Description
They’re like tiny fudge brownies dressed up for the holidays—soft, gooey, and filled with luscious ganache. These Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect mix of festive flair and chocolatey indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- ½ cup (42g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated white sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or pure extract)
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Optional: Holiday sprinkles or flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter with both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Mix in egg yolks and vanilla bean paste until just combined.
- Gradually add dry mixture to wet ingredients. Beat on low until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop dough, roll into balls, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a ¼ teaspoon to press an indent in each cookie. Chill in fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake cookies for 9–11 minutes. Gently press centers again after baking if needed. Let cool on a rack.
- Microwave heavy cream until steaming. Pour over chocolate chips, let sit 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Spoon ganache into cookie centers. Add sprinkles or sea salt if desired. Let set at room temperature or chill briefly.
Notes
Chilling the dough is key to holding shape and flavor. Freeze unfilled cookies for up to 2 weeks, then fill when ready to serve.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: chocolate thumbprint cookies, holiday baking, ganache cookies, easy chocolate dessert