Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies

These Strawberry Thumbprint cookies are a buttery shortbread type cookie flavored with vanilla and topped with strawberry jam. The melt in your mouth vanilla cookie and sweet strawberry jam are a match made in heaven. A perfect pairing with your favorite afternoon tea or coffee.

I thought it would be fun to play around with the traditional thumbprint cookie and make these into a Valentine’s Day cookie by making the indentation for the jam into the shape of heart. It’s very easy to do. Essentially you’re just making two indentations into the dough instead of just one with your thumbprint. I tried using my pinky at first but then tried using the rounded end of of the handle of a wooden spoon and found I liked that method better.

Ingredients you will need for Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature. Make sure to pull your butter out of the fridge a couple hours ahead of time. If you forget you can speed up the softening time by putting the sticks of butter, still in their wax paper, in a cup of warm water for about 5 minutes.
• 2/3 cups granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling the cookies
• 2 egg yolks, preferably at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• About 1/2 cup strawberry jam

Directions:

• 1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• 2.) In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar.
• 3.) Separate the egg yolks from the whites. I break the egg into my hand and strain the whites through my fingers leaving just the yolk. Add the yolks to the sugar and butter mixture and mix thoroughly.
• 4.) Add the vanilla and continue mixing.

• 5.) To the mixer add the flour and salt and mix until the dough just comes together, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to make sure everything is well incorporated. Don’t overmix!

• 6.) Using a 1tbls cookie scoop or 1tbls measuring spoon, measure out a 1 tablespoon size ball of dough, roll in granulated sugar and place on the parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. They only need to be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

• 7.) If making the heart shape thumbprint cookies gently press your pinky, or the rounded handle of a wood spoon into the cookie dough making two small impressions that leave a heart shape. If you are doing a traditional thumbprint cookie then simply press your thumb in the center of the dough making a little well for the jam.

• 8.) Spoon 1/2 tsp of the strawberry jam into the space in the cookie dough. If making the heart shape gently move the jam around to fill in the heart shape completely.
• 9.) Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edge of the cookie is barely turning golden brown. Do not let the cookies brown!
• 10.) Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Make sure to pull your butter out of the fridge ahead of time to make sure it’s softened to room temperature. If you forget you can speed up the softening process but placing the sticks of butter, still in the wax paper, in a glass of warm water for about 5 minutes.
• While this recipe calls for strawberry jam you can experiment with whatever jam you would like.
• These cookies freeze beautifully. Simply place them on single layer on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer until frozen, between 20-30 minutes. Once frozen remove from the cookie sheet and place in a large ziploc bag and put back in the freezer.
• Thumbprint cookies are best enjoyed fresh, but they’ll keep well in an airtight container for up to a week. Store them in a cool, dry place, and layer them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

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Check out my recipe for Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies.