Perfect Thumbprint Cookies with Jam

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Classic thumbprint cookies with jam are classic buttery, rich holiday cookies filled with fruity spread. This easy recipe is a hit every single time. Whether you make raspberry, strawberry, or even chocolate thumbprint cookies, you can’t go wrong!

Thumbprint Cookies
With the option to choose the flavor of your choice, classic thumbprint cookies with jam are elevated by a delicious streussel topping!

What Are Thumbprint Cookies?

Thumbprint cookies are soft butter cookies that have a divot in the center (made by pressing your thumb into the dough). The divot in the cookie dough is typically filled with jam.

While these cookies are incredible all year long, they’re also great as a quick and easy Christmas cookie!

What Makes This Recipe Special

I like to make my jam thumbprint cookies with jam and add an oatmeal brown sugar streusel topping (crumb topping). This is totally optional, but I think everything is better with little crumbs on top (see my crumb-topped raspberry scones and my apple crumble pie, too).

Mixing crumb topping
Making the dough for this thumbprint cookies recipe couldn’t be easier, which makes them an excellent treat anytime.

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies with Jam

  1. Mix butter, brown sugar, and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Use a had mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for easier prep.
  2. Mix in vanilla, flour, and salt.
  3. Make small balls of dough; use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure to form your dough balls.
  4. Place on prepared baking sheets and bake for five minutes. You want them to bake enough to rise and look like cookies before making divots. If you make the thumbprints before baking the cookies, the indentation will disappear when the dough rises slightly in the oven.
  5. Remove the cookies from the oven and make indentations in the center of each cookie using your thumb or any other finger.
  6. Fill the indentations with your filling of choice, optionally top with streusel, and bake for another 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Jar of Cranberry Jam
Use your favorite flavor of jam for this classic thumbprint cookies recipe and customize it to your own taste!

There are so many options for jam fillings in this thumbprint cookie recipe. The most popular is raspberry, but you can also use strawberry jam, apricot, peach, cranberry jam or any flavor you like. You might even want to try bacon jam as a filling for a thumbprint cookie variation!

Curds works really similarly to jams. These cookies are so good when filled with lemon curd or banana curd!

For a really unique jam-like filling, try using poppy seed filling like people often use in hamantashen.

Other Variations

Snickerdoodle kiss cookies on a cooling rack
Turn these into chocolate thumbprint cookies with chocolate chips or other chocolate candies! (Image source: Baked by Rachel)

You can also fill the indentations with chocolate chips. They will melt during the make and you’ll end up with awesome chocolate thumbprint cookies.

Another chocolate variation is to use Hershey’s Kisses like Baked by Rachel’s snickerdoodle kiss cookies. For that variation, you actually don’t even make a thumbprint; simply press the Kiss into the cookie at the very end of the bake just when it comes out of the oven. (You don’t want the chocolate to melt.)

FAQs

How long do thumbprint cookies last?

Store thumbprint cookies in an airtight container on the counter for a week or more. If they’re kept in a cool and dry place, this will help to extend their shelf life.

How do you keep thumbprint cookies from cracking?

If your cookies crack when you make the thumbprint indentation, you may be waiting too long to press into the dough. Be sure to let them cool for a second once they come out of the oven so you don’t burn yourself, then get right to making the divots.

Why did my thumbprint cookie dough spread so much?

This usually happens when the measurements of ingredients are off. Because this jam thumbprint cookie dough is so simple, it’s crucial that you’re precise with your proportions!

Does thumbprint cookie dough need to be refrigerated?

Nope, you can put this dough together and bake it right away. No need to chill or refrigerate.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!
Thumbprint Cookies
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5 from 4 votes

Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint cookies are classic buttery, rich holiday cookies! This EASY jam thumbprint recipe is a hit with raspberry jam, strawberry, or any flavor!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 28 cookies
Calories 161kcal
Author Stefani

Ingredients

Cookie Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup jam any flavor

Streusel Topping Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 4 teaspoons rolled oats
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cold and chopped into small pieces

Instructions

Cookie Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 F.
  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and egg yolks until light and fluffy.
  • Mix in vanilla, flour, and salt until just combined.
  • Place tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto a cookie sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat, two inches apart from each other.
  • Bake for five minutes.

Streusel Topping Instructions

  • Using your hands, mix all streusel topping ingredients together in a small bowl until it comes together and forms crumbs.
  • Remove cookies from the oven and use your thumb, or any preferred finger, to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
  • Fill the indentations with jam and top the jam with the streusel topping.
  • Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
  • Place cookies on cooling rack to cool.

Notes

  • You can fill the indentations with chocolate chips instead of jam. They will melt during the bake and you’ll end up with awesome chocolate thumbprint cookies.
  • Another chocolate variation is to use Hershey’s Kisses like Baked by Rachel’s snickerdoodle kiss cookies. For that variation, you actually don’t even make a thumbprint. Simply press the Kiss into the cookie at the very end of the bake just when it comes out of the oven. You don’t want the chocolate to melt.

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 32mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.6mg
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