Description
Thumbprint Cookies are buttery, shortbread-style treats with jewel-bright jam centers. The dough mixes fast, chills for clean shaping, and bakes into tender cookies with lightly crisp edges that sparkle on any holiday tray.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
⅔ cup granulated sugar, plus ⅓ cup for rolling
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup jam, such as apricot or seedless raspberry
Instructions
1. Beat butter and ⅔ cup sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until light and creamy.
2. Add vanilla extract and salt, then beat until combined.
3. Reduce to low speed and gradually add flour, scraping the bowl as needed.
4. If the dough seems crumbly, knead briefly by hand to bring it together.
5. Shape dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.
7. Place ⅓ cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.
8. Scoop 1 tablespoon dough, roll into a ball, and coat in sugar.
9. Place on baking sheet and press a thumb into each ball to form an indentation.
10. Fill each indentation with ½ teaspoon jam.
11. Bake 14 to 15 minutes until bottom edges lightly brown.
12. Cool 1 minute on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Use thicker jams to prevent spreading.
If dough spreads, chill longer before baking.
Do not overfill with jam or it may bubble over.
Dough is easier to work with when well chilled.
Optional variations include almond extract, an icing drizzle, or skipping the sugar roll for a smoother surface.
Jam ideas include raspberry, apricot, strawberry, cherry, and orange marmalade.
For even indentations, press again gently after the first press to level the center.
Storage: room temperature 3 to 5 days, fridge up to 1 week, freeze baked cookies up to 1 month, freeze unbaked dough up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Easy & Decadent Christmas Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 99
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 34mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 14mg