A Timeless Cookie
What got me thinking about these thumbprint cookies was a story about my two grandnieces, who recently started taking cooking classes in Denver. They were given little chef’s coats and clogs to wear while learning their way around the kitchen, a detail I found utterly charming.
Last week, they baked cinnamon buns and sent me photos of the results, made using My Favorite Cinnamon Bun recipe. Seeing their proud smiles made me wonder what other recipes I had tucked away that they might enjoy making next. Something simple. Something pretty.
Simple Ingredients, Thoughtfully Combined
These thumbprint cookies felt like the perfect choice. They’re as beautiful as they are easy to make, relying on just a handful of familiar ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, salt, a touch of almond extract, and jam. Everyday staples come together to create a small, delightful sweet, each one marked with its own precious thumbprint.
The dough comes together quickly, and there’s no need for elaborate decoration. The sparkle of sugar and the jewel-like color of the fruit do all the work. It’s the kind of baking that feels relaxed and joyful rather than fussy.
More Than a Holiday Cookie
I used to make these thumbprint cookies every Christmas, but there’s something timeless about them that goes beyond the holidays. The buttery dough, the bright fruit, the soft indentation pressed into each cookie, the recipe carries a sense of nostalgia and comfort. They’re just as perfect with a cup of tea on an ordinary afternoon as they are arranged on a dessert table for a celebration, any time of year. I even made a heart version for Valentine’s Day.
Making Memories
On one visit to our home when we lived in Boulder, high in the Rocky Mountains, Gunnison, Olive, and I baked little fruit galettes together, while their parents took a hike in the forest. They helped with everything, from rolling out the dough to sprinkling sugar over the tarts before they went into the oven. These moments are about being together, little hands dusty with flour, and giggles, creating something small and sweet.
And that, really, is the reason I created this blog. To save and share my recipes. To pass along a little something of myself. And, hopefully, to help create new memories, one recipe at a time.
Thumbprint Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened (170 g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 g
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon almond extract 2.5 ml
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 210 g
- â…› teaspoon salt about 0.75 g, or a small pinch
For Rolling & Filling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 g, approximate
- ½ cup fruit preserves 160 g (apricot, strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry work beautifully)
Instructions
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or leave them ungreased.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and smooth.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the almond extract.
- Add the flour and salt, then mix by hand with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. It may seem very dry at first, but keep working the butter through, and it will come together.
Shape & Chill
- Shape the dough into a log about 12 inches (30 cm) long.
- Wrap tightly in parchment or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
Slice & Bake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- For 16 cookies: slice the log into 16 rounds, each about 3/4 inch (1.8–2 cm) thick. This is the size shown in the photos.For 24 cookies: slice the log into 24 thinner rounds, each about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick.
- Using your hands, roll each round into a ball, and then flatten slightly into a rounded disc. This step is essential for shaping the cookies.
- Press the disc into the sugar to coat one side, then place it on the sheet pan sugared side up.
- Using your thumb or a small round tool, gently press an indentation into the center of each cookie (I use a clean wine bottle cork). See the notes below for cookies with hearts.
- Fill each indentation with about ½ teaspoon fruit preserves.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes for the small cookies (24 batch) and 12-15 minutes for the larger size (16 batch), until the cookies are set and just beginning to turn golden on the bottom.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. They are fragile until completely cooled.
Notes
Nutrition
You may also like:
Lemon Amaretti Squares
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Gluten-Free Butternut Squash Blondie
Discover more from A Nourished Life by Eva Marie
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Ah, yes, the lovely Thumbprint cookies. Eva, in your defense, you do say “your finger, or….” but the 1″ instrument makes them just toooo perfect. The Thumbprint cookies of old were literally a thumbprint with the jam piled on. Your recipe is spot on, but I’m stuck on using my thumb. I will let my grandkids use 2 thumbs!
That’s one of the things I love about cooking is that we can all put our personal touch on our creations. Two thumbs for the grandkids for sure! Enjoy!
I see these and I’m very curious about making them!! They sound delicious!! I have to make stuff without milk because with me and my husband, we don’t even go through a half gallon before the expiration date!! So these sound perfect!! I am planning to sprinkle a little bit of sugar over each one before they go into the oven!! I can’t wait!
Well if anyone cares for a review, these are fantastic!!!
Yummy!! Delicious!!
Just made them with some strawberry jam… and I’m sold!!
Thank you, Ashley! They are yummy, aren’t they? I made tons of them over the holidays but they are so pretty and tasty that they are great for any time of the year. Glad you liked them!
Eva