Thumbprint Cookies-buttery shortbread cookies rolled in sugar and filled with sweet raspberry jam! These beautiful little cookies are a classic Christmas cookie, but can be enjoyed anytime of the year.
I love creating new cookie recipes, but I also love the classics. One of our favorite cookies to make at Christmas time are Thumbprint Cookies. They are a holiday favorite and a great addition to any cookie platter.
So what are Thumbprint Cookies? If you haven’t had a jam thumbprint, you are in for a real treat! They are buttery, tender shortbread cookies with a sweet jam center. I like to use raspberry jam because it is sweet, tart, and I love the deep red color. But you can fill the thumbprints with your favorite jam!
They cookies are simple, but elegant and super delicious. You can’t go wrong with a classic!
Thumbprint cookies should be filled before baking. This gives the jam time in the oven to firm up and set a little. That way the jam won’t be spreading all over the place when you’re eating the cookies!
Even though the birthday cake that Zach made me was the dessert star of the show, I also had these thumbprint cookies out for a bite-sized treat option (because you can’t have too many desserts), and everyone loved them. Even Andi liked them, though she only ate the edges of the cookies and wouldn’t eat the jam filling because of seeds (I’d think that was ridiculous if I wasn’t exactly the same way at her age).
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
These thumbprint cookies are easy to make and the taste is incredible — they have soft, sweet interiors, sugared exteriors (though you can leave off the sugar if you’d like) and jam filled centers. Let’s get started on how to make the perfect thumbprint cookies.
As I mentioned above, I really recommend adding the jam before baking the cookies, but if you forget you can add it afterwards (you’ll need to re-indent the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven with a rounded teaspoon if you wait). As the cookies cool the jam will settle and firm up, and while it’ll remain slightly tacky even when cooled, they’re still firm enough that I stacked these thumbprint cookies on a platter to serve them over the weekend.
These classic thumbprint cookies are made with a simple sugar cookie dough, rolled in sparkling sugar, and then indented and filled with your choice of jam! These are an all-time favorite cookie recipe, and the filling options are absolutely endless!
How to Store Thumbprint Cookies
Store the cooled thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature on the counter. You don’t have to refrigerate the cookies. I don’t recommend stacking the cookies because of the jam.
These cookies will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
FAQ
How do you keep thumbprint cookies from spreading?
Why did my thumbprint cookies go flat?
What is the correct order when making cookies?
Why are my thumbprint cookies crumbling?
Do thumbprint cookies need to be refrigerated?
Make sure the cookies are 2-inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake one pan at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown. Store the cooled thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature on the counter. You don’t have to refrigerate the cookies. I don’t recommend stacking the cookies because of the jam.
How do you make perfect thumbprint cookies?
Get step by step instructions with tips on how to make PERFECT thumbprint cookies. Place the butter and salt in a large bowl or mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, or the paddle mixer on your stand mixer – cream the butter, without making it fluffy – about 1 minute.
How long do you bake a thumbprint Cookie?
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on baking sheets for several minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Step 6- Add filling. Once the cookies are cooled, fill the thumbprint indentations with lemon curd and raspberry jam. Change the filling.
Why are thumbprint cookies buttery?
They are buttery, but crumblier, because they don’t have a binding agent. They rely on butter to hold the dough together. Thumbprint cookies are made with a dough that’s identical to shortbread cookies, BUT the dough has eggs in addition. Some recipes call for whole eggs, but my recipe uses egg yolks only.