Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Thursday, July 8, 2021
Jam Thumbprints are a basic butter cookie with a sweetness of red raspberry or another favorite jam in the center.

This popular cookie is also known as hallongrotta, which means "raspberry cave" in Swedish can also be filled with many other delicious confections just check out my yummy options below.

They have also been called bird's nest cookies, jam biscuits, raspberry butterballs, and Polish tea cakes, and they are believed to have originated in the 19th century.

This easy recipe is more a buttery shortbread with a wonderful surprise center then dusted at the end with a snowy powdered sugar.

They make the perfect addition to any Christmas cookie tray around the holiday season with the festive red center.

We enjoy all kinds of cookies and make several different kinds for the holiday season we call it the One Stop Cookie Shop of recipes you may like to try.

The cookie literally tastes great by itself but we love an assortment of fillings to make the prettiest colorful cookie tray you'll ever feast your eyes on.

Scroll down to my printable recipe card for this melt-in-your-mouth simple cookie recipe.


butter cookies filled in the center with jam






Jam Thumbprint Cookies



If you love raspberry jam this is going to rock your world.


This cookie is the first one to fly off a cookie holiday tray and so pretty.


Plain and simple and so easily changed to another flavor with just one dough.

The recipe really only makes a small batch of 28 cookies so make a double batch you won't be sorry!


step by step how to make jam thumbprint cookies



Other Additions:

  1. lemon, mint, rum, anise, almond, orange, maple, or another extract you like in place of vanilla
  2. fill the center with Nutella
  3.  add toffee chips, mini chocolate chips, and coconut to the center
  4. minced maraschino cherries and coconut, chopped walnuts, and mini chocolate chips
  5. coconut shredded with red and green chopped candied cherries
  6. caramels chopped, pecans and coconut
  7. pistachios, macadamia nuts, pecan, walnuts, or for nut allergies pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds mixed with cinnamon and sugar 
  8. whole cloves in the center
  9. zest from lemon or oranges added to the dough lemon curd filling
  10. chopped dried fruits
  11. minced cranberries, dates, figs, or raisins with cinnamon /sugar mixed with nuts
  12. cherry, peach, apricot, blackberry, mint, fig, blueberry, strawberry, pineapple jams or another one you love



jam thumbprints butter cookies filled with raspberry jam



Shopping List (scroll down for exact measurements)

  • sugar
  • vanilla
  • butter
  • flour
  • salt
  • baking powder
  • egg
  • garnish with powdered sugar seedless jam of any kind
  • Optional: other flavored extracts, zest of lemon or oranges, coconut, nuts, assorted flavored chocolate chips

batter for jam thumbprints



Tips

  1. measure exactly
  2. always use a cooled cookie sheet
  3. make sure the butter is at room temperature and do not microwave
  4. never use margarine
  5. always refrigerate the dough to reduce spreading
  6. cookies can be dipped in egg white and rolled in nuts if you prefer or sugar before baking
  7. always preheat the oven
  8. use flour on your finger to make an indentation for the jam well in the center of the cookie before baking
  9. I roll these into balls and refrigerate for 2 hours then add the thumbprint in the middle fill with jam and bake




More Recipes To Try:



Banana Chocolate Chip Biscotti


Chocolate Spice Cookies


Old Fashioned Buttermilk Cookies



Pin for Later




pin for later how to make jam thumbprints



Favorite Fillings



If you have suggestions and other favorite fillings, we would love you to share them in our comment section.


The cookie is simple to make and basic it's super delicious and pretty much a foolproof recipe that will never fail you.


There are plenty of recipes out there for thumbprints I have tried but I always come back to mom's tried and true recipes I have had hers since the early 1960s.



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jam filled cookies, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, thumbprint cookies
American
Yield: 24
Author: Claudia Lamascolo
Jam Thumbprints

Jam Thumbprints

Buttery little gems called thumbprint cookies. These are filled with your favorite jam in the middle of a buttery cookie crust.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Ingredients

  • Measure the ingredients below exactly:
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 cup butter (1- 1/2 sticks) softened
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • Garnish powdered sugar in a shaker
  • Jam of choice you will need around

Instructions

  1. Preheat 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl in set aside.
  3. Using a clean bowl, add the butter and sugar and whip using an electric beater for 5 minutes.
  4. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
  5. Slowly add the dry ingredients until evenly mixed.
  6. Roll into balls (or use a melon ball-size scoop) to make them even in size adding them to the parchment-lined cookie sheet.
  7. Make an indentation with your index finger in the center of each ball.
  8. Fill each center with around 3/4 teaspoon of your favorite jam.
  9. Bake them just until the edges start to turn brown around 15 minutes.
  10. Cool completely.
  11. Cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month in a sealed container.

Notes

Other Additions:

  1. lemon, mint, rum, anise, almond, orange, maple, or another extract you like in place of vanilla
  2. fill the center with Nutella
  3.  add toffee chips, mini chocolate chips, and coconut to the center
  4. minced maraschino cherries and coconut, chopped walnuts, and mini chocolate chips
  5. coconut shredded with red and green chopped candied cherries
  6. caramels chopped, pecans and coconut
  7. pistachios, macadamia nuts, pecan, walnuts, or for nut allergies pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds mixed with cinnamon and sugar 
  8. whole cloves in the center
  9. zest from lemon or oranges added to the dough lemon curd filling
  10. chopped dried fruits
  11. minced cranberries, dates, figs, or raisins with cinnamon /sugar mixed with nuts
  12. cherry, peach, apricot, blackberry, mint, fig, blueberry, strawberry, pineapple jams or another one you love





Pin for Later




pin for later jam thumbprints



Here are more of our favorite cookie recipes:



24 One-Stop Cookie Shop


25 Holiday Cookies



how to make jam thumbprints



Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2021.

21 comments

  1. looks magic!merry christmas ,claudia to you and yours!

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  2. Hmm...mm... lovely! Still busy with some bakings. Love your thumbrpint cookies. Hope you're having a wonderful day and enjoy your holiday with your family.
    Merry Christmas & Happy New year to you & your family!
    Blessings, Kristy

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  3. I love those cookies! Specially the pecans

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  4. I'm getting hungry just looking at these.The jam looks delicious.

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  5. You have shared so many wonderful recipes! I wish to thank you for your hard work (I know blogs take time) and wish you a very Merry Christmas.

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  6. How pretty! I love thumbprint cookies... yours sound incredible!

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  7. What a fantastic idea! I adore caramel, and the combination of chocolate and caramel pleases everyone, doesn't it? Have a wonderful holiday!

    Kristi

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  8. What a fantastic idea! I adore caramel, and the combination of chocolate and caramel pleases everyone, doesn't it? Have a wonderful holiday!

    Kristi

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  9. Beautiful cookies! Your thumbprints held their shape wonderfully.. I hope you have a fabulous holiday with your friends and family!

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  10. Girl, you are a cookie making machine! Or should I say - a cookie monster? lol.

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  11. I love this cookie recipe. I'm going to have to make these as Alan loves these cookies

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  12. I always love this sweet, buttery, melt-in-mouth classic!

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  13. Yummm these look soo good and such a classic!

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  14. Such a delicious looking thumbprint cookies, I will be trying it this weekend! Thanks for sharing!

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  15. These look super cute. A definitely make for Christmas time.

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  16. Such delicious little cookies! They sound amazing paired with the raspberry jam. I bet my kids would love them with Nutella.

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  17. One of my must-haves for the holidays. Even the kids in the family eat them up!

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  18. Could I have one of those right now please, I mean three!!!

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  19. I fill mine with the coconut pecan frosting used for German chocolate cake. Delicious!

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  20. Please double check this recipe card. You are missing the baking powder and egg. I got a batch in the oven now. I am hoping I added the correct amounts.

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    Replies
    1. oh my thanks for catching that and I do apologize no idea how that happened in the card...the vanilla also I hope they came out ok and the addition made them delicious

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Remember to use the search option for a recipe you're looking for and thanks for all your kind words and support. We love our readers all the best Claudia