end up touching the baking sheet.
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5
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and depress the cookies again. Sometimes in the cooking process, the thumbprint will raise a bit. Immediately remove to a wire rack to cool.
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6
Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until you see bubbles forming around the edges of the pot. Do not let the cream come to a boil. Add chocolate chips to a small bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips, and let sit for 1 minute. Using a whisk, mix the cream and chocolate chips together until smooth.
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7
Place one dried bing cherry in each of the depressions of the thumbprint cookies. Top with 1 teaspoon ganache, so that the cherry is completely covered and the ganache touches the actual cookie. You want to cover the cherry completely and have it secure in the cookie, so it remains a surprise for the recipient!
