Go Back

Grandma's Old-Fashioned Thumbprint Cookies

These buttery little gems filled with jewel-toned jam were always on Grandma's Christmas cookie tray! They're incredibly simple to make, but look so elegant with that little dollop of jam in the center. Kids love pressing their thumbs into the dough (though you might want to supervise the jam-filling part!).
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 36 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • cup jam or preserves raspberry, strawberry, or apricot work beautifully
  • Powdered sugar for dusting optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
  5. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  6. Use your thumb (or the back of a small spoon) to make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Don't press all the way through!
  7. Fill each indentation with about ½ teaspoon of jam.
  8. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden. The centers should still look pale.
  9. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.