Thumbprint Cookie Recipe
This thumbprint cookie recipe produces buttery, tender cookies with a lightly golden edge and a sweet raspberry jam centre. The cookies are formed by pressing a small well into the dough prior to baking to create the space for the fruit filling.
It’s a very simple recipe using only ingredients you’ll find in your average pantry and is an excellent cookie to include on a holiday cookie tray, as an afternoon treat, or just as a simple everyday dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Buttery and tender: the buttery dough produces a very light, slightly crumbly texture.
- Simple ingredients: you only need a handful of normal baking ingredients.
- Customizable filling: raspberry jam can be substituted with strawberry, apricot, or indeed any other fruit preserve you like.
- Great for sharing: the brightly colored jam centers make these ideal for parties, holidays, and as a homemade gift.
What Is This Recipe
Thumbprint cookies are small round cookies with a depression in the center (traditionally made by pressing a thumb into the dough). The basic recipe is pretty much butter, flour, sugar, and vanilla, and then you fill them with jam or preserves.
The finished cookies are tender and buttery with a sweet fruit center. Different recipes will use different fillings and different shaping techniques, so they’re very easy to adapt.
How to Serve Thumbprint Cookie Recipe
Here are some easy ways to enjoy homemade thumbprint cookies:
- With coffee: to serve with freshly brewed coffee for an afternoon.
- With tea: pair with black tea or herbal tea.
- With milk: enjoy with a cold glass of milk.
- On a dessert platter: arrange with other homemade cookies and small desserts.
- With ice cream: one or two cookies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a very simple dessert.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – 2¼ cups (270 g)
- Unsalted Butter – 1 cup (227 g)
- Granulated Sugar – ⅔ cup (133 g)
- Egg Yolk – 1 large
- Vanilla Extract – 1 teaspoon
- Fine Salt – ¼ teaspoon
- Raspberry Jam – ⅓ cup (about 110 g)
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: use softened butter, not melted butter. It should be soft but still hold its shape.
- Flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar gives the cookies a good level of sweetness.
- Egg yolk: helps to bind the dough and contributes to a tender texture.
- Vanilla extract: gives it that warm, familiar cookie flavor.
- Raspberry jam: seedless raspberry jam gives a smooth center; regular raspberry preserves will also work.
Execution
1
Prepare the Cookie Dough: Cream the softened butter and the granulated sugar together. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and then gradually fold in the flour and salt.
2
Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes. The cold will firm up the butter and make the dough a lot easier to work with.
3
Shape the Cookies: Take the cold dough and roll it into small balls. Place them on your prepared baking sheets and gently press a well into the center of each.
4
Add the raspberry. Filling: Spoon a small amount of jam into each well. Don’t overdo it, as the filling will spill over during baking.
5
Bake Until Lightly Golden: Bake at 350°F until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. Cool the cookies before transferring them to a plate.
Additional tips
- Use Properly Softened Butter: But butter that’s too warm or has melted will make the dough greasy, and the cookies will spread out enormously.
- Avoid Overmixing: Once you’ve added the flour, just mix until the ingredients come together. Overmixing the dough will result in less tender cookies.
- Prevent Cracks: If the dough does crack as you’re making the indentations, then just gently smooth the edges with your fingers before adding the jam.
- Don’t Overfill the Centers: Approx. 1/2 tsp of jam per cookie is a good starting point. Too much filling and it’ll bubble over the edges.
- Store Properly: Allow the cookies to cool completely before putting them into an airtight container. For the best texture, consume the jam-filled cookies within 1–2 days at room temperature. Fully cooled cookies can be frozen if you want to store them for longer.
Food safety: never taste uncooked cookie dough. Raw flour and eggs can carry harmful bacteria. Wash your hands, utensils, and work surfaces after handling raw dough.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 Cookie (1 of 30)
|
Nutrient |
Amount per Serving |
|---|---|
|
Calories |
117 kcal |
|
Total Fat |
6.4 g |
|
Saturated Fat |
3.9 g |
|
Cholesterol |
23 mg |
|
Sodium |
22 mg |
|
Total Carbohydrates |
14 g |
|
Dietary Fiber |
0.3 g |
|
Total Sugars |
6 g |
|
Protein |
1.1 g |
Nutrition information is an estimate based on the recipe ingredients and serving size. Actual values may vary depending on ingredient brands and measurements. Added sugars are not separately calculated.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the all-purpose flour and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar: beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until creamy and smooth (about 2 minutes).
- Add the wet ingredients: mix in the egg yolk and the vanilla extract until well combined.
- Make and chill the dough: gradually incorporate the flour until the dough is soft. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- Shape and fill the cookies: roll the dough into about 30 small balls, place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, and press a small well into each cookie before filling it with about 1/2 tsp of raspberry jam.
- Bake and cool: bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies are set. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Common Mistakes to thumbprint cookie recipe
Avoid these common mistakes if you want your raspberry thumbprint cookies to be tender, buttery, and beautiful.
Using melted butter: melted butter will make the dough too soft, and the cookies will spread out too much. You always want to use softened butter (butter that’s softened but still holds its shape).
Skip the chilling time: warm dough is difficult to work and will spread during baking. Chill the dough for about 30 minutes prior to shaping.
Pressing too hard: pressing too deeply can crack or break the cookie dough. Gently press down with your thumb or finger to make an indentation in the center of each dough ball.
Adding too much jam: overfilling the centers can cause the raspberry jam to bubble over in the baking. Use about 1/2 tsp of jam per cookie.
Overbaking the cookies: thumbprint cookies can end up quite dry if you bake them too long. Take them out when the edges are just lightly golden and the centers are set.
Common FAQs
Why do my thumbprint cookies crack?
Small cracks can occur when working with chilled cookie dough, so gently smooth the edges with your fingers before adding the jam. Don’t press down too hard when making the impression.
Can I use a different type of jam?
Yes, you can use strawberry, apricot, blueberry, or cherry jam in lieu of the raspberry jam. It should be a fairly thick jam or preserve that will hold its shape when baking.
Do I need to refrigerate the thumbprint cookie dough?
Yes. Chilling the dough for about 30 minutes will firm up the butter, which makes it much easier to roll and shape. It also helps to minimize the spreading.
How do I know when thumbprint cookies are done?
The cookies are ready when the edges are a light golden color and the centers are set. They’ll still be a bit soft when you take them out of the oven but will firm up as they cool.
How should I store raspberry thumbprint cookies?
Allow the cookies to cool right down before putting them into a proper airtight container. Best enjoyed at room temperature for about 1-2 days, though they can be frozen if you want to store them for longer.
Conclusion
These are simple homemade raspberry thumbprint cookie recipe with a buttery cookie base and a sweet fruity jam in the center. It’s a very straightforward recipe requiring only a few basic ingredients and a couple of simple steps to produce a very good batch of cookies. They’re great with a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, or a glass of milk. Try different jam flavors to see which one you prefer.
