Description
Delightfully buttery and tender thumbprint cookies filled with your favorite jam, perfect for Christmas celebrations and holiday gifting. These classic cookies combine a soft, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread base with a sweet, fruity center, making them a festive treat everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2–1/2 cups all-purpose flour (312g)
- 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature (227g)
- 1 cup white sugar (200g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Filling
- Approx. 1 cup jam (strawberry, raspberry, or your choice)
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Cookie Dough Base: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the salted butter, white sugar, and baking powder on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add the large egg and beat well until fully incorporated. Then add the pure vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Mix in the Flour: Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the all-purpose flour. Mix just until the ingredients are barely combined to prevent tough cookies.
- Shape the Cookies: Roll the dough into 1-inch diameter balls and place them on a baking sheet spaced at least 1 inch apart. Use your thumb or a rounded tool to make an indentation in the center of each ball immediately.
- Fill and Bake: Fill each indentation with jam, slightly overfilling to allow for spreading. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through for even baking.
- Cool and Enjoy: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the cookies set properly and prevents breaking.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming and better texture.
- You can substitute any fruit jam or preserves according to your preference.
- Make sure to not overmix the dough once the flour is added to keep cookies tender.
- Keep spacing between cookie dough balls to prevent them sticking together during baking.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- For a festive look, consider dusting the cooled cookies lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 20g)
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1.2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: Christmas cookies, thumbprint cookies, jam cookies, holiday baking, festive desserts, buttery cookies
