These Jam Thumbprint Cookies are buttery, tender shortbread-style cookies filled with sweet fruit jam. They’re perfect for holiday cookie trays, gifting, or everyday baking. With crisp edges, soft centers, and a burst of fruity flavor, these cookies feel timeless — the kind of recipe you bake once and immediately add to your yearly holiday rotation.
Made from a classic almond-vanilla cookie dough and filled with your favorite jam, these cookies bake up beautifully and keep their shape. They’re easy enough for beginning bakers, fun for kids to help with, and elegant enough to bring to a holiday cookie exchange party along with my blackberry sage thumbprint cookies.
Whether you’re making a warm batch for the holidays or simply craving something sweet and classic, Jam Thumbprint Cookies are always a crowd-pleaser.
Why You’ll Love These Thumbprint Cookies
- They have a soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture thanks to the powdered sugar-based dough.
- They’re customizable — choose any jam you love.
- These cookies are perfect for gifting, and they hold up well in cookie boxes.
- No chill time is required, so the cookies go from the bowl to the oven quickly.
- Almond + vanilla extract give them that classic bakery flavor.
Ingredients
- Butter: Provides richness and structure.
- Powdered sugar: Creates a soft, tender crumb.
- Egg: Adds moisture and helps the cookies hold shape.
- Vanilla + almond extract: The perfect flavor pairing for thumbprints.
- Jam: Choose any flavor you like.
How to Make Jam Thumbprint Cookies
- Make the Cookie Dough: Cream the butter and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the egg, extracts, and salt. Blend in the flour just until combined — don’t overmix.
- Shape the Cookies: Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly flatten with a sugar-coated glass. Press your thumb into each dough ball to create a small well.
- Fill with Jam: Spoon a small amount of jam into each indentation. Don’t overfill — a little goes a long way!
- Bake: Bake at 325°F for about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.
- Optional Finishing Touch: Dust lightly with powdered sugar for a soft, festive finish.
Tips for Baking Perfect Thumbprint Cookies
- Use room-temperature butter — cold butter makes cracking more likely.
- Press gently when making the indentation so the cookie doesn’t split.
- If cookies crack, no worries — just pinch them back together before baking.
- Seedless jams work best for smooth, bakery-style results.
- Don’t overfill or the jam may bubble over as the cookies bake.
Best Jam Flavors for Thumbprint Cookies
Classic choices:
- Raspberry (seedless recommended)
- Apricot
- Cherry
- Strawberry
- Blackberry
Fun twists:
- Blueberry Jam
- Lemon curd
- Fig jam
- Peach jam
- Mixed berry
- Cranberry Jam (for the holidays!)
Variations to Try
- Almond Thumbprints: Fill with raspberry jam and drizzle with almond icing.
- Holiday Thumbprints: Use red and green jams. You can also make red currant thumbprint cookies.
- Chocolate Thumbprints: Fill with chocolate ganache instead of jam. Nutella thumbprint cookies and chocolate mint thumbprints.
- Gluten-Free: Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. I like the Cup4Cup brand!
Note from RecipeGirl:
“Jam Thumbprint Cookies are one of those classic recipes that never go out of style. I love making them with a mix of raspberry and apricot jam for a colorful holiday cookie tray, and they always disappear fast. They’re sweet, simple, and so nostalgic — the perfect mix of buttery cookie and bright fruit flavor.” -RecipeGirl
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheets (for baking the cookies)
- parchment paper (for lining the baking sheets)
- Electric Mixer (for mixing the cookie dough)
- Wire Racks (for cooling the cookies)
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- desired flavors of fruit jam (apricot, seedless raspberry, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt. Then blend in the flour, just until combined.
- Roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet- a couple of inches apart. Flatten the balls lightly with a sugar-bottomed glass. Press your thumb into the center of each piece of dough to make an indentation. Spoon jam into the center of each cookie.
- Bake in the preheated oven until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust the cookies very lightly with powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
