These classic Thumb Print Cookies bring back memories and are a classic cookie to include in your Christmas cookie bake. My Mom made these cookies every year and these were pretty much my favourite of all the Christmas cookies.
These cookies are a shortbread based cookie that is rolled in nuts, flattened and with your thumb to create an indentation, filled with jam, and then finished with a dusting of icing sugar. This particular recipe uses Raspberry jam, but using whatever jam you prefer is fine and don’t be afraid to mix it up. I use an ice cream scoop for the dough to determine the size of each cookie to make sure the balls are all about the same size and cook evenly. This recipe makes about 30 small cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs separated
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Raspberry or your choice of jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Finely chop the pecans and put into a bowl or small cassarole dish. You will use these later in the recipe for rolling the cookie balls.
- Add butter and brown sugar to a medium-sized bowl and mix until well blended and creamy. Add vanilla and mix well.
- Separate eggs and set the whites aside in a small bowl for dipping later.
- Add egg yolks to butter mixture and blend well.
- Sift flour and salt and add into butter mixture. Mix well with mixer and then blend with your hands and form into a dough roll. Wrap in the batter wax paper and put it into the fridge for about 10 or 15 minutes.
- Put a piece of parchment paper on two cookie sheets. Cut even slices of dough and slice in half to form into round balls. Place evenly onto the cookies sheets.
- Dip each ball into the egg whites and then roll in the nut mixture so that the pecans are evenly coated on the ball. Place back onto cookie sheets until all balls are completed.
- Press each ball down and insert your thumb or end of a wooden spoon to create rounded indents in the middle of each ball. Put in oven and bake for 6 minutes.
- Remove cookies from oven and using a spoon add jam to each cookie indentation. Put cookies back in oven, and bake for 7 minutes or until lightly toasted on bottoms.
- Once cooled slightly dust with icing sugar.
Such a classic! This is exactly how my mom made them. Thumbprints were one of the only cookies she could bake. I love how everyone has their own version of this cookie.
perfect holiday treats!! so tasty
You can never have too many cooking through the holiday period. These would go great on a cookie plate for sure.
Is it even Christmas without thumbprint cookies?! Your version looks fantastic!