This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
My thumbprint cookies are buttery, crumbly, and filled with an irresistibly sweet, tart raspberry and lemon curd filling. They’re easy to make and customize.
Love elegant holiday cookies? Try my applesauce cookies, lemon ricotta cookies, healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and flourless cookies next.
As much as I love classic cookie flavors, it’s thumbprint cookies that have always reminded me of growing up. We didn’t bake them all the time (usually only Christmas!), so it felt like a treat when we did. I’ve stolen (I mean, borrowed!) my grandma’s tried and true recipe to share with you all today!
What are thumbprint cookies?
If you’re unfamiliar with them, thumbprint cookies are a type of shortbread cookie that originated in Sweden but have quickly become widely popular for holidays and special occasions. Each cookie is indented into a “thumbprint” and filled with various jams and curds. Raspberry jam is the most traditional, but my favorite is lemon curd.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Common baking ingredients. You’d probably have them all in the pantry already.
- Perfect texture and flavor. The cookie base is sweet and buttery, the peanuts add a savory crunch, and the tart filling balances out the cookies perfectly.
- Great for sharing. No one (and you can quote me on this) can resist these cookies. They’re perfect for the holidays and make a great addition to any dessert table or cookie exchange.
- No chilling time. Seriously, the worst thing about any cookie is having to chill the dough. Not this one, though. And they bake in just 12 minutes.
Ingredients needed
- Butter. Softened. I prefer to use unsalted butter since it gives me more control over how salty the cookie dough is.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar works best.
- Egg yolks. To add richness and mouthfeel to the cookies.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good cookie recipe! For a more Italian-inspired cookie, use almond extract.
- All-purpose flour. Good old-fashioned AP flour will do the trick, or gluten-free flour can be used if preferred.
- Salt. A little goes a long way to amplify the rest of the ingredients.
- Chopped nuts. Half the cookies will get rolled in chopped pecans, walnuts, peanuts, or almonds to add extra flavor and texture. Feel free to omit if that’s not your style.
- Lemon curd and raspberry preserves. For the filling.
How to make thumbprint cookies
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the cookie dough. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract, mixing well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Step 2- Shape. Take small portions of the dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Roll half of the dough balls in the chopped peanuts.
Step 3- Indent. Place the cookie balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Use your thumb (or the back of a spoon) to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
Step 4- Bake and fill. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on baking sheets for several minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, fill the indentations with jam.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use a plastic bag to pipe in the filling. My secret tip! Fill a plastic bag with the jam and curd, then use scissors to cut the corner off the bag. Use this to fill each cookie with about ½ teaspoon of jam.
- Change the filling. Any jam or jelly works. Try strawberry jam, apricot jam, marmalade, or apple butter instead.
- Warm up the jam. If the jam is too cold and won’t spread evenly, microwave it for 10 seconds to soften it up.
- Avoid overbaking the cookies. The cookies continue to cook as they cool down, so if you pull them out when they’re firm, they’ll get too crispy and break.
- Skip the fruit altogether. If you’re not a fan of jam, fill each cookie with melted chocolate, caramel sauce, or my homemade healthy Nutella.
Storage instructions
To store: Place leftover cookies in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days. Avoid stacking the cookies so they don’t stick to each other.
To freeze: Store the leftover cooled cookies in a freezer-safe bag with sheets of parchment paper between each layer of cookies and freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
Your cookies might spread if the butter was too soft or melted or if the dough wasn’t chilled for long enough before being shaped.
More holiday treats
- Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
- Tiramisu cookies
- Chickpea cookie dough
- Chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips
Thumbprint Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons peanuts finely chopped
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
- 1/2 cup lemon curd
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract, mixing well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Take small portions of the dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Roll half the dough balls in the chopped peanuts.
- Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are cooled, fill the thumbprint indentations with lemon curd and raspberry jam.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published November 2023, updated and republished November 2024
Is there anything that can be substituted for the egg yolks? These are my favorite cookies but I’m allergic to eggs.
Very good. I rarely make cookies but these I want to make really!
Could I substitute Nuttelex for butter?
You could try!