thumbprint cookies

March 13, 2024 by Lindsey Farr Jump To Recipe

These soft, tender thumbprint cookies are flavored with vanilla extract, rolled in granulated sugar and then filled with a variety of jams! These easy cookies come together with just 5 ingredients in under 30 minutes and stay fresh for up to 10 days at room temperature!

thumbprint cookies on pink surface and cooling rack.

These easy classic thumbprint cookies are soft, moist and slightly crumbly. The jam keeps them moist for over a week at room temperature, which makes these the perfect make-ahead cookies for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or Christmas!

These thumbprints join the ranks of these Neapolitan thumbprint cookies and chocolate thumbprints. You could make all three for a fun (and easy) dessert table or you could lean into a festive spirit and make these alongside chocolate linzer cookies, red velvet crinkle cookies, and chocolate orange shortbread cookies.

Why You Will Love these Thumbprint Cookies
Professional Tips for Making Thumbprints
Ingredients Needed
Possible Variations
How to Make this Thumbprint Cookie Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Go

Why You Will Love these Thumbprint Cookies

Subtle sweetness. The cookie dough has the perfect amount of sugar for a lightly sweetened cookie. This way you can roll them in sugar before baking and have a nice jam in the center without making an overly sweet cookie.
Quick & easy cookies. The dough uses pantry staples and in under 30 minutes you will have cookies cooling on your counter!
The perfect make-ahead cookie. The jam keeps these two-bite cookies moist for 10 days at room temperature. The flavor actually improves overnight and they will be just as delicious on day 10 as they were on day 2.

Professional Tips for Making Thumbprints

Don’t use your thumb for the most perfect cookies! I use my forefinger to make the indentation in these cookies, but you can also use the back of a round teaspoon measuring spoon or tart-tamper for perfectly round centers.
Mix the dough just until it comes together. There is minimal moisture in these cookies but they can still develop gluten and become tough. Mix just until a smooth dough forms.
Bake immediately after mixing. Chilling the dough will cause it to crack and it will not spread in the oven.
Choose a nice flavor pairing. Get creative with your cookies! Follow my instructions before for mixing up the flavor of the dough and then pick a complimentary jam like almond thumbprints and seedless raspberry jam, or orange cookies with apricot jam.

Ingredients Needed

Unsalted Butter: The cookie dough will come together easier if the butter is softened. Unlike with chewy cookies like chewy sugar cookies, room temperature or very soft and pliable is ideal.
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is very finely ground and will mix into the cookie dough better than granulated sugar. This also makes it sweeter by the ounce than granulated sugar.
All-purpose Flour
Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: I prefer Dutch-processed cocoa powder for its flavor in this recipe, but any quality cocoa powder will be good.
Kosher salt: Kosher salt is essential in these cookies. It heightens the chocolate flavor, tames the sweetness and gives the cookies depth.
Vanilla Extract: Vanil l a extract enhances the chocolate flavor just like in devil’s food cake, and it also adds just enough moisture to the dough!
Granulated sugar: This is just for rolling the cookie dough in before baking. It adds a nice crunch and just a touch extra sweetness.
Jam: I used a variety of flavors but strawberry, apricot and raspberry jam were my favorite. Also be sure that you use a nice thick jam. If they are too thick to spoon into the center, stir vigorously, which will loosen them just enough. If you are set on homemade, try this mixed berry jam!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Possible Variations

Make them in the shape of a heart. Press them into a small heart-shaped cookie cutter for a perfect heart or mold the dough into the shape of a heart by joining two small balls of dough. A way easier alternative to these chocolate sugar cookies or Valentine’s Day cookies!
Flavor the dough: Add a different extract like peppermint, lemon, orange, or almond extract for a different flavoring. You could also zest an orange or lemon into the dry ingredients for a subtle citrus flavor. For chocolate, try these chocolate thumbprint cookies instead!
Try a different filling: Bake these cookies without a filling and then, once completely cool, fill with salted caramel sauce, lemon curd, or a chocolate ganache.

thumbprints on pink surface with bowl of jam.

Use these instructions to make thumbprints with jam! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Make & bake the cookies:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F conventional (no fan) and line one baking sheet with parchment paper. I do not recommend using the convection setting for these cookies.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter and all the dry ingredients. (Butter, powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and vanilla extract.) Mix on medium-low speed until a smooth dough forms.

This will feel like it takes forever, so long that you might find yourself wondering if it *will* come together, but it will. Patience!

Step 3: Pinch off pieces of dough about an inch across. Roll into a ball and then roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar. You will have approximately 15 cookies.

Step 4: Place on parchment lined baking sheet about an inch apart, offset slightly. Press your thumb or forefinger into the center of each cookie gently, making an indentation. It should go about halfway into the cookie. Press any cracks that form back together or the jam will run out through the cracks!

For perfectly round center use the back of a round teaspoon measuring spoon.

Step 5: Pipe or spoon jam into the center of each cookie before baking. It will be about ½ teaspoon each, but it depends on your thumbprint!

Chose a thicker jam for the filling and do not use a low or no-sugar jam. I tried and it was a disaster. They just liquified and ran right out of my cookies!

Step 5: Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the surface looks matte and no longer glossy. I rotated my trays after 6 minutes.

pressing finger into thumbprint to make indentations.

filling thumbprints with jam before baking.

Step 6: Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store thumbprint cookies?

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days or frozen for up to 3 months. They taste best when eaten within 5 days, but those filled with jam will stay soft & moist for 10 days! There is no need to refrigerate thumbprint cookies and they will have the best texture when stored at room temperature.

How do you freeze thumbprints?

You can freeze baked thumbprint cookies for up to 3 months. I would not recommend freezing the dough because it will crack and not spread nicely when baked.

Why are my thumbprint cookies cracking when I put in my thumbprint?

Thumbprints crack if the dough is too cold or pressed to aggressively. I recommend using your index finger and pressing firmly but make the indent slowly. I know they are called “thumbprints” but most people’s thumbs are actually too big for this task and will crack the dough! If the dough does crack, just form it back into a round shape around the fingerprint. No big deal!

Why are my thumbprint cookies falling apart?

It is important that you don’t chill this dough. The butter solidifies and it will make the dough crack and fall apart when shaped and pressed with your thumb. Shape and bake immediately after mixing, or if you accidentally chilled the dough, allow it to warm up to room temperature before continuing.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!