Delightful Poppy Seed Thumbprint Cookies made with butter, sugar, egg yolks & flour, then topped with strawberry jam or lemon curd for a bright fruity flavor!

There’s something very Spring-like about these lemon poppy seed cookies! Even if the weather’s cruddy, I bake up a batch and they just brighten the day. They’re very pretty cookies, which I love! But they also taste divine. I can’t decide which I enjoy more, the cookies topped with jam or the ones with lemon curd. I guess I like to alternate. Try both and tell me what you think!

Tips for Successful Thumbprint Cookies:

• Softened butter is critical for creaming the butter and sugar together properly. If your butter isn’t already soft, you can try microwaving it on defrost for 20 seconds or so.
• Use what jam you have on hand! I love strawberry jam. You can also make the lemon curd yourself or buy some from the store.
• I added in vanilla extract but I also think they’d be lovely with almond extract.

Poppy Seed Thumbprint Cookie Ingredients

Butter: For rich tasting cookies, use 1 cup of room temperature butter( 2 sticks).

Sugar: You’ll need granulated sugar for chewy, sweet treats.

Eggs: Add 2 egg yolks only to the cookie dough.

Vanilla extract: Enhance the flavors with vanilla extract.

Flour: 2 cups of all-purpose flour is the base of this cookie recipe.

Poppy seeds: A couple tablespoons of poppy seeds is a great addition to these cookies.

Salt: Use ½ tsp of salt to balance the flavors well.

Jam: You need ¼ cup of strawberry jam and/or lemon curd. Use one or both for these cookies, both are delicious!

Powder sugar: Dust the cookies with powdered sugar, if desired.

Tips for getting the right Thumbprint Cookie Shape

There are 3 simple things I do to get the perfect shape for my thumbprints:

1. Shape before baking. I like to use a small ½ teaspoon to create the well in each ball of cookie dough before baking. Make sure the cookie is circle, then just press the teaspoon right on top.
2. Shape After baking. The cookie will flatten as it bakes and sometimes the well is still obvious, and sometimes it just seems to disappear! It’s ok, once the cookies come out of the oven I take the same ½ teaspoon and gently press into the cookies to create the divot again.
3. Bake, then fill, then bake a little more. You’ll notice I bake the cookie dough, then fill the thumbprints, then place the cookies back in the oven for just 2-3 minutes so that the jam or lemon curd settles nicely into the cookies.

How long are these thumbprint cookies good for?

Your cookies will stay fresh for about 1 week if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer freshness, keep them in the fridge.

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Poppy Seed Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

Delightful Poppy Seed Thumbprint Cookies made with butter, sugar, egg yolks & flour, then topped with strawberry jam or lemon curd. Perfectly sweet cookies with bright fruity flavor baked with buttery crisp edges.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Poppy Seed Thumbprint Cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 154kcal

Author Jessica & Nellie

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
• 2 TBSP poppy seeds
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup strawberry jam
• ¼ cup lemon curd
• powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

• Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
• Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Add in the egg yolks and the vanilla extract, mix again to combine.
• Add the flour, poppy seeds, and salt. Mix until incorporated and the dough comes together into a ball. If desired, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (this is optional).
• Shape: Form the dough into 1-inch-sized balls that are perfectly round and then place them onto the prepared baking sheets. Using the backside of a ½ tsp measuring spoon, press an indent into the center of the cookies to create a crater.
• Bake: Place the cookie sheets into the preheated oven and bake for 8-9 minutes.
• Fill: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and if the indents look shallow, press them in again. Then, fill each indentation with strawberry jam or lemon curd.
• Continue to bake in the oven for an additional 2-3 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. Dust lightly with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

These thumbprint cookies will stay fresh for up to 5-7 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

For longer storage, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 258IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Can you freeze these jam filled cookies?

Yes! You can freeze the cookies for up to 3 months. Just be sure to separate them with parchment paper before placing them in a freezer-safe container.

The secret to getting rich, chewy texture in thumbprint cookies

Using a combination of butter and egg yolks contributes to a rich and chewy texture. Make sure not to overmix the dough as well!

Why is it essential to use just egg yolks in some cookie recipes?

Using just egg yolks adds richness and moisture without making the cookies too puffy. This helps achieve the desired chewy texture in thumbprint cookies.

What is the best way to soften butter?

When you want softened or room temperature butter (65 degrees F) and don’t have any on hand, follow these simple tips for warming it up quickly without overheating and melting the butter. Softened butter is needed to incorporate with the dough for a seamless smooth consistency so getting your butter to the proper temp is important.

Here are some ways to warm up your cold stick of butter:

• Let it sit on the counter for 1 hour prior to making your cookie recipe.
• Slice the butter into tablespoon sized pieces and place into a warmed glass for 10-15 minutes. A glass right out of the dishwasher or a measuring glass warmed with water in the microwave (before disposing of the water) are both great options.
• Warm a small clean kitchen towel and wrap your sticks of butter (in the wrappers) for a few minutes.
• I like to use a warmed tall drinking glass and place the wrapped sticks of butter in the cup before turning it over on the counter for several minutes.

Want more Thumbprint cookie recipes? We’ve got you covered!

• Our recipe for caramel pecan thumbprint cookies is an easy dough to prepare! The pecan coating combined with the warm caramel is so delicious.
• These delightful jam thumbprint cookies are so buttery and soft, a classic cookie that everyone enjoys. Mix up the jam flavor for new and exciting cookies every time!
• Change up the filling with this peanut butter thumbprint cookie recipe. Nothing beats the flavor of the sweet peanut butter fudge filling!
• For a tart fruit flavor, give these raspberry jam thumbprint cookies a try. Serve these up for your next family gathering or celebration, they make a great addition to any dessert table.
• A fruity, decadent dessert are these chocolate strawberry thumbprint cookies that you need to try! The rich flavor of chocolate combined with the sweetness of strawberries is simply heavenly.

Poppy Seed Thumbprint Cookies are made with simple ingredients such as sugar, butter, and egg yolks. They are then topped with a lemon curd or strawberry jam, whichever you prefer!

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