Thumbprint cookies are the absolute best.
Not only are they so delicious and mix-and-matchable, but they are SO SO EASY!
Especially when you make them using Vic Tricks!
I add these into every holiday cookie box I make, but they’re also good if you have some spare jam and want a quick sweet treat!
I hope you all enjoy too and if you do, please rate the recipe at the bottom of the page or leave a comment!
These tasty bad boys, like many of my cookies, start with Vic’s Tricks To…The STAPLE Vanilla Cookie Dough.
I’ll include the ingredients/steps in the recipe card below, but if you’d like to see the step by step process, read the full article. If you use the full recipe, it will make about 72 thumbprints. So I usually freeze half the dough.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Vic Trick: If you’re working with frozen dough (read the article above on how to freeze properly), let it thaw for 15 mins or so before using it or it’ll be impossible to work with.
Ok now get ready because I’m about to blow your mind…because for these cookies, we’re using…
MINI MUFFIN TINS
That’s right people. You know how obsessed I am with my mini muffin tin (jk not sure I’ve ever mentioned it before but I LOVE MY MINI MUFFIN TIN).
And it gives these cookies the most perfect thickness with a liiiiiiittttlee brownness around the edges which totally makes my whole life complete.
So take the vanilla cookie dough and roll it into a ball…
Vic Trick(?): legit I have been thinking for way too long about a comparable size to these damn dough balls. I’d say they’re like a tablespoon of dough, but that’s not a size… It’s like imagine if a green grape was as wide as it was round and that’s it. Yea, that’s it.
Wow, that was scary. I promise to never type my stream of consciousness again.
LOL ya right.
Anyway, throw your balls into the tin cups and now comes the namesake step…
Take your thumb and press down into the center of each cookie to create a nice little nook.
Now into this nook, spoon the jam of your choice. I use apricot and raspberry because they’re my favorite.
KNOWLEDGE TIME: What’s the difference between jelly, jam, and marmalade? Well, it’s pretty much only the consistency (which comes from pectin, a natural gel, to keep it simple). Jelly is smooth, jam has some crushed fruit, and marmalade has straight up chunks of fruit. THE MORE YOU KNOW!
Moral of the story though, literally any flavor and any kind will work here, so just take a scoop and throw it into your thumbprint.
If you overfill, it will spill over the edges when cooked, but I actually don’t mind that…just be sure to spray your muffin tin down real good with some cooking spray first. But, of course they’re not quite as pretty.
Cook in the oven for about 18-20 minutes or until you see the edges start to become golden brown.
Vic Trick: It may take less or more time in your oven!!! All ovens are different. Just rotate em after 10 mins, watch for the golden brown, and you’ll be….well, golden.
Once they’re done, let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then pop them out and let them cool completely. Then dust in powdered sugar and enjoy!
Vic’s Tricks To…Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Jam of your choice (I use apricot & raspberry)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Take 1 cup sugar and 1 cup softened butter and mix until completely combined and kinda fluffy, then add in an egg and 2 tsp of vanilla and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine 2 and 3/4 cup of flour and 1 tsp of baking powder, then add that mixture, 1 cup at a time, until mixed. It will be pretty stiff.
- Empty the contents out onto some parchment and use your hands to bring the dough together.
- Take about a tablespoon of the dough, roll it into a ball, and place it into a well-greased mini muffin tin.
- Take your thumb and press down into the center of each cookie to create a nice little nook, then fill each nook with the jam (don’t overfill too much or it will spill over the edges, although I don’t mind that too much…)
- Cook in the oven for about 18-20 minutes or until you see the edges start to become golden brown.
- Once they’re done, let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then pop them out and let them cool completely.
- Dust in powdered sugar and enjoy!
Happy Eating!
Just now making these cookies .don’t understand the ingredients. It calls for 2/3 cups of flour. But the instructions call for 2 3/4 cups of flour. So which is it??
Apologies, it should be 2 3/4 to make the full batch of dough. I usually make the full batch and freeze half for later.
Should be all fixed now. Thank you!
Thank you …first batch In the oven .hope they are as good as they look. Use your recipes quite often. 😊 all is good so far.
Thank you!!!! I appreciate that so much – hope you enjoy!