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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sheila @ Elements says
My husband's been wanting me to make some of these cookies so I bookmarked this page. It looks easy, and since I generally suck at making cookies, I'm hoping I'll have some cookie success for a change. :) Wish me luck! :) Cheers! sheila
Val says
These look so yummy.
NikiTheo says
I was mostly thinking that we don't keep it in the house… I was being flaky there, milk would be perfect! I am not thinking sometimes! :)
Amanda says
Love the idea of the chocolate with the cherries, hmmm… Nutella?! :)
Andrea says
Yes!!! Yummy! I’d alternate strawberries and cherries with the nutella!!! :)
Katrina says
Great cookies. Great post.
Love the idea of indenting both side to make it even. Can you tell I've had dam issues in the past? ;)
Shelby says
Yum Amanda! Awesome photos….and the cherry one? Maybe a little melty chocolate first, then plop the cherry in? Yummy ;)
BIg Boys Oven says
this is classic beauties, I love baking thumb prints cookies. yours are perfect1
Maria says
I made similar cookies! Love them!
Amanda says
Niki – I would imagine you could try it, or even use milk. There really isn't an orange flavor to the cookies at all :)
NikiTheo says
Would it be okay to use lemon juice instead of orange juice? We're not orange people in my house
RecycleCindy says
Yum Yum — Those are so pretty and are a wonderful Christmas cookie. Thanks for sharing your step by step process.
Marie says
It just wouldn't be Christmas without some thumbprint cookies! Yours look fabulous Amanda! xxoo
Chow and Chatter says
I am book marking to make them I really need easy not as good a baker as you lol
lovely post Amanda wow 24 years
Amanda says
Thanks ladies!
Jenn – you can freeze the dough without a problem. I have never frozen the finished cookies, however I'm sure they would be fine. I would suggest freezing just the dough, maybe already separated into balls, just to be safe! :)
Barbara says
This is similar to a thumbprint I make. You can freeze the dough already rolled in balls on a sheet pan. When frozen you can then put in a plastic bag and take out just what you want to bake. Let defrost, add the thumb print and bake as usual. You can freeze the finished cookies, before powdered sugar but you must let them defrost on their own. No cheating with the microwave. They get hard.
Jenn says
Of all the cookies I've made year after year, I've yet to do thumbprints…until now. Just one question…how long do these keep, or can they be frozen? I want to fit them into my baking schedule for cookie trays!
Debbie says
They look delicious Amanda and are one of my favorites!!!
Sue says
Your cookies are beautiful, and so perfectly round and uniform, Amanda! So nice to have all the different fillings. The top photo is my favorite!
kate says
I followed recipe to the T and they are NOT good. I really think they need more flavoring. They taste like a roll with jelly. dissapointed.
Amanda Formaro says
Sorry you didn’t like them Kate. Everyone has different tastes but we love these ;)
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
Those cookies look incredible! I've never ever heard of using orange juice in thumbprint cookies. I can't wait to try this!
Ellen says
I'm a new follower and these look great! Thanks for all the recipes. :)
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says
Beautiful thumbprint cookies, Amanda. Those are one cookie I've never made, but I'm about to fix that!