Melt-in-your-mouth Shortbread Cookies with jam are easy to make buttery shortbread cookies with a dollop of your favorite jam in the center. Roll in toasted nuts or coconut to brighten up the holidays and bring a pop of color to your Christmas cookie trays.
Christmas is right around the corner and I am getting so excited to bake up all my favorite Christmas treats. I'm planning on starting the day after Thanksgiving and baking right on up to the magical day.
These shortbread thumbprint cookies have always been amongst my favorites. They rank right up there with Pistachio Shortbread Cookies, Double Chocolate Mint Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Macaroons.
These shortbread cookies with jam may look complicated to make but they're really super easy. There are only 7 basic ingredients and take about 30 minutes to whip up. They're buttery, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, flavored with vanilla and sweetened with a dollop of your favorite jam.
And, if you like a little crunch, I covered some of mine in toasted pecans and some in coconut. However, if you're not into nuts or coconut, this step can be omitted and the cookies are still super yummy.
Table of contents
What are Thumprint Cookies
Thumbprint cookies originated in Sweden where they were called Hallongrotta, meaning raspberry cave in Swedish. They are a classic shortbread cookie made with butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla and filled with jam.
Frequently Asked Questions
I find it easier to fill mine before baking. I can make the indent in the cool cookie dough and fill with jam and they will hold that shape as they bake.
You can do it afterward as well but you will have to re-indent the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven and making the indent may cause the cookies to crack.
Absolutely, however, I would advise freezing them without the jam and adding it just before serving. You can also prep the cookies, make the indents, and freeze. Then thaw, add the jam and bake per the recipe. They will keep for about 2 months in the freezer.
Not long in my house! They will last 2-3 weeks in an airtight container on the counter. No need to store them in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
Butter - makes these cookies tender and adds a rich buttery taste
All-Purpose Flour - the high proportion of flour to butter helps produce a cookie with a tender, crumbly texture
Sugar - adds the sweetness
Eggs - the yolks help create a soft cookie, tenderizing the dough, and give the cookies a rich flavor. The egg whites help the nuts to adhere to the cookie
Vanilla Extract - lends warmth to the cookies and enhances all the other flavors
Salt - sharpens the buttery flavor
Chopped nuts - use your favorite kind of nut to give these cookies with their melt in your mouth texture a little crunch. You can also opt for toasted coconut or do some of each as I did.
Jam - use your favorite jam or other filling such as mentioned above for a big flavor burst that is perfect against the vanilla cookie
How to Make Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
- Gather ingredients.
- Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla extract to creamed mixture.
- Blend well.
- Add dry ingredients.
- Beat until incorporated and forms a soft dough.
- Prepare an assembly line of sorts with whisked egg whites in a wide-mouthed bowl and toasted coconut and nuts on flat plates. Line cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Roll dough into a ball using your hands. Dip into egg whites that have been beaten until they are foamy.
- Roll in either toasted nuts or toasted coconut or do some of both.
- Make an indentation in each of the cookie balls with the back of a 1 teaspoon measuring spoon.
- Spoon some of the jam into each indent.
Hint: Roll the cookies between your hands until they are very smooth. This will help prevent them from cracking.
Look how beautifully these jam thumbprint cookies bake up. A little crunchy outside with a soft creamy inside and topped with flavorful jam.
Now take a bite and then hide some so there will be some left for you after they get devoured. Believe me, I know this from experience and you definitely wouldn't want to miss out on your fair share. 🙂 Enjoy!
Best Jam Flavors
You can fill these shortbread thumbprint cookies with almost anything. The possibilities are endless!
- Raspberry
- Apricot
- Strawberry
- Cherry
- Fig
But jams aren't the only thing you can fill those little thumbprints with! There's
- Caramel Thumbprint Cookies or even Salted Caramel
- Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate, 'cause everyone loves chocolate!
- Lemon or Lemon Curd
- Dulce de Leche
- Nutella
Nut Variations
Add some crunch to these soft, buttery jam-filled cookies by rolling in your favorite nut.
- Almonds are the most popular
- Pecans come in a close second
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
- Hazelnuts
Thumbprint Cookies with Icing
Using your favorite icing, confectioner's sugar and milk or buttercream, is a great way to add some color to the holidays. Try using vanilla icing and coloring it red or green then filling these buttery Christmas thumbprint cookies or, stick to everyone's favorite, and go all out chocolate. However you fill them, they'll look perfect in your Christmas cookie tins.
You can also opt for cookies with holiday flavors such as peppermint thumbprint cookies or cranberry thumbprint cookies.
Top Tip
When making the indentation in your cookies, do not use your thumb! You want beautiful uniform depressions which you can achieve by using the backside of a 1 teaspoon measuring spoon. It will make a dent with just the right amount of depth allowing you to fill them with a good amount of filling. Plus, they will look beautiful.
More Christmas Cookies To Add To Your List
White Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies with white chocolate cookies topped with a peppermint kiss.
Cathedral Cookies are easy no-bake fudgy cookies filled with mini-marshmallow and crunchy nuts then rolled in coconut.
Key Lime Cookies add a bit of tropical magic to your Christmas tins. Delicious, soft, buttery cookies with a bit of tang from key lime.
Scottish Snowballs from Christina's Cucina are sweet coconut sandwich cookies with jam filling.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies are sure to please. rich chocolate cookies stuffed with chocolate-covered caramels. It's like eating a lava cake in cookie form.
Find more delicious recipes for traditional Christmas cookies here on 2CM!
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Shortbread Cookies with Jam
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup toasted nuts, chopped or toasted coconut
- ⅓ cup cherry jam or your favorite flavor
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, silicone mats or lightly spray with a nonstick spray.
- Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer until creamy & fluffy.
- Separate eggs and put whites aside.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and continue beating until mixed.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet and beat until well blended.
- Place whites in a wide-mouthed bowl and whisk until frothy.
- Place toasted chopped nuts and/or toasted coconut on small flat plates.
- Using a small or medium cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll into balls.
- Dip each ball into frothy egg whites then roll it in the desired garnish, either nuts or coconut.
- Place on prepared cookie sheets.
- Make a small depression in the center with the back of a 1 teaspoon measuring spoon.
- Fill with jam.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cookies cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes then move to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- Raspberry, Apricot, Strawberry, Cherry, Fig
- Salted Caramel, Chocolate, Lemon or Lemon Curd, Dulce de Leche, Nutella
- Almonds, Pecans, Pistachios, Walnuts, Hazelnuts
Nutrition
This post has been updated and was first published on December 19, 2018.
