Thumbprint Cookie Recipe
My go-to thumbprint cookie recipe that’s buttery, jam-filled, and utterly irresistible. These cookies look elegant, taste nostalgic, and come together with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- For the filling:
- ½ cup jam or preserves raspberry, strawberry, apricot jam, or your favorite
- Optional garnish:
- Powdered sugar for dusting after baking
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Add wet ingredients. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients. Slowly stir in the all-purpose flour and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
- Shape the cookies. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet.
- Press the indent. Use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
- Fill with jam. Spoon about ½ teaspoon of jam into each indent. Don’t overfill or it may bubble over while baking.
- Bake. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until cookies are lightly golden brown around the edges.
- Cool. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Enjoy! Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
- Chill the dough for 20 minutes if your kitchen is warm to prevent spreading.
- Don’t overfill with jam—less is more to avoid bubbling.
- For a festive twist, use red raspberry jam and green pistachios.
- Cookies can be frozen before baking (without jam) for up to 3 months.
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate for extra flair.