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Best Christmas Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

Classic Christmas thumbprint cookies feature buttery shortbread cookies with sweet jam centers. These tender cookies with festive jam-filled thumbprints create the perfect contrast between crisp edges and soft cookie base.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 48 cookies
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 95

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup salted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup jam strawberry, raspberry, or your choice

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • Baking sheets
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) to ensure it's ready for baking.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together 1 cup of salted butter, 1 cup of white sugar, and ½ teaspoon of baking powder on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add 1 large egg to the butter mixture and beat well until fully incorporated.
  4. Add 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract and mix until everything is combined.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add 2½ cups of all-purpose flour. Mix until the ingredients are just barely combined to avoid overworking the dough.
  6. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to prevent spreading.
  7. Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter and place them at least 1 inch apart on a baking sheet to allow room for spreading.
  8. Immediately make an indentation in the center of each ball using your thumb or a rounded tool to create a space for the filling, about ½ inch deep.
  9. Fill each indentation with your choice of jam, using approximately ½ teaspoon per cookie. Slightly overfill each to accommodate for spreading during baking.
  10. Place the cookies in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, rotate the baking sheet to ensure even baking.
  11. Once baked, allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Make sure butter is softened but not melted. Chill shaped cookies for at least 30 minutes before adding jam and baking. Use thick jam that's not too runny to prevent spreading. If indents puff up during baking, press them down while cookies are still hot.