If you’re looking for a classic cookie, this Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies recipe is it. We use strawberry jam, hence the name, but you can choose whatever variant you like.
For more sweet treats, check out all of our desserts.
If you’re looking for a classic cookie to make for dessert or to add to your Christmas cookie trays this holiday season, these Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies are perfect.
Buttery cookies are filled with a sweet strawberry jam to create delicious cookies that the perfect sweet treat. The cookie isn’t overly sweet, but the jam is, creating a great balance. If you wanted, you could drizzle some melted white chocolate on top to give them a little punch of sugar.
What’s great is this thumbprint cookie recipe uses simple ingredients that you (probably) have in your home at all times. So, if you’re in the mood for dessert but don’t have anything handy, you can easily whip up a batch of these.
There isn’t any chocolate in these Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies. If you’re looking for other cookies without chocolate, our list of Non-Chocolate Cookie Recipes is for you.
Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies
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Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies Ingredients:
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons strawberry jam
How To Make Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies:
Add room temperature butter to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Side note: If you don’t want to wait for the butter to come to room temperature, you can cut it into pieces then microwave it for 20 seconds so it’s softened but not melted.
Add the salt and sugar to the stand mixer and mix together for about three minutes on medium speed.
Add in the vanilla and eggs to the stand mixer. Mix for one minute until the new ingredients are incorporated.
Add in the flour and mix until a dough forms. Be sure to scrape down any flour that stays on the side of the mixing bowl so it all gets incorporated.
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop a dough ball.
Roll the dough ball between your hands to get a smooth ball, then put it on a silicone baking mat-lined cookie sheet. Continue until you’ve scooped all the batter. You should have 36 1-inch balls, all on a cookie sheet, when you’re done.
Chill the cookie dough on the baking sheet in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. For the best results, chill the dough overnight.
Side note: If you’re going to chill them overnight, put them in an airtight container.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
Remove the cookie balls from the fridge. Put 18 of them on a silicone baking mat-lined cookie sheet.
Use the back of a teaspoon-sized measuring spoon to form a well in the center of each cookie. Don’t push the measuring spoon in too far because that will cause the cookie to crack.
Add a quarter teaspoon worth of strawberry jam into the well.
Quick note: You don’t have to measure the jam. Whatever fits in the well is fine. I just wanted to give you an approximation to make the recipe a little easier.
Bake cookies for 12 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottom, not the edges, gets golden brown.
Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.
Bake the next batch the same way.
Cool cookies completely before eating (so the sweet jam center doesn’t burn your mouth).
Thumbprint Cookies: Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftover thumbprint cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
You can free thumbprint cookie dough. After you form the dough balls, chill them in the fridge for a half hour. Then, put them in a freezer safe bag. They’ll last about three months.
Allow them to thaw on a prepared baking sheet before making a well in the center of the cookie and adding the jam.
You can use whatever type of jam you like — raspberry jam, apricot jam, homemade blueberry jam — to make thumbprint cookies. Strawberry jam cookies are the most classic thumbprint cookies, but you use different flavors for different holidays. In fact, you can even use multiple types of jam in one batch.
A silicone baking mat is such a good investment. Cookies bake so evenly on it and slide right off. You don’t have to worry about greasing a pan. Plus, baking mats are reusable, so they’re budget friendly.
If you don’t have one, you can use parchment paper instead.
I’m obsessed with my stand mixer and use it every chance I can. If you don’t have one, you can use a hand mixer to make these cookies. It just might take a little longer to cream butter and combine ingredients when you’re using the hand mixer.
Thumbprint cookies aren’t meant to spread, like other baked cookies are. They’re meant to stay very close to the size they are after you add the well. That’s why you refrigerate thumbprint cookies before baking. It hardens the fat in them so it doesn’t spread while baking, keeping the cookies about the same size and shape as when you put them in the oven.
If you overmix your cookies, they can come out dry and basically explode when you’re rolling them into a ball. Add two tablespoons of water, gently mix it in with your hands and try to roll the cookies again.
More Thumbprint Cookie Recipes:
If you don’t want a jam filling, try our Thumbprint Cookie with Icing recipe. We use a food coloring-dyed cream cheese icing in those jam free thumbprint cookies.
You can use whatever color food color you like, but we used pink to match the strawberry jam in these cookies.
Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies
If you’re looking for a classic cookie, this Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies recipe is it. We use strawberry jam, hence the name, but you can choose whatever variant you like.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons strawberry jam
Instructions
- Add room temperature butter to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the salt and sugar to the stand mixer and mix together for about three minutes on medium speed.
- Add in the vanilla and eggs to the stand mixer. Mix for one minute until the new ingredients are incorporated.
- Add in the flour and mix until a dough forms. Be sure to scrape down any flour that stays on the side of the mixing bowl so it all gets incorporated.
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop a dough ball.
- Roll the dough ball between your hands to get a smooth ball, then put it on a silicone baking mat-lined cookie sheet. Continue until you’ve scooped all the batter. Chill the cookie dough on the baking sheet in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Remove the cookie balls from the fridge. Put 18 of them on a silicone baking mat-lined cookie sheet. Use the back of a teaspoon-sized measuring spoon to form a well in the center of each cookie.
- Add a quarter teaspoon worth of strawberry jam into the well.
- Bake cookies for 12 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottom, not the edges, gets golden brown.
- Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.
Notes
For the best results, chill the dough overnight.
Nutrition Information
Yield
36Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 90Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 24mgSodium 20mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 0gSugar 4gProtein 1g
Did you made these Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies? Let us know about it in the comments.
Lila
Friday 10th of July 2015
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