Description
Sweet raspberry thumbprint cookies bring European bakery charm to home kitchens, offering delicate buttery shortbread with jewel-like raspberry jam centers. Crisp edges and tender crumb promise delightful moments of pure comfort you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
Leavening and Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing and Finishing:
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- In a spacious mixing bowl, transform softened butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract into a cloud-like, airy mixture by vigorously beating for 2-3 minutes.
- Incorporate the egg, blending thoroughly until seamlessly integrated with the butter mixture.
- Separately whisk flour, baking powder, and salt, then gently fold these dry ingredients into the butter mixture, stirring until just combined.
- Refrigerate the dough for one hour to enhance flavor and texture, allowing ingredients to meld together.
- Heat the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper for optimal cookie performance.
- Pour remaining sugar into a shallow dish for coating the cookie dough.
- Craft chilled dough into uniform 1-inch spheres, generously rolling each ball through the sugar and positioning them 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
- Create a gentle indentation in each cookie’s center using your thumb or a wooden spoon handle, forming a perfect pocket for jam.
- Bake 13-16 minutes until edges transform into a delicate golden brown, allowing cookies to rest briefly on the baking sheet after removing from oven.
- Gently warm raspberry jam, then carefully spoon the vibrant filling into each cookie’s carefully crafted center.
- Whisk confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and water into a silky smooth icing, elegantly drizzling over completely cooled cookies.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and creates a more structured cookie with a better texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth mixing and consistent cookie results.
- For gluten-free version, swap wheat flour with almond or gluten-free blend, which adds nutty flavor and maintains cookie structure.
- Try different jam flavors like apricot, strawberry, or mixed berry to customize the thumbprint cookies to personal taste preferences.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 112 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 44 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg