Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Thumbprint Cookies are rich, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, and absolutely delicious shortbread cookies filled with flavorful, sweet, and tangy jelly in the center. These are classic holiday cookies rolled in sugar and perfect for any holiday party or cookie exchange.

These easy thumbprint cookies are not just delicious but are also so easy to make. I love to pick up such simple cookie recipes when I want to have a fun time baking with my kiddo. He gets to do all the baking and feels happy that he can accomplish it all by himself. And I get to have some wonderful moments with him, as well as, of course, the delicious cookies.

These thumbprint cookies have a slightly crisp and crumbly exterior, a soft and sweet interior, and a beautiful, tangy yet sweet jam or jelly-filled center.

I also like calling the thumbprint cookies no-stress cookies because they are ready in a short time. Another good thing about these cookies is that there is no chilling required, so I can make the dough and immediately bake it.

Beautiful cookies rolled in granular sugar and filled with some jelly or preserves have so many layers of flavors, and since you can fill them up with different jelly, jam, or preserves every time, you get to enjoy different flavors too. I love filling it up with mango, apricot, strawberry, or raspberry jelly. Which one do you like to use for filling?? Let us get started on how to make thumbprint cookies.

Ingredients for Thumbprint cookies

Butter - Always use good-quality unsalted butter at room temperature for these cookies. To check if the butter is at the right temperature, press a finger into the butter. If the finger leaves an impression with not a lot of residue on it, then it is perfect. Also, every brand of regular salted butter has a different amount of salt in it, which can affect the taste of the cookies. Be smart and have control over the amount of salt that goes into the recipe.

Sugar - You need white granular sugar for the thumbprint cookies. White granular sugar absorbs moisture in the dough and makes crisper cookies.

Egg yolks - You need only room-temperature egg yolks in this recipe.

All-purpose flour - Use a sifter for all-purpose flour. Measure the flour properly, and do not press the flour into the cup. Fill it lightly and flat-scrape the top excess.

Salt - regular salt

Vanilla Extract - Use good-quality vanilla extract and not vanilla essence.

How to make Thumbprint cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F, line a couple of large baking trays with parchment paper, and set them aside for later.

Sift the all-purpose flour and set it aside for later.

Next, take a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a big bowl for the hand mixer and add room-temperature unsalted butter and sugar.

On medium speed, cream or beat the butter and sugar together till they are well combined, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Do not over-mix it. Scrape down the sides in between so nothing is left out.

Add egg yolks, salt, and vanilla extract to the mixture and beat it again till well combined.

Finally, add the sifted flour and mix it all together to form a well-combined dough. When you start mixing the dough, it will look crumbly, but do not worry; keep mixing till it forms a sticky, well-structured dough.

Take granular sugar on a plate or a bowl. We will need it to coat the thumbprint cookie dough balls

Take a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop and, using it, make small dough balls. Take the dough balls in your hand and roll them into nice round spheres.

Roll these rolled dough balls in the granular sugar and coat them evenly.

Place them on the previously parchment-lined baking trays. Keep a couple of inches of space between each ball. Though the cookies do not completely flatten while baking, they still need some room to spread and not touch each other while baking.

Once you place 2 to 3 rolled dough balls on the baking pan, using a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, your thumb, or a spoon handle, make a hole or indentation at the center of each dough ball.

Similarly, continue the same process and fill the baking tray with thumbprint cookie dough balls.

Fill the indention or hole with ½ teaspoon of jam or jelly of your choice.

Bake the cookies at 350F for 12–14 minutes, or until the cookies are properly baked and have lightly brown bottoms. I always bake them for 14 minutes. But as I always say, each oven heats up differently, so be careful to bake the cookies for the right amount of time.

Once you get the baking tray out of the oven, let it cool down for 15 to 20 minutes on the baking tray. Remember, the cookies are very brittle when they come out of the oven, so if you try to lift them, they will break.

After they have cooled a little, the cookies will firm up, and you will be able to lift them. Transfer the warm cookies to the wire rack to cool further to room temperature.

Once the cookies have cooled down completely, you can store them in an airtight container.

These freshly baked thumbprint cookies have a crisp outer edge and a soft and crumbly center because of the jam or jelly. I love having at least one freshly baked cookie; they are too tempting, with a beautiful aroma and that divine taste. It is rich, buttery, tangy, and crispy all in one bite.

If you love baking cookies you could also try these recipes

PRO tips for this recipe

• Always measure your flour correctly; do not tightly pack the flour in the cup. Instead, either spoon the flour into the measuring cup or scoop it up from the flour can and level the excess off on top with a knife or spatula.

• Do not wait to roll all the dough balls to be placed on the baking tray. Because if you wait for all the dough balls to be rolled and then make an indention in the center, then you will have cracked edges on the cookies. So as soon as you roll 2 to 3 cookie dough balls, use your thumb or something similar to make the indention. I like using a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon to do that.

• You can skip rolling the dough in granular sugar, which only adds a layer of texture to the cookies.

FAQ's for thumbprint cookies

How long do the cookies last?

Store the cookies in an airtight container, and they will stay good for 2 to 3 weeks at room temperature.

Do you need to refrigerate the dough before baking?

No, you do not need to refrigerate the dough. As soon as the dough is ready, you can roll the thumbprint cookie dough balls and bake.

Why do we use only egg yolks in the thumbprint cookies recipe?

Using the egg yolks gives the cookies a soft texture from the inside, keeping the outside slightly crisp and not too crunchy.

Can you freeze the thumbprint cookies?

Though it is possible to freeze the thumbprint cookies, it is not really advisable. Due to jam filling and moisture, it creates a problem when freezing and defrosting it. You can always freeze the cookie dough and thaw it whenever you want to make a fresh batch of cookies.

HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?

DROP A COMMENT IF YOU HAVE TRIED THE RECIPE. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES. ALSO, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DO DROP A COMMENT BELOW. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP.

Post a photo on my Facebook page or tag me on Instagram with #prajakta_food_lab, you can even pin it on Pinterest with the tag #p3foodlab.