This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Beautifully delicate thumbprint cookies are quick, easy, and melt-in-your-mouth tasty! They are a best-loved classic cookie.
Thumbprint cookies look as beautiful as they taste! Butter Cookies and Almond Cookies are other favs that are just as delicious.
Why We Love Them!
Thumbprint cookies use buttery Shortbread Cookies dough to form balls, then an indention is made in the center. Many people use their thumb to form the indention which is how they get their name. The indention is then filled with jam and baked.
Sounds delicious, am I right?
Here is why we love them:
- Quick + easy. With simple ingredients, these cookies are ready in under 30 minutes!
- Change it up. I adore the raspberry filling and touch of fruitiness, but you could easily use a different flavor of jam based on preference.
- Every occasion. They are perfect for a tea party or any occasion, especially holidays like Christmas!
In Sweden, they are called a hallongrotta cookie which translates to “raspberry cave” which is another fitting name for these cookies.
Ingredients
- butter – We use unsalted butter, but salted work as well (may need to lessen the salt added later). Just make sure it’s softened butter.
- granulated sugar
- almond extract – The almond extract can be replaced with other flavors such as lemon or vanilla extract to match the filling.
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- raspberry jam – Use other flavors of jam such as strawberry or apricot, or choose to use Lemon Curd, Nutella, Chocolate Sauce, Caramel Sauce, or peanut butter.
- powdered sugar
- almond extract
- milk
How to Make Thumbprint Cookies
- PREP. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- WET INGREDIENTS. Using a stand mixer or large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy add the almond extract.
- DRY INGREDIENTS. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add it to the butter mixture and mix well.
- PRESS + FILL. Using a cookie scoop roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on an un-greased baking sheet. Use thumb to press down and make a dent in the center of each cookie dough ball. Fill each dent with raspberry preserves.
- BAKE. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until cookies are slightly colored. Allow them to cool for 1 minute on the baking pan before placing them on a rack to finish cooling.
- GLAZE. Add the confectioners’ sugar and almond extract to a small mixing bowl. Gradually mix in the milk until you reach a glaze consistency. Drizzle the cookies with the glaze.
Recipe Tips
- Chilling the dough. When the butter in the dough becomes too warm it can cause the cookies to spread and flatten. Chilling the dough can help keep this from happening.
- Indents. Your thumb is a handy tool to use, but you can also use the back of a small measuring spoon to create an indent.
- Filling cookies. Add the jam to a piping bag or a Ziploc bag and snip the corner off. Overfilling can cause the jam to boil over.
- Cracked cookies. Press gently to allow the dough time to adjust (especially if it is too cold).
- Variations. Add the glaze or leave it off. Sprinkle on some chopped pecans or walnuts before baking.
Storing Cookies
- Store cookie dough in the fridge for up to 1 day. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the dough to keep out air. If the dough is too cold to scoop, let it sit for a few minutes.
- Freeze cookie dough. Form the dough into balls and place them on a tray. Place the tray into the freezer until solid. Transfer them to a freezer Ziploc and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To bake, roll them in sugar and let them thaw enough to create a little well in the center. Fill with jam and bake.
- STORE cooled jam thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3-4 days. Place a piece of white sandwich bread in the container to help keep the cookies soft.
- FREEZE. Place the baked jelly thumbprint cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
For More Cookies:
Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Beautifully delicate thumbprint cookies are quick, easy, and melt-in-your-mouth tasty! They are a best-loved classic cookie.
Ingredients
Cookie
- 1 cup butter softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- additional white sugar
- ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½-1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2-3 teaspoons milk
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 400 ℉.
- Using a kitchen aid, or large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy add the almond extract.
- In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add it to the butter mixture and mix well.
- Using a cookie scoop roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Use thumb to press down and make a dent in the center of each dough ball. Fill each dent with jam.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes or until cookies are slightly colored. Allow them to cool for 1 minute on the baking pan before placing them on a rack to finish cooling.
Glaze
- Add the confectioners sugar and almond extract to a small mixing bowl. Gradually mix in the milk until you reach a glaze consistency.
- Drizzle the cookies with the glaze.
Notes
- STORE cooled jam thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3-4 days. Place a piece of white sandwich bread in the container to help keep the cookies soft.
- FREEZE. Place the baked jelly thumbprint cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 170kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 111mg, Potassium: 20mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 237IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!
Made these thumbprint cookies last week, they are perfect for parties! Everyone at home enjoyed them so I’ll be making more this coming Christmas.
Made these with the kids last weekend and the batch didn’t make it to Monday! They were perfectly buttery and we customized them with my homemade peach jam. Yum!
We love these cookies! I’ve made them with and without the glaze because I didn’t have the ingredients and they were both yummy!