Jam Thumbprint Cookies
These jam thumbprint cookies have a melt in your mouth buttery shortbread cookie, filled with your favorite jam! Try raspberry, peach, strawberry, or apricot. They're a classic Christmas cookie, and also a winner to make any time of the year.
Servings: 36
Calories: 120kcal
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup jam of choice
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 TBS heavy cream
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat them together for 2 to 3 minutes until creamy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bow down as needed. 1 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- Add the vanilla extract and mix it into the dough until combined.1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour and salt to the dough and mix it together just until combined. Mix with your hands if needed to mix in the last bits of the flour. 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt
- Scoop the cookie dough into 1 TBS sized portions and roll them into balls
- Place the cookie dough balls onto a lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
- Indent the center of the cookies with your finger, or use the bottom of a round 1/2 tsp measuring spoon to press into the cookie.1/2 cup jam of choice
- Place the pans in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- Fill the cookies carefully with 1/2 teaspoon of jam each, just to the top of the cookie. Place the pan back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned, and the tops are no longer shiny.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Glaze:
- Add the glaze ingredients to a small bowl and whisk them together.1 cup powdered sugar , 4 TBS heavy cream, 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
- Transfer the glaze into a small ziplock bag and snip the corner off. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cookies, as desired.
Notes
- You must chill the dough. This will enhance the flavor of the cookies, but also keep them from spreading too much while baking. Keep one tray of cookies in the fridge while the other bakes, so they stay chilled until ready.
- To prevent cookies from cracking - The dough is firm enough that you should be able to potion a section and roll it in your hands. Roll the dough long enough to get it just a little warm, and make a ball with no lines. Then gently press your thumb or the back of a teaspoon into the cookie. If the cookies crack you can re-roll or press the dough together as needed. The cookies may still crack a little as they bake, but this should prevent most of it.
- Don't actually use your thumb. This may seem counter intuitive and of course you can use your fingers to make the hole, but I like to use the bottom side of a 1 teaspoon measuring spoon to press in the whole instead. This goes a little deeper and keeps the holes nice and uniform to ensure a pretty shape and evenly filled cookies.
- Customize the filling - You can chose your favorite filling for the cookies. Use a thick jam that is not too runny. I like raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, apricot, or peach. Lemon curd is also delicious. You could even try a melted caramel filling, or nutella.
Nutrition
Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 35mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.4mg