If you’re like me and take your holiday baking a little overboard, then you know how important it is to have some easy cookie recipes in your back pocket. Let me offer you these chocolate thumbprints. If you haven’t made them before, I’m telling you that you need to start including thumbprint cookies in your cookie boxes.
Thumbprint cookies are so, so easy to make, always look really impressive, and the flavor combinations you can create are endless. My favorite combination is chocolate and raspberry. The fruity, tang of the raspberry jam pairs so well with the rich chocolate and reminds me of my favorite dessert from Pastiche in Providence (seriously, get the torta if you’re ever in RI and tell them I sent you). If raspberry isn’t your jam (LOL, get it? Jam?), Nutella works really well too.
Follow along to make these super delish chocolate thumbprints with me or skip to the bottom for the recipe.
Beat together the butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment) on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat again on medium speed until combined and fluffy, about 30 seconds to a minute.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a separate small bowl until combined.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low until combined and no dry bits remain.
Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized portions and round each portion in your hands.
Place the dough staggered on the lined baking sheets (with 10 on one sheet and 11 on the other).
Use your thumb to create an indent in the center of each cookie. The picture below is purely an example of what the cookies should look like after indenting— don't bake them all on one sheet like this!
Chill the cookies in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes until well chilled and firm.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees f until just set, 8 to 10 minutes. I like to use the back of a measuring spoon to redefine the indentations if needed.
Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Once cooled, pipe or spoon your filling of choice into the indentations of the cookies.
As a preventative measure, store any cookies filled with jam/preserves in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. Take the cookies out for about 5 minutes to come up to room temperature before serving.
Store cookies filled with Nutella in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Directions for making the dough in advance can be found below.
Chocolate Thumbprints
with Raspberry Jam or Nutella
Yield: about 21 cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Raspberry jam/preserves or Nutella, for filling
Method
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat together the butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment) on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat again on medium speed until combined and fluffy, about 30 seconds to a minute.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a separate small bowl until combined. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low until combined and no dry bits remain.
Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized portions. Round each portion in your hands and place staggered on the lined baking sheets (with 10 on one sheet and 11 on the other). Use your thumb to create an indent in the center of each cookie. Chill the cookies in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes until well chilled and firm.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f while the cookies chill. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees f on the top and bottom thirds of the oven, rotating from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking, until the cookies are just set, 8 to 10 minutes. Use the back of a measuring spoon to redefine the indentations if needed. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Once cooled, pipe or spoon your filling of choice into the indentations of the cookies.
Storing
As a preventative measure, store cookies filled with jam/preserves in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. Take the cookies out for about 5 minutes to come up to room temperature before serving.
Store cookies filled with Nutella in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Make ahead:
There are a few options here—
The dough can be made and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Once you’re ready to portion the dough, proceed as instructed in the method.
OR
The dough can be made, portioned, indented and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. If you go this route, the dough does not need to be chilled in the freezer before baking. The cookies can be baked right from the fridge while still cold and firm.
OR
The dough can be made, portioned, indented, and frozen for up to 3 months. The dough can be baked from frozen and may need to be baked for an extra minute or so.
OR
The dough can be made and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough in the fridge overnight before using. Proceed as instructed in the method.
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