Jam Thumbprint Cookies with Icing are impressive shortbread cookies that allow the homemade jam to sparkle.
Old Fashioned Thumbprint Cookies
Each summer I make homemade jam out of my neighbor's strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. These Thumbprint Cookies with Icing are one of the reasons I push through when canning all that jam.
My Cowboy loves cookies. I once watched him eat 14 cookies in one evening. It's a good thing he works hard so he burns all those calories.
Old Fashioned Jam Thumbprint Cookies with Icing are one of his favorite cookies. He prefers these tender cookies with the nut coating, but I like the festive touch of the colored sugar.
This cookie is perfect for any holiday cookie tray--Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, Halloween... I like using colored sugar to match the season. But I always coat half of the cookies with finely minced pecans or walnuts for My Cowboy.
The slight drizzle of icing makes the perfect addition to these classic thumbprint cookies.
You should make them both ways and decide which way is your favorite.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter, softened
- All Purpose Flour
- Sugar
- Eggs, seperated
- Vanilla Extract--Almond Extract can be substituted, but use only ¼ teaspoon
- Finely Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
- Colored Sugars, optional
- Jam--strawberry, blackberry, blueberry or raspberry jam are all delicious
- Powdered Sugar--for a sweet icing drizzle
How to Make Jam Thumbprint Cookies with Icing
- Separate the eggs and save the whites in a small bowl to coat each ball of dough.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat room-temperature butter by hand or with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
- Add about half of the flour, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat until combined.
- Beat in remaining flour. Stir until dough forms.
- Cover and chill for 1 hour or until easily handled.
- Using a small cookie scoop, shape into 1-inch balls.
- Roll balls in egg whites, then in minced nuts.
- Place one inch apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Press centers with your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
- Cool cookies on a wire rack. Drizzle with icing when cooled.
- Icing Recipe: In a separate bowl, mix powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of water. Add drops of water until icing is the consistency for drizzling.
- Just before serving--using 2 spoons or a piping bag, fill the center of each cookie with a small spoonful of jam just before serving.
Pro Tips for Making Perfect Cookies
- For best results, I stir my cookie dough by hand with a rubber spatula so I have better control over the amount of stirring. If you must use a mixer, the amount of mixing should be minimal and on low speed when adding the egg, flour, and chocolate chips.
- Ensure the baking sheets are cool when scooping dough onto them to prevent cookies from spreading out before they enter the oven. I find it helpful to rotate 2 cookie sheets, allowing 1 to cool while one bakes.
- Allow your cookies to cool completely on a cooling rack to prevent them from sticking together.
Substitutions and Variations
Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies--mix softened cream cheese with a touch of sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk to make a cream cheese filling for your cookies in place of jam.
Colorful Thumbprint Cookies--Add a few drops of food coloring to make any color of cookie you like.
Something Else to Try
I am a huge fan of cookie recipes! There are so many to try, but here are a few of my favorites.
Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips--add a few crushed candy canes for a holiday version of this chocolaty treat.
Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies--caramel AND chocolate, let's be friends.
Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies--for when you need a smaller batch of cookies in the house.
Bacon Grease Chocolate Chip Cookies--yup, you read that right. Try it! You will be impressed.
French Cookies--fancy waffle cookies that are the star of a cookie platter.
Chocolate Chip Mug Cake--One serving for a late-night, movie-watching sweet treat that's ready in minutes.
Storing Jam Thumbprint Cookies with Icing
Baked cookies store well in a covered airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. But if you have cookies that last a whole week in your house, we are not cut from the same cloth.
To make dough in advance, mix the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bake as usual.
To freeze cookie dough balls, drop dough on cookie sheets in a single layer, and place in the freezer until firm. Then put in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag until ready to bake.
FAQ
My cookies are flat and crunchy, what did I do wrong?
Be sure to preheat your oven for 15 minutes or so before baking. You can check to be sure your oven is baking at the proper temperature by testing it with an oven thermometer.
Also, make sure your cookie sheets are completely cool before placing your balls of dough.
My cookies are dry and crumbly, what did I do wrong?
Make sure you carefully measure your flour. I never weigh my flour when cooking, but I am very careful to stir, scoop carefully, and never tap my flour.
My cookies didn't raise and are flat, what happened?
Make sure your baking soda is fresh. Each container has an expiration date on it, you better check yours.
If your baking soda is expired, use it for cleaning or to freshen your fridge, but do NOT use if for baking.
Equipment
Cookie Sheets are so handy to have around. You need at least 2 so you can alternate them and allow them to cool between batches.
Cooking Racks are important so your cookies cool without sticking together or to the plate/countertop.
A Cookie Scoop makes it easy to scoop your dough and keep all the cookies similar in size so they cook evenly.
Related
Pairing
Did You Try This Recipe?
Lastly, if you made Thumbprint Cookies with Icing following this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!
I love hearing from you! I'll do my best to respond to each comment.
And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag @laughingroostereats on Instagram and hashtag it #laughingroostereats! Seeing your photos is our favorite thing!
FOOD SAFETY
- Wash hands before cooking
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov
Thumbprint Cookies with Icing
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 large Eggs seperated
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract Almond Extract can be substitutedbut use only ¼ teaspoon
- 1 cup Finely Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
- Colored Sugars optional
- ½ cup Jam strawberry strawberry, blackberry, blueberry or raspberry jam are all delicious
- ⅓ cup Powdered Sugar to make icing drizzle
Instructions
- Separate the eggs and save the whites in a small bowl to coat each ball of dough.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat room-temperature butter by hand or with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
- Add about half of the flour, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat until combined.
- Beat in remaining flour. Stir until dough forms.
- Cover and chill for 1 hour or until easily handled.
- Using a small cookie scoop, shape into 1-inch balls.
- Roll balls in egg whites, then in minced nuts.
- Place one inch apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Press centers with your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
- Cool cookies on a wire rack. Drizzle with icing when cooled.
- Icing Recipe: In a separate bowl, mix powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of water. Add drops of water until icing is the consistency for drizzling.
- Just before serving--using 2 spoons or a piping bag, fill the center of each cookie with a small spoonful of jam just before serving.
Betty
I was not expecting to like these so much!!!
Chuckie
Right?? I love those little shortbread cookies. 🙂