Classic Jam-Filled Thumbprint Cookies (2024)

Kathleen M Klaitz — December 17, 2023 @ 2:46 pm Reply

one of our favorite.

Laura — August 8, 2022 @ 10:37 pm Reply

I’ve tried these multiple times (I keep coming back because BEB is my go-to recipe site so I keep forgetting and thinking they’ll work) and every single time I’m left with an unworkable greasy mess on my baking sheets. The dough is already too soft to roll, so I chill it, and even still the butter all just oozes out, the cookies flatten, and never cook. Almost all other recipes I’ve found call for only one egg yolk and a quarter cup more flour. I dont know how so many people have had such success with this recipe, but I’m jealous

Tricia Polinski Hunt — December 21, 2020 @ 10:43 pm Reply

Great cookie! Great flavor, fun to make. I used raspberry preserves. This recipe is perfect!

Debra — December 11, 2020 @ 8:27 pm Reply

Too bad, so sad. Made 2 batches as friends requested these. I forgot the milk in batch one, and the dough cracked when trying to make indentations, so they weren’t very pretty, and definitely NOT a soft cookie, but very yummy classic butter cookie result. I remembered the milk in batch 2 and the dough was beautifully soft and made for a much prettier cookie, however, the texture was terrible…they crumbled into sand…just…awful and unserveable. Very disappointed.

Jacob — December 10, 2020 @ 12:32 pm Reply

I just made these from my own blackberry plants but having hard time don’t know how to share facebook with pics I clicked your facebook but could not do pic

Invicta — March 31, 2020 @ 6:58 pm Reply

I usually don’t follow a recipe exactly, but these are perfect as described. I used blackberry jam, and thy were amazing.

Tina — December 13, 2018 @ 12:20 pm Reply

How do you recommend freezing them? (ie wax paper in between, etc).

Should they be thawed covered in the same container or placed frozen on the cookie tray to thaw?

Heidelind — December 8, 2018 @ 4:28 pm Reply

I’ve been using your recipe for thumbprint cookies for several years now. Definitely the best!

Oh Wow!! Love this…looking so amazing.. Thanks for sharing.

I really enjoy the post…… Thanks for sharing…Awesome.

Really Perfect Look..

Wow. Very interesting…

Lily — December 17, 2017 @ 1:49 pm Reply

I’ve made these cookies twice, and both times the cookies have been really brittle and fall apart easily. Would it be better to use cold butter?

Mark — December 12, 2017 @ 7:52 pm Reply

We have made this recipe the last couple of years and we love them. This year we tried 2 new jams, a Rasberry Merlot Balsamic jam and a Blueberry Chardonnay Balsamic jam from the Olive Cart store in St. Joesph, MI. You can buy the jams from their website. These jams made this recipe out of this world!

Laura — June 19, 2017 @ 1:51 pm Reply

Hi! I want to know if you freezed the cookies already baked or just the dough. Thank you!

Lucy — March 27, 2017 @ 6:51 pm Reply

I just baked these cookies. Followed the recipe exactly to the final detail, except I added lemon zest instead of vanilla extract. IT IS WONDERFUL. Cookies are delicious. Not too buttery, soft and at the same time with some crunchiness. Really good.

Thank you for this delicious recipe. Well done.

nina — March 24, 2016 @ 9:14 am Reply

Can I use cake flour instead of all purpose flour?

Ken — February 3, 2015 @ 2:54 pm Reply

Hello! I have been following your website for a while and have tried many recipes! Like the funfetti cupcakes, banana muffins, the pumpkin roll cake, even the red velvet roll (but for some reason that one cracked and fell apart like crazy and I don’t know why :( ).

I tried these cookies because it looks like the flavor combinations are endless! I do have a question because mine turned out differently even though I used fairly close to the exact ingredients, even the shortening. I used crisco’s vegetable shortening specifically. I also used golden brown sugar (I suppose that is light brown sugar), and my milk was 2% fat milk. I did indeed wait for my butter to be room temperature and smooth while being beaten and mixed.

So what happened was, my cookie dough seemed a bit.. dry? The rolled balls felt greasy enough in my hands, but when it came to making the indentations in the center, as I pressed them down, the cookies CRACKED :( !!! I mean, I guess they look like flowers with petals being the cracked portions, but they lost the smooth circular aesthetic that is in the photos of your cookies. Any idea what may have been the problem? I am still a novice at baking so willing to take any advice! I will say the cookies still tasted great anyways, they just um… didn’t look like I expected!

Thanks for the recipe!

Mary — January 4, 2015 @ 3:55 pm Reply

Thanks for the recipe. I’ve made them four times, just all butter and I like the texture.

Jana — December 10, 2014 @ 3:08 pm Reply

I love this recipe!!! I did not use the shortening and uses cold pressed coconut oil instead. They turned out light and crisp!!!!

laura — April 19, 2014 @ 8:24 am Reply

I have made these cookies three times in the past month using all butter once and twice using half butter and half butter flavored Crisco. Each time the cookies came out delicious. I’m making them for Easter and to give as treats for for some elderly shut ins. I’ve made them with strawberry, blackberry, black cherry, and apricot filling. The children all prefer the strawberry but will “force” themselves to eat the others. I’m thinking about melting some whipped chocolate frosting to make a sort of ganash for the filling. I have used hershey’s kisses in my peanut butter cookies inserting the chocolate before baking and those were great. The kisses just had a cote little droop on it when finished. I think the kisses would be a little too hard for the cookie and they might crumble when bitten. That’s why i’m trying the melted fudge frosting. I just hope it’s not too sweet. Being a shut in myself I cant run on doew to the store for chocolate so i’ve got to use what I’ve got.

Amy — February 6, 2014 @ 4:37 pm Reply

It just so happens I’m out of butter D: could I use all shortening? Or oil or applesauce in place of the butter?

These look delicious, and I love how flavorsome they are! Thanks for sharing!

Kelly P. — December 17, 2013 @ 11:02 am Reply

I baked 2 batches of these yesterday with wild cherry jam. Yum! They are wonderful! This is a keeper. Thank you for the recipe.

Jen Codispot — December 16, 2013 @ 8:49 pm Reply

Long time follower, first time commenter.;-) I really like the idea of a half-butter half-shortening thumbprint cookie as I have the same issues as you do with regular thumbprint cookies. Do you think I could substitute butter-flavored shortening for regular shortening? For some reason, I have a bunch of it and no regular. I would imagine the texture would be the same but I worry about the flavor. Thanks.

Stevi — December 16, 2013 @ 4:05 pm Reply

Baked a batch of these about 2 hours ago. This is the best thumbprint recipe-the cookie is so light and buttery. I used apricot-pineapple jam and raspberry-cranberry jam-both from Smuckers.

Charissa C — December 15, 2013 @ 4:23 pm Reply

I was trolling the internet, looking for something to do with caramel on the family baking day, when i came across this – my favorite baking website, the person who pretty much taught me how to make caramel, adding a recipe ON MY BIRTHDAY?!?!?! Obviously a sign! I will be making these cookies shortly. Thank you! – Another Brown Eyed Baker

karen wilson — December 15, 2013 @ 3:10 pm Reply

Just made these and they are wonderful!! My grandmother use to make these when I was growing up, and could not find her recipe, these are actually better. I did not have apricot jelly, so used blackberry and also pineapple…yummy

I don’t think I’ve ever had a thumbprint cookie, but now I can’t wait to try them! Thanks for your hard work perfecting the recipe!

Fen — December 12, 2013 @ 5:25 am Reply

HI, so excited to try this recipe. I run out of shortening, so can I used whole unsalted butter? Thanks

Deb — December 12, 2013 @ 1:12 am Reply

These look amazing! I am excited to get baking! So how did you freeze these? Did you make them completely them freeze or did you just freeze the dough?
Thanks bunches! Love your blog!

Judy — December 11, 2013 @ 9:36 am Reply

Instead of a spoon to make the indentation, try using another tool you may have in your drawer such as the pestle (from a mortar & pestle set). Anything with a rounded end would work.

Navar — December 11, 2013 @ 9:34 am Reply

We make these in my family too and they were always one of my favorites. We call them Betty’s Butter cookies because we got the recipe from our next door neighbor Betty.

Denise — December 11, 2013 @ 12:03 am Reply

Thank you for posting this! I have memories of my mom making thumbprint cookies when I was growing up. She made them with red currant jelly and rolled them in finely chopped nuts. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find her recipe. I have tried several others, but they just weren’t the right ones. I can’t wait to try yours. They look delicious!

Steph in Lex — December 10, 2013 @ 10:32 pm Reply

This may be blasphemy, but I just can’t do the jam/jelly thing. It extends to any and all baked stuff–hate jelly donuts, too. But thumbprint cookies are just so delicious. I can’t wait to try this recipe with buttercream in place of the jelly! :)

Thank you for sharing this! I tried so many recipes in an effort to replicate my grandma’s buttery apricot thumbprint cookies and I could never get it right. I’m excited to try this one!

Thank you for sharing your kitchen fun and life adventures with us. Your baking is incredible! I feel so fortunate to be able to read and try your recipes. Thank you so much!

joan — December 10, 2013 @ 8:01 pm Reply

if you want a good thumbprint cookie try Ina Garten’s recipe. it’s great!

joan — December 10, 2013 @ 7:58 pm Reply

well i just threw the whole batch down the disposal. turned out flat as a pancake. next time i will check ‘comments’ before i attempt a recipe. always nice to get ingredients correct. thanks

Martha in KS — December 10, 2013 @ 7:16 pm Reply

Looks like several people like me don’t cook with shortening. You said you tweeked the recipe to come up with the right mix. I’m wondering if margarine would work the same – or would that add too much water? I know margarine isn’t much better than shortening, but I just can’t buy that white stuff – haven’t in over 20 years. Thanks, Michelle!

Yum!

These would be so good filled with chocolate or Nutella too!

I love these cookies, they remind me of growing up too. Enjoy the holidays!

Maxine — December 10, 2013 @ 2:22 pm Reply

These look absolutely perfect! I’m definitely going for the apricot preserves in the center, but I also want to add some chocolate. Do you think a Hershey’s kiss in the center will work prior to baking? Or will it come out tasting dry? I want to add the chocolate into the baking process…Thanks.

I love how pretty your thumbprint cookies are! The apricot ones are totally my favorite, too. :)

Amy owen — December 10, 2013 @ 1:53 pm Reply

Yum. Cant wait to try. Thanks for sharing

Dalia — December 10, 2013 @ 1:18 pm Reply

HI. I would like to make these this weekend. Can you please give me a substitute for the shortening.
Thanks,
Dalia

Paula — December 10, 2013 @ 1:00 pm Reply

One of the best and most versatile cookie ever created. Yours look wonderful.

Susan Sunde — December 10, 2013 @ 12:51 pm Reply

Can this recipe also be used with a Hershey’s Kiss in place of the jam?

I’m so glad that perfect the classic thumbprint cookie – what a perfect Christmas cookie! These look delicious – you can see that the texture is just perfect!

These are some of my favorite holiday cookies as well :) I love the idea of dulce de leche.. I’ll have to give those a shot!

Beth Gould — December 10, 2013 @ 9:14 am Reply

Could you incorporate lemon juice and zest to make it a lemony cookie with, say, a blackberry or raspberry jam? I really like that flavor pairing!

Rena — December 10, 2013 @ 9:02 am Reply

I am for sure trying these!
They look great!
Thank you!

Teresa — December 10, 2013 @ 8:28 am Reply

Like Helen, I’m wondering about the amounts of shortening, butter & flour. Seems the “fats” are too much given the flour amount.
Thanks.

Steph — December 10, 2013 @ 8:18 am Reply

Oh, yum! I’m snowed in today, so I’m making these! I may only have salted butter, though. I follow you on Pinterest, too. :)

Rita — December 10, 2013 @ 8:02 am Reply

One of my favorite cookies, ever and I totally agree with the apricot filling :) I like to roll mine in chopped walnuts in the end. I assume you mean 1 C butter or 1 C shortening??

Nancy — December 10, 2013 @ 7:59 am Reply

I started the quest a couple of weeks ago for a jam thumbprint cookie recipe. I wanted one that included finely chopped nuts. I found a recipe that I thought would work but it involved the egg white step to ensure the nuts would adhere to the cookie. I was not happy with the result. The egg whites do not enhance the texture of the finished product, in my opinion. I think I will try your approach but stick with butter only, and hope that enough nuts adhere without the egg whites. I love your site–I always enjoy reading what you have to say, even if I cannot keep up with all of the baking!

Adrianne — December 10, 2013 @ 7:55 am Reply

Looks yummy but I am also wondering about the 1 cup butter and 1 cup shortening seems like a lot!

I just love the classic thumbprint cookies! Yours look so cute and delicious!

What timing! I was planning on making thumbprint cookies to bring to an event tonight, and this recipe looks perfect!

Angelina — December 10, 2013 @ 4:03 am Reply

Oh God, not an auto correction again! Shortening, not shorten ending! But I know you wouldn’t have used shortening in this recipe unless you absolutely had to :)

Angelina — December 10, 2013 @ 4:01 am Reply

I was literally just heading into the kitchen to bake these when I looked closer and saw that it had shorten ending in it! Kind of disappointed…but that’s okay.

Ellen — December 10, 2013 @ 3:28 am Reply

Ooh, I like the brown sugar swap!

Helen — December 10, 2013 @ 1:07 am Reply

The cookies look so yummy! I’m really wanting to make these for the holiday season. But did I read that right that the recipe lists 1 cup of butter + 1 cut of shortening for 2 cups of flour? It just seems like high fat/liquid content for only 2 cups of flour. Thanks.

Olivia at ohmy Olivia — December 10, 2013 @ 12:38 am Reply

Thumbprint cookies are probably my favourite kind of cookie! They are so adorable xo