Name: STRAWBERRY THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup butter (2 sticks, at room temperature); ⅔ cup granulated sugar; 2 egg yolks; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; ½ tsp salt; ⅓ cup strawberry jam

Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies are soft, buttery, and filled with a sweet strawberry jam center that is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. These thumbprint cookies with jam are perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a holiday party, a family gathering, or just a sweet treat for yourself.

To make these delicious jam cookies, all you need is a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. The dough is made with butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla extract, which creates a rich and buttery flavor. And the strawberry center of these jam thumbprint cookies is a perfect combination of texture and flavor!

Strawberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies

The origin of thumbprint cookies is not entirely clear, but it is believed that they were first made in Sweden in the early 1900s. The cookies became popular in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s, and they have remained a favorite ever since.

Thumbprint cookies are versatile and can be made with a variety of flavors and fillings. We fill our shortbread cookies with strawberry flavored jam, but you can use any of jam flavor you desire. Strawberry is just one of our favorites because it looks and tastes incredible. Do not underestimate the deliciousness of this simple cookie recipe, give it a try today and see just what we mean!

strawberry thumbprint cookies on a cooling rack

Why you’ll LOVE this easy cookie recipe

Chilling is optional: If you do not feel like waiting for cookies, you don’t have to. With this thumbprint cookie recipe, the chilling is optional so you can take a break and let the dough sit or you can get them baking now so they can be finished sooner.
Delicious Flavor: These cookies have a buttery, crumbly texture and a sweet, fruity flavor that is irresistible. The combination of the buttery cookie and the sweet jam filling is a match made in heaven. They are the perfect balance of sweet and tart, making them a great snack or dessert.
Versatile: This recipe is versatile and can be customized to suit your taste preferences. You can use any type of jam or preserves you like, and you can also add different flavors to the dough, such as almond extract or lemon zest. You can also experiment with different shapes and sizes of thumbprints to make them unique.

strawberry jam cookies with a bite taken out

Strawberry Jelly Shortbread Cookie Ingredients

Butter: You will need 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, room temperature, to create a nice rich tasting cookie.

Sugar: Using ⅔ cups of granulated sugar will help to make the cookies sweet and chewy.

Eggs: To bind the ingredients together, add in 2 egg yolks only.

Vanilla extract: Adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract will enhance the wonderful flavor in these cookies.

Flour: The structural base of theses cookies is 2 cups of all-purpose flour.

Salt: You will want to use ½ teaspoon of salt to balance the flavors in the cookie so they taste incredible.

Jam: ⅓ cup of strawberry jam will be the filling in the middle of the cookies.

How to make Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies

Prep

To start, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Then, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats and set them aside.

Cookie Dough

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, on medium-high speed, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes.

Then, add in and beat the egg yolks and the vanilla extract.

Next, add the flour and salt. Mix together until incorporated and the dough comes together into a ball.

If desired, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (this is optional but if you have time, it’s worth this extra step).

Shaping

Proceed to form the dough into 1-inch-sized balls that are perfectly round and then place them onto the prepared baking sheet.

Using the backside of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, press an indent into the center of the cookies to create a crater.

Bake & Filling

Place the cookie sheets into the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and if the indents look shallow, press them in again.

Then, fill each indentation with a spoon full of strawberry jam.

Continue to bake in the oven for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the jam has melted slightly and the edges of the cookies are lightly golden in color.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Serve and enjoy!

Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies are a soft, buttery melt-in-your-mouth cookie topped with sweet strawberry jam! Classic thumbprint cookies with jam are made easy with pantry ingredients & taste delicious!

What are some variations of thumbprint cookies?

Thumbprint cookies are a versatile treat that can be customized in many ways. Here are some popular variations:

Filling Variations. The filling is the most customizable part of thumbprint cookies. Here are some popular filling variations:

Fruit preserves: The classic filling for thumbprint cookies is fruit preserves. Popular flavors include raspberry, strawberry, and apricot.
Chocolate: For a chocolatey twist, fill the thumbprint with melted chocolate or chocolate ganache.
Caramel: For a rich and buttery flavor, fill the thumbprint with homemade or store-bought caramel.

Dough Variations. The dough is the base of thumbprint cookies and can also be customized. Here are some popular dough variations:

Chocolate: For a chocolatey dough, add cocoa powder to the dough recipe.
Almond: For an almond-flavored dough, add almond extract or ground almonds to the dough recipe.
Spice: For a spiced flavor, add cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg to the dough recipe.

Topping Variations. The topping is the final touch on thumbprint cookies and can also be customized. Here are some popular topping variations:

Chopped nuts: For a crunchy texture, sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the filling.
Powdered sugar: For a sweet and simple topping, dust the cookies with powdered sugar.
Glaze: For a shiny and sweet topping, drizzle the cookies with a simple glaze made of powdered sugar and milk.

Ingredients

1 cup butter 2 sticks, at room temperature
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
⅓ cup strawberry jam

Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Then, add in and beat the egg yolks and the vanilla extract.
Add the flour and salt. Mix together until incorporated and the dough comes together into a ball. If desired, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (this is optional).
Shaping: Form the dough into1-inch-sized balls that are perfectly round and then place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Using the backside of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, press an indent into the center of the cookies to create a crater.
Bake & Filling: Place the cookie sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and if the indents look shallow, press them in again. Then, fill each indentation with a spoon full of strawberry jam.
Continue to bake in the oven for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the jam has melted slightly and the edges of the cookies are lightly golden in color. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Strawberry thumbprint cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

For longer storage, they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

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How long are thumbprint cookies good for?

You should keep the cookies in a single-layer air-tight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Use a piece of parchment paper between layers of cookies, if needed, to prevent bottoms of cookies sticking to the jam of other cookies. For best results, I recommend eating them within about 3 or 4 days.

buttery thumbprint cookies with strawberry jam

Why are my thumbprint cookies falling apart?

If your thumbprint cookies are falling apart, it could be due to a few reasons. One reason could be that the dough is too dry and crumbly, in which case you can try adding a little more butter or egg to the recipe. Another reason could be that the cookies are overbaked, causing them to become dry and brittle. Make sure to bake the cookies for the recommended amount of time and keep an eye on them while they are in the oven.

Why did my cookies spread?

If your cookies spread too much while baking, it was most likely a direct result of the dough being too warm. If it’s hot in the kitchen or your butter is too soft, your dough will become warm fairly quickly. You can fix this easily by just popping the dough into the freezer for about 30 minutes to an hour or so before you continue to bake the cookies as directed.

Can I make the cookie dough in advance?

Yes, you can make the dough and keep it in a well-covered bowl in the fridge for up to a day in advance. So make the dough one day and bake it the next. Perfect for parties and occasions where you want fresh cookies but without being in the kitchen for too long.

cooling rack with several strawberry thumbprint cookies on it

Do I have to chill the cookie dough?

When recipes request that you chill your cookie dough it is usually for a good reason. That reason is that the flavor gets a bit more time to develop and the cookies taste even more incredible. But the biggest reason is because of the butter/fats in the dough. By chilling the dough we allow the fats to solidify which means your cookies will not spread out as much while baking, so the texture turns out perfectly. This is especially important on warmer days or when your butter is warm or softened.

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Here are more thumbprint cookie recipes to give a try:

Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies are a fluffy and buttery melt-in-your-mouth shortbread dessert. These thumbprint cookies with jam are made with just a few simple ingredients, they come together fast and are absolutely incredible!

STRAWBERRY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

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