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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Bev says
could you use lemon juice instead of orange?
Bev says
sorry, missed where you have already commented on lemon juice
Amanda Formaro says
No problem Bev, thanks for the reminder. I meant to add a note to the recipe and will do that today.
Chris says
An easy way to make the indentations is to use the handle end of a wooden spoon – it’s just a dowel!
Amanda Formaro says
:)
Lexi says
These look great! I’m really excited to try them, but I unfortunately can’t have any citrus fruits… Could I substitute the Orange juice for maybe Apple juice or a different kind of juice?
Amanda Formaro says
I don’t think I would use a different kind of juice other than citrus, but milk would work fine.
Alex A. says
I would like to try this recipe as my first attempt at Christmas cookies. Is there an approximate number of cookies that this recipe yields? I know it probably depends on how big you make them, but is there a ball park number I could use? I need to make 6 dozen, so I wondered how many batches that might require? Thank you!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Alex! According to the recipe in the cookbook HALF of this recipe makes 72 cookies. That’s 6 dozen. :)
A J says
Making them now … I have made them for quite a few seasons now … They make great gifts … Sidebar .. Mint and apple butter jelly are great for these cookies … I have started to use a lightly greased round measuring spoon if u have one …to make a uniform thunbprint … Use the bottom to make an even indentation … A teaspoon I think makes the appropriate indentation … I know then they tecnicaly aren’t thumb print cookies are they .. Lol
Amanda Formaro says
Good idea using the teaspoon AJ!
Barbara says
I use a melon baler to make the indentation.
Suzie says
These look great. Do you think you could substitute the orange juice for another type of juice? I’m allergic to oranges, and it might not be so bad since its cooked into the cookies, but I don’t typically risk it.
Amanda Formaro says
You could probably replace it with milk if you wanted to. Maybe lemon juice, but not sure I would try something other than citrus.
Hayley says
Thank you for posting this recipe. The Good Housekeeping Isslustrated cook book is a family fave. Its where all of our Christmas recipes come from. This year my mom is not in town for Christmas and i was panicking about how i would find this recipe.Everyone else makes theirs with nuts…That is NOT tradition lol. but thank you thank you now i am going to make them the way our family always has.
Amanda says
I agree, love that cookbook and thumbprints shouldn’t have nuts haha! ;-) My daughter and I are making these tomorrow!
phyllis says
I am looking for a pineapple cornflake thumbprint recipe.
Do you have one? My mother made these in the ’50’s.
Amanda says
Hi Phyllis :) I don’t have one personally, but I did find this one on the internet http://www.recipelink.com/msgbrd/board_1/2011/FEB/9182.html
kim ausenbaugh says
Can you use imperial margarin instead of butter?
Amanda says
Hi Kim. I have not tried this recipe with margarine so I can’t tell you for sure. I know that margarine and butter are often times interchangeable in recipes, so you could certainly give it a try :)
Annette says
Great recipe! Thank you for sharing. Just wondering how many dozens one batch makes. ;D
Amanda says
Oh my, good question Annette! When I make them again this year I will update this post and include the number of cookies that this makes.
Golfindaddy says
I like to roll the dough balls in the egg white prior to making the filling holes. Handles much better and has a nice browned crust without overcooking. Been making them since the 80’s.
Cathy McLeod says
Amanda, thank you SO much for this post. I have also made these thumbprint cookies for 15 years, but this past year lost that very well used and loved cookbook during a divorce, moving, etc. When I searched for Raspberry Thumbprint cookies with orange juice….there it was again! I am going to have a perfect Christmas with the cookies on the plate in their proper place. Last, thanks for the great tip on keeping the spillage down.
Amanda Formaro says
Yay, that’s wonderful Cathy!! So glad you found it and I have a fellow thumbprint cookie lover :)
Susan @ Entertain Exchange says
Love thumbprint cookies – I would love it if you linked them in my Cookie Exchange!
Susan,
http://entertainexchange.blogspot.com/
Party and Entertaining Inspiration
Amanda says
Thanks Lisa!!
Yay Suzanne, let me know what you think!
Suzanne says
Heading to the kitchen to make these little beauts right now!
Lisa says
What beautiful little thumbprints. I love how you made a whole assortment of them. By the way, I'm holding a giveaway on my blog for Orglamix Organic makeup and you're welcome to come by and enter. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2010/12/orglamix-organic-mineral-makeup-review.html
Amanda says
Thanks you guys! :)
Avanika – Yes I did, but I used a small measuring spoon, I think it was a 1/4 teaspoon :) Thank you!
Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes] says
Ahh gorgeous thumprints!! Did you simply spoon the fillings in? I tend to create a huge mess while doing that!
Barbara says
You can treat the jellies and jams just like frosting. Put some in a plastic bag, cut the corner tip off a small amount and squeeze the filling into the cookies. I’m messy with a spoon as well.
Amanda Formaro says
Great tip!
Jerri says
Your thumbprints look wonderful! I love that you used all the different flavors!
I'm hosting a Christmas Recipe party on Thursday (with prizes). Hope you can stop by!
marla {family fresh cooking} says
Thumbprint cookies are some of my all time favorites, yours came out beautiful!