These classic thumbprint cookies have a buttery dough with no eggs, a spoonful of jam in the middle, and a sweet almond glaze on top. I bake them year-round, not just at Christmas.
I baked chocolate chip cookies with my mom, but I baked thumbprint cookies with my gram. Our biggest decision was which jam to use, and I almost always picked a red one, like cherry, raspberry, or strawberry.
Now my daughter begs for them every time we bake cookies, and they’re my husband’s favorite cookie, too.
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Thumbprint Cookies Without Eggs
This recipe has no eggs anywhere, and you won’t miss them. The dough is just butter, sugar, flour, and a little almond extract, and the cookies still bake up soft and buttery.
When my kids were little, eggs and nuts were two big allergies in both of their classes, so these became my go-to party treat. The classic version uses almond extract the way my gram made them, and switching to vanilla (or imitation almond extract) makes them nut-free, too.
Check the labels on your jam and extract if you’re baking for someone with a serious allergy, since manufacturers change ingredients. If you need a candy for the same crowd, my Nut-Free English Toffee is another one I make for friends who can’t eat nuts.
Fill Thumbprint Cookies After They Bake
Many thumbprint cookie recipes fill the wells with jam before baking. I bake the cookies plain, press the wells down again right after baking, and spoon in the jam while the cookies are still hot.
The jam stays soft and glossy instead of bubbling over in the oven. Add the glaze last, once everything cools to room temperature.
The Best Jam for Thumbprint Cookies
Use thick preserves so the filling stays in the well. Raspberry is the classic, but I also love to use cherry, peach, blackberry, and strawberry.
Sometimes I skip the jar and use one of my thick homemade syrups instead. Homemade Blueberry Syrup tastes surprisingly good here, as does my Homemade Cherry Syrup.
Change the filling every time you make them, and it’s almost like a whole new cookie. If you love jam in your desserts like I do, try my Raspberry Jam Bars, too.
How to Make Classic Thumbprint Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the almond extract until it’s fully combined.
Stir in the flour just until you don’t see any dry streaks. The dough is very thick and crumbles a little, so know that’s normal.
Use a cookie scoop to portion the cookies evenly, and set them on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. If you don’t have one, use an ungreased cookie sheet.
Press a deep well into the center of each cookie with your very clean thumb or the back of a small spoon. Leave a wall of dough around the well so the jam has somewhere to sit.
Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until the cookies just start to turn golden. A small crack on top means they’re ready to come out.
Right away, press each well down again with a spoon, because the centers puff up in the oven. Stick with the spoon here, since the cookies are too hot for your fingers. No burning yourself allowed!
Spoon preserves into each well while the cookies are still hot. Stop just below the top edge to leave room for the glaze.
Let the cookies cool completely to room temperature with the jam in them. If you’re impatient, the glaze slides right off and melts into the jam, not that I know this from experience.
Stir the powdered sugar and almond extract together, then dribble in the water a little at a time. I like my glaze on the thick side but still pourable.
Spoon just enough glaze over each cookie to cover the jam without letting it run down the sides.
Let the glaze set for 10 to 15 minutes before you dig in, if you can wait that long. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, with parchment paper between the layers so they don’t stick.
Thumbprint Cookie Troubleshooting
Your cookies spread flat. Your butter was probably too warm. Soften it just enough to cream it.
Your jam ran over the sides. The wells were too shallow or too full. Press a deeper well before baking, and stop the jam just below the top edge.
Your dough won’t hold together. This dough should be thick and a little crumbly. Squeeze a scoop of it firmly in your hand, and it’ll hold its shape.
Can You Freeze Thumbprint Cookies?
Yes. Freeze the glazed cookies in an airtight container for up to one month, with parchment paper or wax paper between the layers. Let them thaw on the counter before serving.
Can You Use Margarine in Thumbprint Cookies?
Yes, and I’m sure my gram used margarine back in the day. Use stick margarine, not tub margarine, which makes the cookies spread. You lose a little of the rich butter flavor, but the jam and the glaze still give them plenty of flavor.
Can You Use Vanilla Instead of Almond Extract?
Yes. Use one teaspoon of vanilla extract in place of the half teaspoon of almond extract in both the dough and the glaze.
More Cookie Recipes
If you’re filling a cookie tray, here are a few more of my favorites to bake alongside these.
- Orange Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
- Apricot Crescent Cookies
- Sugar Cherry Cookies
- Cherry Surprise Cookies
- Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
- Chewy Lemon Cookies
- Cherry Pie Cookies
- Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chunk Cherry Cookies
- Eggnog Cookies (a contest winner!)
Classic Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup preserves any flavor
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 to 3 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with a silicone mat, or leave it ungreased.
- Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the almond extract and mix until fully combined.1 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Stir in the flour just until no dry streaks remain. The dough is thick and a little crumbly.2 cups all-purpose flour
- Scoop the dough onto the pan. Press a deep well into the center of each cookie with your very clean thumb or the back of a small spoon, leaving a wall of dough all the way around.
- Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until the cookies just start to turn golden and crack slightly on top.
- Right away, press each well down again with a spoon. Spoon preserves into each well, stopping just below the top edge.1/2 cup preserves
- Let the cookies cool completely to room temperature.
- Stir the powdered sugar and almond extract together. Add the water a little at a time until the glaze is thick but pourable.1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 2 to 3 teaspoons water
- Spoon glaze over each cookie to cover the jam without running over the edges. Let it set for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, with parchment between the layers.
Equipment
Notes
- For nut-free cookies, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract instead of 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in both the dough and the glaze.
- Stick margarine can replace butter. Skip tub margarine, which makes the cookies spread.
- Swap the preserves for a thick homemade fruit syrup, like blueberry or cherry.
- Freeze glazed cookies in an airtight container for up to one month, with parchment between the layers.
- For more tips, read the full article.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
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Sounds yummy! They're almost like Linzer hearts (or almond crescents), but those want almonds in the dough. But your substitutions would work with that recipe as well.
These are the ones that I've made for several years and get rave reviews each time! They are delish!!
Merry CHRISTmas!
Sherry
Those cookies sound wonderful. Thanks for the recipe and linking to TMTT. Have a blessed Christmas with your family and friends. We will enjoy the snow…
Jo – Thanks for the link. I definitely need to go look that up!
Heather – Ohhh they are. Even dairy free, they're still good (though I prefer the original). We definitely need to make some more.
Sherry – They're definitely getting rave reviews here. Merry Christmas to you, too — love the emphasis!
Lisa – Ohhh they are. Just ask Sherry! Good luck with the snow. Hope your shovel is a heavy duty one 😉
Hmmm, another one of Michelle's tasty ideas to steal…
Yum! I love thumbprint cookies of any kind!
Kelly – You talk a good game. I want to know how many of these you actually make though 😉
Angela – Me, too. I love the jam in the middle — such a fun contrast in a cookie.
Can margarine be used in this recipe?
You can use margarine for this recipe. I am 100% sure that my gram used to use it back in the day. That said, I would not recommend using tub margarine, as it can cause cookies to spread more. If you can get the stick kind, it will likely work better. It won’t have the same richness of flavor, but you still have the jam and the topping to give it enough flavor to work. I hope that helps!