Jam-Filled Cookies
This post may contain affiliate links.
Read our Disclaimer.
Leave a Comment ★★★★★
Jam-Filled Cookies
These thumbprint cookies are the perfect shortbread treat, featuring a buttery base and a jewel-like center of sweet fruit preserves. Made from scratch with simple ingredients like real butter, vanilla, and your favorite jam, they come together in about 30 minutes of active time. They are an essential addition to any holiday cookie tray or a lovely homemade gift for any occasion.
I first fell for these charming butter cookies during a holiday market in Vienna, where each bakery window showcased trays of them filled with vibrant apricot and raspberry preserves. The memory of that crisp winter air and the warmth of those buttery treats stayed with me, and I’ve been perfecting my own version ever since. I love making a batch to enjoy with a cup of tea after a hearty dinner, or to serve alongside other favorites like my cranberry orange cookies and churro cheesecake for a festive dessert spread.
Why Your Family Will Adore These Thumbprint Cookies
- Simple Elegance: The tender, buttery dough and sweet fruit filling create a classic, irresistible flavor combination.
- Perfect for Gifting: These beautiful cookies look professionally made and are wonderful for holiday tins or party platters.
- Kid-Friendly Fun: Little hands love helping to roll the dough balls and press in the thumbprint indentations.
- Endless Variations: You can easily customize the jam flavors to match the season or your personal taste.
What You’ll Need for Perfect Thumbprint Cookies
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature for easy creaming and a rich, tender crumb.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cookie dough and helps create a light texture when creamed with butter.
- Egg Yolk: Adds richness and helps bind the dough together without making it cakey.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Use a high-quality extract for the best aromatic flavor in these butter cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cookie dough; measure correctly for perfect results.
- Fine Sea Salt: Enhances all the other flavors and balances the sweetness of the preserves.
- Fruit Preserves: Choose your favorite flavor; thicker preserves work best to prevent overflowing during baking.
Easy Thumbprint Cookies
Easy homemade thumbprint cookies with fruit preserves. These buttery cookies feature a sweet jam center and are perfect for holidays or everyday treats. Ready in under 40 minutes!
Equipment
- oven
- baking sheet
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- plastic wrap
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup fruit preserves, any flavor
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture, beating on medium speed until well combined. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and fine sea salt until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined and a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can make the cookies tough. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes; this helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Once chilled, unwrap the dough and roll it into 1-inch balls. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using your thumb or the back of a rounded teaspoon, gently press an indentation into the center of each cookie ball.
- Fill each indentation with approximately 1/2 teaspoon of your chosen fruit preserves.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Let dough chill for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading. Use any flavor of fruit preserves you like.
Creative Ways to Customize Your Cookies
- Chocolate Drizzle: Melt some chocolate and drizzle it over the cooled cookies for an elegant finish.
- Nut-Coated: Roll the dough balls in finely chopped pecans or walnuts before making the thumbprint.
- Lemon Curd Filling: Swap the fruit preserves for tangy lemon curd for a bright, citrusy twist.
My Pro Tips for Perfect Thumbprint Cookies Every Time
- Properly Softened Butter: Your butter should be soft enough to leave an indent when pressed, but not oily or melted, for the best texture.
- Don’t Skip the Chill: Chilling the dough is essential to prevent your homemade cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Uniform Sizing: Use a small cookie scoop to ensure all your dough balls are the same size for even baking.
- Gentle Thumbprints: Press your thumb into the center of each ball just until you see cracks forming, but don’t press all the way through.
How to Store and Keep Your Cookies Fresh
- Store: Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, placing parchment between layers.
- Freeze: Freeze unfilled, baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months; fill with jam after thawing.
- Reheat: Refresh cookies in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes if you prefer them warm, but they are delicious at room temperature.
- Make-Ahead Tip: You can prepare the cookie dough, shape into balls, and freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a bag for up to a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my thumbprint cookies spread too much?
This usually happens if the butter was too soft or the dough wasn’t chilled long enough. I always make sure my butter is just softened, not melted, and I chill the dough for the full 30 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape beautifully during baking.
Can I use jelly instead of preserves in thumbprint cookies?
You can, but preserves or jam work better because they are thicker and contain fruit pieces, which prevents the filling from boiling over. If you only have jelly, try simmering it for a few minutes to reduce and thicken it slightly before using.
How do you keep the jam from bubbling over?
Be careful not to overfill the thumbprints, using only about 1/2 teaspoon of preserves per cookie. Also, using a thicker preserve rather than a runny jelly helps immensely. If your jam is very thin, you can thicken it with a little cornstarch.
Can thumbprint cookies be made gluten-free?
Yes, you can make gluten-free thumbprint cookies by using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. The texture may be slightly more delicate, but they will still be delicious. Be sure to check out my other gluten-free treats like these pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes for more ideas.
More Irresistible Cookie Recipes to Try
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Cookies
- Chewy Lemon Cookies
- Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
- Oreo Brownies
Why These Thumbprint Cookies Become an Instant Favorite
With their delicate, buttery texture and sweet, fruity centers, these thumbprint cookies are truly a timeless treat. They are surprisingly simple to make from scratch yet look and taste incredibly special. I hope this recipe brings as much joy to your kitchen as it has to mine, creating sweet memories for every occasion.
