Thumbprint Cookies

In my opinion, the holiday season isn’t truly complete without jammy thumbprint cookies. These Christmas cookies are not only the cutest homemade food gift for family and friends, but are the perfect sweet end to your holiday celebration. You can even turn these sweet treats into a holiday activity for the whole fam to partake in: have everyone grab their favorite jam, and get to baking! Keep reading for all of our top tips on how to perfect these festive cookies:

What People Are Saying:
“Fabulous cookies! I have been baking cookies for 50+ years, so I know a good cookie recipe when I see one! These are not only delicious, but very pretty.” - den8921

“These are a favorite at our house. My 10-year-old daughter makes them and we joke that after Thumbprints come out of the oven, fingerprints are the only thing left behind!” - OlivePalmtree

How To Make Thumbprint Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• All-Purpose Flour: Some recipes use almond flour, but I prefer to use all-purpose flour. Make sure you’re measuring correctly to avoid your dough becoming dry.
• Butter: Make sure your butter is softened before attempting to incorporate it with your sugar.
• Granulated Sugar: No brown sugar needed here—all you need is granulated sugar to add the perfect amount of sweetness to these cookies.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: A little bit of pure vanilla extract will round out these cookies, and add a subtly sweet, floral flavor.
• Assorted Jams: You can use any jam your heart desires! Our favorites are raspberry (always a crowd-pleaser) and apricot, but strawberry jam, blackberry jam, blueberry jam, and orange marmalade all work.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

After preheating the oven to 350º, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Then grab a large bowl, and whisk together the dry ingredients: your flour, baking powder, and salt. Grab another large bowl, and beat the softened butter and sugar until it’s pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, until incorporated.

Once combined, add the dry ingredients in two batches—don’t be tempted to throw it in all at once! Then beat until fully incorporated.

Grab a small cookie scoop, then scoop around 1” balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Here comes the fun part (and where these cookies get their name). Use your thumb to press into the center of each cookie dough ball, making a dent around ½” deep. Be careful not to press all the way down to the tray!

Grab your desired jam (use multiple if you want to shake things up!), then use a small spoon to add the jam into the thumbprint. Bake the cookies until the edges are golden, this should take around 13 to 14 minutes. Once done, let the cookies cool on the baking sheets before serving.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How do I keep my thumbprints from cracking? This dough is firm, almost like a shortbread, so to make sure it doesn't crack, roll it into balls until smooth and firm, and then gently press your thumb in the center to make sure it doesn't crack. The key word here is: gently (very, very gently).
• How do I stop my thumbprints from spreading? To avoid any spreading, make sure you're accurately measuring your ingredients. Too much butter—or not enough flour—will cause your cookies to spread too much in the oven, messing up their adorable, dainty shape.
  

Make Ahead

You can make the dough ahead of time, and refrigerate it before or after forming your thumbprints. Just make sure you cover it tightly so the dough doesn't dry out—dry dough leads to cracking.

Storage & Freezing

These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to one month. Thaw out at room temperature when ready to enjoy.

If you want to freeze the dough, go ahead and scoop out the dough and make the thumb imprint in it beforehand. Wrap them up tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, fill the centers with your preferred jam and bake from frozen. The cookies will likely need a few extra minutes when baking from frozen.