A buttery melt-in-your-mouth cookie is rolled in nuts and an indent is pressed into the middle. They’re baked until golden and finally filled with a sweet jam center. These are the ultimate cookies for any occasion, and they have that perfect homemade taste of nostalgia.
As a young girl, my grandma’s shortbread cookies and my mom’s thumbprint cookies (I always called them thimble cookies) were always my two favorites. This classic holiday cookie is amazingly rich and melt-in-your-mouth. While not all thumbprint cookies are dipped in nuts, ours always were.
This version is different than our usual jam thumbprint cookie as they are rolled in crushed nuts before baking. It produces a delicate cookie with a texture similar to shortbread. They can be made well ahead of time and frozen.
What’s in a Thumbprint Cookie?
BUTTER is a must in thumbprint cookies, giving the dough a rich buttery taste while the addition of shortening provides a great texture and keeps the cookie from spreading too much. JAM My first choice is raspberry jam (I prefer seedless), but it’s okay to use other favorite kinds of jam or jelly. My mom often used to use seedless raspberry jam and green mint jelly for pretty red and green-filled cookies! NUTS Walnuts are the coating we always grew up with but pecans work too. I usually prefer pecans but in this case, walnuts have a kind of a bitter note which pairs perfectly with the sweetness of this cookie.
How to Make Thumbprint Cookies
Tips for Perfection
Chop nuts finely, a food processor works best. They will stick to the cookie better. When pressing the indent, the cookies will crack a little bit on the edges. Use your fingers to form them into shape. Don’t skip freezing the cookies or they will spread too much. The indent will rise a bit so you may need to press it again before you fill them. The back of a measuring spoon works well. Warm the jam slightly to make it easier to spoon or pour. If your jam has seeds, heat/melt it in the microwave and run it through a small sieve if you’d like.
Make-Ahead Cookies
Thumbprint cookies are perfect for make-ahead and easy to take to parties or potlucks! They’ll keep in a covered container for about 5 days with a slice of bread to soak up extra moisture. Freeze cookies once they have been cooled in zippered bags for up to 3 months. Cookies can be frozen before or after filling with jam. If filled with jam, separate layers of cookies with parchment paper.
Favorite Holiday Cookies
Rugelach Cookies – jam & nut-filled pastry Grandma’s Meringue Cookies – so light & airy Snowball Cookies – melt in your mouth delicious Jam Thumbprint Cookies – a classic without nuts Spritz Cookies – made with a cookie press Hershey Kiss Cookies – a chocolate lover’s dream
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