Christmas Thumbprint Cookies
Serves 28
15 mins prep
10 mins cook
25 mins total
These Christmas thumbprint cookies have crisp buttery outsides, are super soft inside, and are so easy to make! The best part is you can customize the flavors to make a variety of cookies using only one batch and one recipe! There’s no chill time, they stay soft for days, and aren’t fragile - making them the perfect cookies for Christmas cookie boxes. If you’re looking for a cookie recipe that you can customize with a huge variety of flavors, you need to make these cookies! I filled up a huge cookie box with just one batch of these cookies - and there are so many flavors to choose from!
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In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and beat well until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl to combine evenly.
⅕ 1 unsalted butter⅕ ½ granulated sugar⅕ ¼ brown sugarAdd the salt, egg, and vanilla extract into the butter and sugar mixture. Beat well until light and fluffy.
⅕ ¼ sea salt⅕ 1 large egg⅕ 2 pure vanilla extractSift the flour and baking powder right into the same bowl. Fold the mixture until a cookie dough forms.
⅕ 2 all purpose flour⅕ 1 baking powderRemove half of the cookie dough and set aside in a separate bowl. Add cocoa powder into the rest of the dough and gently mix just until completely incorporated into the dough.
⅕ 2 dutch processed cocoa powderUse a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the vanilla and chocolate cookie dough and roll each ball between your hands to get a smooth even ball.
Roll the cookie dough balls in your topping of choice (granulated sugar, coarse sugar, powdered sugar, finely chopped roasted nuts, or desiccated coconut - see notes for ideas and flavor combinations).
⅕ ½ granulated sugar for coatingPress the middles down with your thumb or a measuring teaspoon to create space for the filling. To create a heart shape, push an indent with your index finger and then push again with your index finger at a slight angle to create a heart shape. Fill the indents with jam (I love seedless raspberry jam), lemon curd, fruit curd, hard candies… see notes for filling ideas. For fillings and toppings like Nutella, chocolates, or Hershey kisses - I recommend adding those after the cookies are baked and are right out of the oven.
⅕ ½ seedless jamArrange the cookies on a parchment lined or nonstick cookie sheet with about 2 inches of space in between cookies to allow for spreading. Bake the cookies at 355°F (180°C) for 8-10 minutes - don’t overbake or they’ll be hard and crispy throughout.
After baking, top with any additional toppings like Nutella, chocolates, or Hershey kisses. If filling them with a topping like Nutella, press a measuring teaspoon into the middle to create space for the Nutella.
Bake the cookies in batches and let them cool completely on a cooling rack. Enjoy!
