How cute are thumbprint cookies? Whenever I think of these cookies I think of childhood, maybe because of their name but also because of their simplicity. I love using raspberry or apricot jams for the “thumbprint,” as the tartness of those fruits cuts the buttery flavor of the cookie. A perfect little cookie to make at home with your family, especially if you have young kids!
Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (280g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp (226g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (70g)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed (70g)
- 1/3 cup jam of choice
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling the dough
Instructions
- Cream the butter and the sugars (just the 1/3 cup granulated and brown sugars) together in the bowl of a stand mixer until fully combined and creamy. Add the egg yolk and the vanilla and continue to beat until fully combined, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as necessary.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the mixer while beating on low speed. Pause as necessary to scrape the sides, and make sure everything comes together fully. the dough will be relatively dry.
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Scoop out ~1 tbsp size portions of dough and roll them in your hands until they form an even ball. Roll the ball in a bowl of the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, and place on the lined baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of the dough, There should be just enough dough for 24 dough balls. Using your thumb (or the back of a measuring spoon for more uniformity), press deep indents into the dough balls. Once done, place the baking sheet in the freezer to chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 375°F. Once 30 minutes has passed, remove the cookies from the freezer. Prepare a full sized baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, and transfer the chilled cookies to the larger sheet, making sure to leave space for them to spread in the oven. Fill the wells in each cookie with your jam of choice, making sure to fill them all the way to the top without overflowing.
- Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, or until they're just starting to brown on the edges. Allow the cookies to cool to room temp on the baking sheet before serving.
- Enjoy!
