Thumbprint Cookies are made from a simple spritz dough, rolled into balls, partially baked, filled with jam, and finished in the oven. They are delicious little cookie bites and so pretty for your holiday cookie plates. I like to fill trays with these thumbprint cookies and my Italian Anisette Cookies.
Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
This thumbprint cookie recipe is probably one of the easiest cookies I’ve ever made. I’ve been making these thumbprint cookies, same recipe, no changes except the fillings, every Christmas for over 25 years.
Ingredients you will need:
- Dry ingredients: all-purpose flour
- Wet ingredients: unsalted butter, granulated sugar, egg yolk, orange juice
- Filling: jams, curds, and/or preserves
Helpful baking tools:
- Stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cookie scoop
- Insulated baking sheets
- Silicone baking mat
- Wire cooling racks
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Baking Tips:
- I’ve made these thumbprint cookies with margarine and with butter and they come out great either way. Unsalted butter is my preference.
- If you have a mixing spoon with a round flat end that will work great for making the indentations.
- Calorie count does not include jam filling.
- Use your thumb or pointing finger to gently press the center of the cookie, forming an indent. Pressing the cookie will cause it to lean to one side. After creating all the indents, I turn the cookie sheet around and repress each indent from the other side. This makes then stand back upright.
- I like to use several different flavors of jam or preserves. My favorites are filled with lemon curd, but seedless blackberry preserves run a very close second.
How to Make Thumbprint Cookies
We aren’t going to preheat the oven right away because the cookie dough should be refrigerated for about an hour before baking. You can go ahead and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper to get ready.
These are very small cookies. We use a teaspoon to scoop out the dough which should yield roughly 145 cookies. You can make them bigger by using a tablespoon which will yield about 45 cookies.
- Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg yolk, then slowly add the orange juice.
- Slowly add in the flour until combined.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Measure out dough in level teaspoons to ensure uniform sizing. Roll balls in your hands to smooth, place on cookie sheet.
- Use your thumb or pointing finger to gently press the center of the cookie, forming an indent. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, fill indents with preserves, lemon or lime curd, marmalade, or even apple butter. Return to oven and bake 5-6 minutes more, do not let them get brown.
- Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
I’m sure I could have altered the recipe, added vanilla or almond extract, experimented with spice additions, maybe nuts or almond flour… but why? They are wonderful just how they are. I wouldn’t change a thing. They are firm but soft and totally delicious.
More Cookie Recipes
- Butter Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Spiral Cookies
- Orange Crinkle Cookies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Cornflake Christmas Wreaths
- Neapolitan Cookies
- Cherry Pie Cookies
- Cherry Wink Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Thumbprint Cookies
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups unsalted butter softened (not melted)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 large egg yolk
- Preserves flavors of your choice
Things You'll Need
Before You Begin
- These cookies are SMALL - hence using a TEASPOON to make the dough ball. You can make them bigger by using a tablespoon or regular sized cookie scoop and you will get about 45 cookies.
- I’ve made these thumbprint cookies with margarine and with butter and they come out great either way. Unsalted butter is my preference.
- If you have a mixing spoon with a round flat end that will work great for making the indentations.
- Calorie count does not include jam filling.
- Use your thumb or pointing finger to gently press the center of the cookie, forming an indent. Pressing the cookie will cause it to lean to one side. After creating all the indents, I turn the cookie sheet around and repress each indent from the other side. This makes then stand back upright.
- I like to use several different flavors of jam or preserves. My favorites are filled with lemon curd, but seedless blackberry preserves runs a very close second.
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg yolk, then slowly add the orange juice.
- Slowly add in the flour until combined.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Measure out dough in level teaspoons to ensure uniform sizing. Roll balls in your hands to smooth, place on cookie sheet.
- Use your thumb or pointing finger to gently press the center of the cookie, forming an indent. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, fill indents with preserves, lemon or lime curd, marmalade, or even apple butter. Return to oven and bake 5-6 minutes more, do not let them get brown.
- Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
Nutrition
This post originally appeared here on Dec 7, 2010.
Amanda Davis
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Sharon says
I found the dough too crumbly to roll into balls and ended up adding another 1/2 cup of butter to make it workable and I had followed the recipe to a t .
Amanda Formaro says
I literally made these yesterday and had no problems at all. Ive been making them for over 20 years. It sounds like you did not use the scoop and sweep method to measure your flour. That’s very important in baking.
Lynn says
I’ve made thumb print cookies from my moms recipe but I love the hint of orange juice in this one. I have to share that I have a Scottish spurtle (I can’t add a pic so you’ll have to look it up) but normally I just use it as a muddler when making cocktails. It is PERFECT for making the thumbprints!! The small end is perfect for the little cookies and the bigger end is perfect for the bigger cookies!!! If you happen to have one give it a try!! Also, I found the cooking time to be way too long.
Bonnie says
I made 1/2 the recipe to try since I never made one with orange juice! I used a small cookie scoop. I found out by my error that baking the cookie first then making the indentation with the round end of a wooden spoon worked beautifully. I then filled with seedless raspberry jam & baked the remaining time. Very tasty & much easier than doing a linzer cutout cookie!
Julia says
If your set of measuring spoons are round, they make great tools for the indentations!
Sandy says
They look wonderful I am so going to try these
Thank you for sharing
Cheryl says
Can you freeze these? This recipe sounds delicious!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Cheryl! Yes these will freeze just fine :)
Dorothy Joan Rideout says
Could I use Newfoundland syrup instead of orange juice
Amanda Formaro says
I have never used Newfoundland syrup, but don’t believe it’s.a good substitute for the orange juice.
Coleen says
Have you ever tried it with something other than orange juice? I usually have lemon juice, but seldom orange juice.
Julie Conley says
Can I leave out the yoke?
Amanda Formaro says
The egg yolk is a binder. I have NOT tested this, so proceed at your own risk. But here’s some info on substituting egg yolk in baking. Again, I have not tried this with this recipe. https://oureverydaylife.com/can-use-place-egg-yolk-binder-cooking-baking-34770.html
Christianne White says
Omg I made these last year & I think I ate them all 🥰 I am making them tomorrow & can’t wait to indulge!!
Amanda Formaro says
They are my favorite too!
Martha says
I would like to make there, but I know some people that don’t care for orange juice. Do they have an “orange” taste to them? Wondering if I can sub a different liquid for the orange juice. Maybe milk?
Amanda Formaro says
There’s no orange juice taste at all. I wouldn’t recommend replacing it. But I do promise there’s no orange flavor! :)
Sue says
Do these need to be served right away to prevent jelly from making them soggy or will they last a couple weeks if chilled like other Christmas cookies for platters during holidays?
Amanda Formaro says
They will last :) I would say for a week in the refrigerator, covered.
diane true says
Hi, when you say teaspoon… do you mean a measuring teaspoon? Or a teaspoon like I’d use to stir my tea?
Thank you,
Amanda Formaro says
A measuring spoon :)
Diane zablocki says
If using curd do they need to be refrigerated?
Amanda Formaro says
They do not :)
Elizabeth Carley says
I just made these, but definitely could not cook them 10 minutes, then another 5 after the filling was put in, they got really brown..i used a small cookie scoop and got about 100 cookies, and i had to lower my oven temp down to 350, and then only leave them in 6 minutes, and then another 3 after putting on the fillings..but they do taste great.. thank you..
Amanda Formaro says
Glad they tasted great, sorry you had issues with the temp. I’m making them tomorrow!
Diane zablocki says
If you make them bigger for less cookies would you bake them longer? Thought i might try mimi muffin cups?
Amanda Formaro says
I would bake them for the time directed in the recipe and check. Only increase if needed. Best bet is to do a test run with just a few of the larger cookies. Bake them as directed and cool. Try them and see how they are to determine if they need more time.
Gwen says
First time making these .I have a cookie press thing from pampered chef to make cookies indents can I use that.
Amanda Formaro says
Nice they’ll be so pretty!
Krystina says
How long can i keep dough in refrigerator for ?
Amanda Formaro says
Well wrapped for 3-5 days :)
Georgia says
Hi Thanks for the recipe I’m not wanting to make so many cookies would you be able to tell me the recipe for maybe a quarter of the amount 33. I’m terrible at maths working cups out? Thanks
Amanda Formaro says
It would be really hard to quarter this recipe since it only uses one egg. You can make the cookies a little bigger, and you won’t end up with as many. Or you can freeze the extra cookie dough. Ir you can cut the recipe in half.