Before you start
Thumbprints are shortbread with a job to do: hold jam. The dough is barely sweet so the filling can shine, and the double-press (once before baking, again halfway through) is the trick that keeps the wells deep instead of puffing shut. Any thick jam works, and a mixed tray looks like you tried much harder than you did.
Everything you need
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, soft
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ cup (160 g) thick jam (raspberry, apricot, strawberry)
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
-
Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the yolks and vanilla.
For this step
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
-
Fold in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Chill it for 30 minutes so the cookies hold their shape.
For this step
- 2¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp fine salt
-
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F and line two trays. Roll the dough into 24 balls, about a tablespoon each.
-
Press a deep well into each ball with your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon. Cracked edges just get pinched back together.
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Bake for 7 minutes, re-press the wells (they will have puffed), then fill each with a small spoonful of jam and bake another 6 to 7 minutes until the edges are pale gold.
-
Cool on the tray for 10 minutes before moving. The jam is molten glass straight from the oven, so no early taste tests.
Baker's tips
- Fill with jam halfway through the bake, not before. Jam that bakes the full time boils over and candies to the tray.
- Stir the jam smooth before spooning. A lumpy spoonful bakes into a lopsided well.
Make it your own
- Roll the balls in chopped nuts before pressing for the bakery version.
- Fill with lemon curd or chocolate hazelnut spread after baking instead, once the cookies are cool.
Storing & freezing
Airtight at room temperature for 5 days, with paper between layers so the jam doesn't glue them together. The dough freezes for 2 months.
Frequently asked
Why did my thumbprint cookies spread flat?
Warm dough, almost always. Chill for a full 30 minutes and re-press the wells at the halfway mark. Butter that was too soft at the creaming stage makes it worse.
What jam is best for thumbprint cookies?
A thick, high-fruit jam. Raspberry and apricot are classics because their acidity cuts the buttery dough. Runny jam boils over, so avoid anything pourable.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.