With buttery texture that melts in your mouth and a perfect burst of fruity flavor, Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies are a classic Christmas time treat.
This easy recipe uses simple ingredients, so it's the perfect cookie to make during the busiest-I mean, most magical-time of year!
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- Create the perfect Christmas cookie tray
- 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- These amazing cookies taste just like your childhood favorites, and they only take 10 minutes of active prep time.
- Classic thumbprint cookies are a staple at holiday bake sales and Christmas parties-you need them on your cookie platter this year!
- For perfect, buttery shortbread cookies, it's important to let the dough rest overnight and chill it again before baking.
This raspberry thumbprint recipe is a cookie exchange favorite-no one can resist the vanilla-almond flavor or the crumbly, tender texture.
They're just so shareable, so make extra for friends, family, neighbors, and teachers to spread the Christmas cheer!
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
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.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Another great thing about this recipe is that you can use your favorite jam filling-try mixed berry, marmalade, peach, or even lemon curd.
- Instead of the white chocolate drizzle, experiment with a lemon zest or almond glaze. If you have chocolate ganache, you could also use that.
- Before adding the jam, roll each of the cookie dough balls in Christmas sprinkles or sparkling sugar for an extra festive touch.
- Most people love the almond flavor in these thumbprints, but if you're not a fan of almond extract, you can use extra vanilla extract instead.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
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.
Cream together sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add egg and extracts to the beaten ingredients.
Combine dry ingredients and add to the wet.
Mix the dry and wet ingredients with the paddle attachment.
Shaping the cookies
Shape dough into a ball and refrigerate overnight.
Roll dough into smooth balls on prepared baking sheet and indent.
Fill with a half-teaspoon of jam. Bake until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack and drizzle with melted white chocolate.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
The best way to make even, round indents is with the back of a cookie scoop or a melon baller. Some people just use their thumb or knuckle, but raspberry thumbprint cookies look best with nice, uniform centers.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- Stand mixer or electric mixer
- Medium bowl (for the dry ingredients)
- Small bowl (for the drizzle)
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Cooling rack
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat
Let the cookies cool to room temperature before placing 'em in an airtight container. Raspberry jam thumbprints will keep for 4-5 days on the counter out of direct sunlight-you don't have to refrigerate them once the jam is baked.
If you'd like to freeze leftover cookies for an easy, last-minute treat, flash-freeze them on ungreased cookie sheets or a plate. Once solid, gently toss 'em into a bag and freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temp for a couple of hours.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Shortbread cookie dough must stay chilled, otherwise the butter will melt out. So, for the best, most buttery cookies, place the dough back into the fridge if it's getting too warm at any time.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Let the butter sit at room temperature for about an hour (a little more if your kitchen is cool) to soften. This way, the butter incorporates better with the sugar, resulting in a fluffier cookie dough.
- For best results, don't skip the chilling time. Whenever I'm craving this classic cookie, I plan ahead and make the dough the night before.
- The jam will bubble up a little in the oven, so don't overfill each thumbprint cookie. If you do, you'll risk the jam running over the side, causing the buttery shortbread cookie base to stick to the parchment.
- If you like soft cookies, take them out of the oven sooner rather than later. Thumbprint cookies will get crumbly quickly if you overcook them.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
They're finished just when the edges are getting golden brown. Remember, cookies set up as they cool, so it's okay if they're a little soft when you take them out of the oven.
Yep! Form the cookies and create the imprints. Flash freeze 'em til they're solid, then transfer to an airtight container or bag. Fill the cookies with jam and bake them from frozen; just add a few minutes.
When the cookie dough spreads, it's a good indicator that it wasn't chilled enough before baking. Don't skip the chilling-though it's simple, it's important!
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Spoon the jam into a piping bag or plastic zip-top bag and snip off the corner. This makes it easier and quicker to add the jam to each cookie!
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
Create the perfect Christmas cookie tray
Fun and festive, these Christmas Thumbprint Cookies have a buttery texture and a delicious white chocolate center. They're great for snacking, gifting, and shipping!
Hawaiian Shortbread Cookies are buttery, packed with crunchy macadamia nuts, and finished off with a rich white chocolate glaze. They bring a tropical twist to a traditional favorite.
Cute as can be and easy too, No-Bake Cornflake Christmas Wreaths are a show-stopper. With sweet, Rice Krispy-like flavor, they deliver on flavor and Christmas magic.
Classic holiday Spritz Cookies have a delicate, buttery flavor and look so fancy! Thankfully, they're super easy to make-our little secret!
Peanut Butter Rolo Cookies are gooey and rich. The mouthwatering combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and caramel is only made better by the fact that these are done in 15 minutes flat!
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
Leftover cookies? Not in my house! However, if you've got some extra raspberry jam thumbprints, here are a few fun ways to use 'em up:
- Crumbled over ice cream sundaes
- Ice cream sandwiches (lean into the flavor with berry ice cream!)
- Placed on a dessert charcuterie board
- Used as dessert "nachos" for chopped fruit or fondue
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
This is one of a my favorite cookies for any time of year. Sometimes I use a red candy coating or a green candy coating for the drizzle to make them a little more festive.
I thought tossing them in the freezer would make them keep until Christmas but apparently they are as good or better frozen as they are just baked.
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
Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup raspberry jam, or your favorite
- Powdered sugar, optional for dusting
- Sprinkles, optional
- White chocolate, melted, optional for drizzle
Instructions
- Blend the dry ingredients together and set aside.
- Place the butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Beat with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla.
- Beat until combined.
- Add the in the dry ingredients.
- Beat until well blended.
- Form the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before you plan to use it.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Cover 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls.
- Roll the balls in Christmas sprinkles if desired.
- Place the balls of dough 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet.
- Use a small,rounded measuring spoon or your thumb to make an indentation in the middle of each cookie.
- Fill each cookie with ½ teaspoon of jam.
- Chill the cookies for 15 minutes.
- Top with sprinkles if desired.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar, or drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze or melted white chocolate chips.
Notes
- Let the butter sit at room temperature for about an hour (a little more if your kitchen is cool) to soften.
- For best results, don't skip the chilling time.
- The jam will bubble up a little in the oven, so don't overfill each thumbprint cookie.
- If you like soft cookies, take them out of the oven sooner rather than later. Thumbprint cookies will get crumbly quickly if you overcook 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.
Penny says
OMG -I had forgotten about thumbprints! I am so glad you linked this in your newsletter, adding it to my arsenal, I mean list of goodies for Christmas this year 🙂
Amy Bleile says
My mom used to make these!! 💓💓
Now I do, with my homemade blackberry jelly.
Mmmm
Happy days!
Aim
Lynda B says
These cookies sound wonderful! Thanks for the tip of putting the jam in a zip top bag to fill the cookies. Less mess is always good.
Sherri Rochester says
I just love a good Thumbprint cookie! This one looks like it is a very flavorful one. I love a firm cookie with a soft crumb bite that holds the jam well. I am so excited for Christmas now!! Bring on the baking sprees!
Cat Stevens says
Awesome thumbprint cookies that are so tasty. I like the white or dark chocolate drizzle, but have made them without. Either way, they dissappear fast.