Thumbprint Cookies with Jam Recipe

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You have to try this melt-in-your-mouth thumbprint cookies with jam recipe. These delicious cookies are the perfect treat to enjoy with a cup of tea or share with your friends and family over the holidays. Like these? Try our classic shortbread cookies too!

Thumbprint cookies with jam scattered on a wooden table.

My favorite time to make these thumbprint cookies is during the Christmas holidays. I love making trays of cookies to share at my Christmas gatherings, and these always have a spot on them! These are my boyfriend's favourite cookies that I make, and he always asks me if I can make another batch cause the first always goes quickly!

This cookie recipe is made with basic pantry staple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, so it should be easy to make this one! All the recipes you'll find on Cup of Flour are made with basic ingredients to help you make recipes with ingredients that are convenient for you to get! Find out more about how Cup of Flour can help you make recipes with ease on the About page!

Reasons you'll love this recipe

EASY: These cookies are simple to make with easy-to-follow steps!
FESTIVE: These cookies are popular around the holiday season and can also be enjoyed any day on their own or with a cup of tea.
DELICIOUS: These cookies will melt in your mouth, and you won’t get enough of that velvety rich raspberry jam filling!

Ingredients

BUTTER: Unsalted or salted butter will do. Feel free to omit the extra salt if you are using salted butter. Use 1 cup of softened butter.
SUGAR: To sweeten these cookies, use a ¼ cup of brown sugar, ½ cup of granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon of powdered/confectioners sugar to help give these cookies a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Reserve a little extra granulated sugar for rolling the cookies and sprinkling the tops of the cookies.
EGG: 1 egg is needed and will help structure the cookies.
VANILLA EXTRACT: For some vanilla flavour that will pair perfectly with the jam filling, use 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. This amount of vanilla extract will also help moisten the cookie dough batter to the right consistency for rolling the cookies into individual balls for baking.
SALT: Just a dash to elevate the delicious flavour of these cookies. You need ¼ teaspoon.
FLOUR: This recipe uses all-purpose flour. You will need 2 and ½ cups.
BAKING SODA: To help the cookies rise, use ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
JAM: Use ½ cup of your favourite jam! Traditionally thumbprint cookies are made with raspberry jam, but any kind will taste just as good! Use a jam that’s seedless, or learn how to strain the seeds yourself.

Equipment

BAKING SHEET: You will need at least 1 baking sheet for baking the cookies. It will be even more helpful if you have 2 to pop two in at a time.
MIXER: For combining the ingredients/cookie dough use an electric mixer.
SIEVE: If you need to remove the jam seeds yourself.
SMALL BOWL: For rolling the cookies in sugar before placing them on the baking sheet.
MIXING BOWLS: You will need just 1 medium-sized mixing bowl for combining the ingredients.
MEASURING SPOONS AND CUPS: For measuring the ingredients.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F or 177° C.
Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
Add about 3 tablespoons worth of granulated sugar to a small bowl, and set aside.
Add the butter, granulated, and brown sugar in a medium or large bowl. Mix until combined and the texture is light and fluffy.
Mix in the powdered sugar.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate medium-sized bowl. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. The texture should be crumbly.
With your hands, roughly form the cooking dough into a ball and place it in the fridge, covered for 30-40 minutes.
Use a tablespoon to size your dough, and roll it into a ball. Don’t make the balls larger than a tablespoon. They will look small, but they will grow when they bake.
Roll the ball in granulated sugar.
Press down on the cookies with your thumb or the back of the tablespoon to create a hole for the jam. Fill the hole with jam.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe tips

Roll the cookie dough into 1 tablespoon ball size. This is the perfect size for the cookie. They may seem small, but they grow when they bake! 1 tablespoon makes these cookies have the perfect ratio of cookie to jam.
Use seedless jam or deseed your jam. I think it's safe to say the majority of people don’t prefer seeds, so use a seedless jam or deseed your jam using a sieve.
Don’t skip refrigerating the dough. This is tempting, however, refrain from skipping this step or else the dough will be too wet and sticky to roll the dough into balls properly. The dough needs to be firm enough so that you can create the
Don’t overbake the cookies. Check on the cookies a couple of of times before the bake time finishes, and if you see any browning pull the cookies out! A little browning is OK, but you want to avoid it as much as possible to have the classic pale shortbread cookie look.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my thumbprint cookies spread/Why are my thumbprint cookies flat??

This could happen for a couple of reasons. Too much butter was added, the butter is too soft/melted, or you don’t refrigerate the batter before baking the cookies.

Why do my thumbprint cookies crack?

This will happen if you don’t roll the dough into a smooth ball. Refrigerating will help make the dough ball smooth when rolling.

How to store jam thumbprint cookies?

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week or stored in the fridge for 2 weeks.

How to freeze thumbprint cookies?

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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