These easy thumbprint cookies with jam are so soft and buttery that they are literally, melting in your mouth. Choose your favorite jam, whip up just a few ingredients in minutes and you’ll have a great addition to your Valentine’s dinner table. Gluten-free, can be made Vegan, Dairy-Free.
From baking these for dessert on Valentine’s day to everyday snacking, they’re sure to be a hit with your family. Just last month I made three batches of these pretty cookies!
Also don’t forget to check out my Chocolate Covered Thumbprint Cookies with almond flour.
CLASSIC THUMBRPrint COOKIEs
The cookie dough holds its shape but you’ll still need to be careful when transferring them onto the plate from the baking tray. Because of their soft texture, they are very lightweight and delicate. But this won’t be a problem unless you’re taking them on a trip and besides, these will be gone in seconds!
Easy thumbprint cookies with jam recipe
This what you’ll need to get started:
- 1 1/4 cups gluten-free flour ( I used Schär Mix Patisserie)
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (vegan butter is fine!), at room temperature
- 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup white/brown sugar
- Cranberry or you’re chosen jam
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (if needed, see recipe card notes)
How to make Easy Thumbprint Cookies with Jam
- Preheat oven to 325°F and Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, beat butter and sugar until creamy and light. Make sure to take the time during this step as this will determine how your dough turns out. If beaten well, in the end, the texture should melt in your mouth immediately. If beaten too little the cookies may taste similar but not as good as they should. The dough should be somewhat sticky.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt, mixing to combine well after each addition. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and xanthan gum, and then add to the batter.
- Scoop the dough into portions about 1 1/2 tablespoon each and spread out on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Form each portion into a ball shape, dip in granulated sugar and place back on the tray.
- Press down the center of each ball with the handle-end of a wooden spatula, small bottle cork or finger, making a deep well in the middle – deep but not too wide. If you make it wide and not deep, cookie jam may spread out on top of the cookie while baking, making it still eatable but not the prettiest looking cookies.
- Fill each of the holes with the jam and transfer the tray with cookies onto the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes or until firm.
Can you freeze thumbprint cookies with jam?
You can freeze these bad boys in an airtight container for up to a month or so. But in my experience, they are best eaten and kept at room temperature (but in an airtight container, important!) for 3-4 days max. If you still need to freeze them then do it immediately after the jam has settled in the cookies, this way they should stay fresher after thawing.
Tips making the best and easy thumbprint cookies with jam
- As with any baking, make sure to measure out your ingredients with a food scale.
- Make sure to take the time while beating the sugar and butter (room temp!) as this will determine how your dough turns out. If beaten well, in the end, the texture should melt in your mouth immediately. If beaten too little the cookies may taste similar but not as good as they should.
- The dough should be somewhat sticky. If you’ll find your dough to be too crumbly, you didn’t mix the dough long enough. Try mixing the dough fully/longer and let it come together. The dough should be somewhat sticky.
- Fruit jam vs fruit preserve – whatever you’ll use the cookies will taste superb, but here are few things to keep in mind. The thicker your jam, the less likely it will spread or ”run’’ during baking, so I would recommend using chunky, thick fruit preserve for your cookies.
- Avoid Chilling the Dough – There’s no need to refrigerate this cookie dough. The cookies will spread more after being refrigerated, and you want to avoid that.
- When making a well in the middle of the cookies, try to make it deep and shallow. If you make it wide and not deep, cookie jam may spread out on top of the cookie while baking, making it still eatable but not the prettiest looking cookies.
I think that’s it, happy Valentine’s Day Desserts baking and I hope you enjoy these Easy Thumbprint Cookies with Jam!
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Easy Thumbprint Cookies With Jam (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups gluten-free flour see notes
- 1 pcs egg yolk room temperature
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter vegan butter is fine!, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup white/brown sugar
- Cranberry or you’re chosen jam
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum if needed, see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, beat butter and sugar until creamy and light. Make sure to take the time during this step as this will determine how your dough turns out. If beaten well, in the end, the texture should melt in your mouth immediately. If beaten too little the cookies may taste similar but not as good as they should. The dough should be somewhat sticky.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt, mixing to combine well after each addition. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and xanthan gum, and then add to the batter.
- Scoop the dough into portions about 1 1/2 tablespoon each and spread out on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Form each portion into a ball shape, dip in granulated sugar and place back on the tray.
- Press down the center of each ball with the handle-end of a wooden spatula, small bottle cork or finger, making a deep well in the middle – deep but not too wide. If you make it wide and not deep, cookie jam may spread out on top of the cookie while baking, making it still eatable but not the prettiest looking cookies.
- Fill each of the holes with the jam and transfer the tray with cookies onto the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes or until firm.
Notes
- I’ve used this GF flour: Schär Mix Patisserie
- Depending on which gluten-free flour blend you’re using, make sure it has xanthan gum in it, if not you’ll need to add 1/2 teaspoon.
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
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