Talk about spreading holiday cheer-this easy recipe is the gift that keeps on giving! With festive white chocolate centers, quick prep, and a perfect, buttery texture, Christmas Thumbprint Cookies will make a great addition to your cookie platter this holiday season.
Table of Contents
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- The perfect cookies for beginners, this recipe is simple to follow and there's no chilling time needed!
- Classic thumbprint cookies are a staple on any Christmas cookie tray. They're great to share with coworkers, classmates, and neighbors!
- For best results, add the festive filling to the center of each cookie after baking-not before like you do with jam thumbprint cookies.
Usher in the Christmas season with a buttery, delicate, sweet treat, perfect with your steaming cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa.
This easy Christmas thumbprint cookie recipe delivers a nostalgic flavor that whisks you back to holidays as a kid-back when everything felt just a little more magical.
Best of all, they ship really well because the filling doesn't get sticky or smear! Read more about shipping cookies.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Instead of sprinkles, you can use crushed candy canes. However, this will add a bit of crunch to your cookies.
- You can swap the vanilla extract with peppermint or almond extract to switch up the flavor.
- Instead of candy coating, use your favorite brand of white chocolate or buy pre-colored (red, green, and white) melting wafers.
- If you prefer thumbprint cookies with a sweet jam center, feel free to use strawberry or raspberry jam. However, add the jam before baking.
- If you're looking for a jam filled cookie you'll love these raspberry jam thumbprints.
- In a hurry? Using Hershey Kisses is the easiest way to speed up prep. Set one in the center of each cookie while they're still warm from the oven. Or, just use this peanut butter blossom cookie recipe.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Shape and bake the cookies
Form four dozen 1-inch balls of cookie dough.
Dip the tops of the cookie dough balls in sprinkles.
With your thumb, make a deep print in each.
Bake until set and slightly golden brown.
Fill the cookies
Boil the sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan.
Off heat, add the candy coating and vanilla.
Split into three bowls and color with food dye. Be sure to use paste or gel!
Spoon filling into the centers of baked cookies.
🤫 Cook's secrets -
Hint: Use a cookie scoop to portion out each ball of dough. This'll save you time and create perfect thumbprint cookies that cook evenly.
🍴 Equipment
- Electric mixer (either a stand or hand mixer will work)
- Baking sheet
- Wire rack
- Mixing bowls in various sizes
- Saucepan
🥫 How to store leftovers
This easy cookie recipe makes four dozen cookies, so it's great if you like to keep sweet treats around the house at all times during the holidays.
To store Christmas thumbprint cookies, let them cool and set completely. Keep 'em in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
These are easy cookies to freeze, too. Make sure to put 'em in a tightly sealed container, and they'll last for three months-baked or unbaked.
You don't have to store these cookies in a single layer, but if you're going to stack them, I recommend separating the layers with parchment paper. This will prevent them from sticking together and keep 'em looking pretty!
Marye's Tip
The cookie dough might puff up a bit in the center as it bakes. If your indentations aren't as deep after baking, use the end of a wooden spoon to push it back down while they're still hot.
💭 Things to know
- Let your butter sit at room temperature for about an hour to soften. I don't like to soften it in the microwave, but you can if you're in a pinch.
- When adding the dry ingredients to the beaten mixture, don't overmix it, or the cookies will taste tougher. Just mix 'til everything is combined.
- If you have long nails and are finding it tricky to make a clean thumbprint in the dough, use your knuckle, a round measuring spoon, or the end of a wooden spoon instead.
- These cookies won't turn super dark in the oven. They'll set as they cool, so don't overbake them.
- Remove the hot cookies to a wire cooling rack-this stops the cooking process and keeps your festive cookies tender and soft.
👩🍳 FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Thumbprints are classic Christmas cookies with an indentation (a thumbprint!) in the center filled with a variety of tasty ingredients. My favorite filling for the holidays is this festive white chocolate, but you can also use your favorite jam, candy, etc.
The best way to tell your thumbprint cookies are done is by sight: they'll start to look dry around the edges. You can also test by nudging the edge gently-very gently-with your fingernail. If it resists soft pressure, it's good to go.
Remember, they'll set and harden more during cooling. Don't worry about underbaking these cookies. Trust your gut and your timer, and you'll be fine!
Nope, not really! Check my photos for reference. Thumbprint cookies won't brown much, so don't wait for them to turn color. However, the bottom edges may start to darken slightly as they finish baking.
Flash-freeze the formed cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet until they're solid to the touch. Then, toss 'em in a freezer bag and store.
Yep. You'll just need to add a few minutes of baking. I have a whole guide on freezing/thawing/baking cookie dough with more info.
📚 Related recipes
🍪 Build Your Perfect Holiday Cookie Tray
Hawaiian Shortbread Cookies have a buttery, crisp texture and a gorgeous, nutty flavor from Macadamia nuts. Everyone loves the tropical twist on a holiday favorite!
Cute and festive, Cornflake Christmas Wreaths are an easy, no-bake cookie. They're fun to make with kids and addicting to munch on!
With detailed Christmas shapes and pretty sprinkles, everyone will think you spent hours on these buttery Holiday Spritz Cookies. (I won't tell your secret-they're actually so simple to make!)
Made in just 15 minutes, Hershey's Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies are another kind of thumbprint cookie that we can't get enough of around the holidays. These ones go fast-trust me!
If you're looking for a cherry thumbprint cookie recipe, you'll love my Cherry-Filled Bon Bon Cookies. These chocolatey bites of deliciousness are rich and decadent-the perfect holiday treat!
Not too sweet, Condensed Milk Cookies taste classic and comforting. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they deliver big-time holiday cheer but don't take much effort to make.
🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
Transform an old-fashioned Southern favorite into a new treat around Christmas time- old fashioned banana pudding, holiday style!
Follow the recipe to prepare the banana pudding, but instead of the vanilla wafers, use your favorite leftover Christmas cookies. However, to make this work best, here are a few tips:
- Try to choose more firm cookies, like thumbprints, sugar, and shortbread cookies. I wouldn't use crinkle cookies.
- Banana goes best with simpler flavors like vanilla, ginger, or even chocolate. Avoid using cookies flavored with peppermint.
- For the prettiest holiday presentation, place the cookies with their sprinkled tops facing out of your glass trifle dish.
- Tie the whole thing together by topping the banana pudding with whipped cream and festive Christmas sprinkles!
📞 The last word
I just love these easy Christmas thumbprint cookies! They're so cheerful and bright, and they look so pretty on cookie trays and in gift boxes. Of course, you can change the colors and the sprinkles and make them any time of the year.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Christmas Thumbprint Cookies
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- colored sprinkles
Filling
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup butter, cubed
- ¼ cup evaporated milk
- 8 ounces white candy coating
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red and green food coloring, paste or gel
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in egg and vanilla.
- Whisk dry ingredients together in another bowl.
- Gradually beat into creamed mixture.
- Place sprinkles in a bowl.
- Shape dough into 1-in. balls.
- Dip tops in sprinkles.
- Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets covered with parchment paper.
- Press a deep indentation in center of each with your thumb or a round measuring spoon.
- Bake until edges are light brown, 10-12 minutes.
- Reform any indentations that may have closed.
- Remove to wire racks to cool.
Filling
- Bring sugar, butter, and milk to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly.
- Cook and stir 1 minute.
- Remove from heat. Add candy coating and vanilla; stir until smooth.
- Divide filling between 3 bowls.
- Using food coloring paste add red to one bowl and green to another. Leave the third one white.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Carefully spoon fillings into indentations.
- Refrigerate until set.
Notes
- Let your butter sit at room temperature for about an hour to soften. I don't like to soften it in the microwave, but you can if you're in a pinch.
- When adding the dry ingredients to the beaten mixture, don't overmix it, or the cookies will taste tougher. Just mix 'til everything is combined.
- These cookies won't turn super dark in the oven. They'll set as they cool, so don't overbake them.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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Nicol says
The cookies look yummy! The pictures you post make me want to cook again.
Tammy says
These were my son’s favorite cookies to help me with when we baked Christmas cookies! He loved sticking his little thumb in the dough! His other favorite thing? Our cookie shooter!! Remember those? I wish I had had recipes from this site back then! We would have been in heaven.
Michelle Gosser says
What a neat twist on traditional thumb print cookies! A must try for any occasion. Your tip about using a wooden spoon to deepen the imprint after baking is genious!
Cat says
I have made thumbprint cookies before but this recipe is different from my previous. They are soft and light in texture. The evaporated milk sure makes a difference. I love leaving my thumbprint for those I ❤️, especially at Christmas.
Penny says
These look yummy! I may have to give some of these recipes a try for the Holidays this year.