Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Buttery almond thumbprint cookies filled with jam and drizzled with glaze make the sweetest Christmas cookie! Rolled in sliced almonds and sugar and baked until golden, jam thumbprint cookies are a holiday classic and perfect for gifting. Recipe yields 20 cookies.
With a soft and tender texture, these thumbprint cookies are simple to make and incredibly delicious.
I love to fill these cookies with raspberry jam or cherry preserves. The sparkling red color is a beautiful complement to the golden cookies, and the sweet jam pairs nicely with the almond flavored cookies.
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Thumbprint Cookie Ingredients
- Butter – Use unsalted, softened butter at cool room temperature.
- Sugar – The cookie dough uses granulated sugar, and you’ll use more granulated sugar to roll the cookies before baking.
- Extracts – Use pure vanilla extract and pure almond extract to flavor the dough. Almond extract adds delicious almond flavor to the cookies. If you don’t like almond extract (or have an allergy), increase the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons.
- Large egg – A large egg adds moisture and holds the dough together.
- Flour – Use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
- Cornstarch – A touch of cornstarch keeps the cookies from overspreading in the oven.
- Sliced Almonds – Pulsed sliced almonds mixed with granulated sugar coat the cookies.
- Jam or Preserves – Use your favorite flavor jam or preserves to fill these cookies. I personally use and recommend Bonne Maman Four Fruits Preserves, Cherry Preserves, or Raspberry Preserves.
How to Make Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Make Dough – Beat softened butter, sugar, and salt in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, almond extract, and egg and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour and cornstarch just until incorporated and dough comes together in large pieces.
Shape Cookies – Combine sliced almonds and sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in almond-sugar mixture to coat. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and make an indentation in the center of each one with the back of a 1/2 teaspoon.
Chill Dough – Chill thumbprints for 45 minutes to prevent the cookies from overspreading in the oven. While the dough chills, preheat oven to 350°F.
Bake – Bake thumbprint cookies for 10 minutes, then rotate baking sheets and continue baking another 4 to 5 minutes, until light golden brown and set. While cookies are cooling on baking sheets, gently press the centers again to make an indentation.
Filling – Place jam or preserves in a small bowl and microwave for 10 seconds, whisking to loosen. Use a piping bag or a small spoon to fill the center of each cookie with 1 teaspoon preserves. Let cookies cool completely.
Glaze – To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, salt, almond extract, corn syrup, and heavy cream until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cookies and let set before serving.
Make Ahead Thumbprint Cookies
To make these thumbprint cookies in advance, make the dough and roll into 1-inch balls, then roll in almond-sugar mixture to coat. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and make an indentation in the center of each one with the back of a 1/2 teaspoon.
Freeze on the baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. On baking day, bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.
More holiday cookie recipes to try:
Did you try this Almond Thumbprint Cookie Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!
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Almond Thumbprint Cookies
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Buttery almond thumbprint cookies filled with jam and drizzled with glaze make the sweetest holiday cookie!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 3 tsp cornstarch
Rolling
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds, pulsed until coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbsp sugar
Filling
- 1/2 cup raspberry or cherry preserves
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/8 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Make cookies: Beat butter, sugar, and salt in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, almond extract, and egg and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour and cornstarch just until incorporated and dough comes together in large pieces (scrape down bowl as needed).
- Shape cookies: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine sliced almonds and sugar in a shallow bowl. Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of dough and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in almond-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and make an indentation in the center of each one with the back of a 1/2 teaspoon.
- Chill cookies: Chill thumbprints in the refrigerator for 45 minutes. While dough chills, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Rotate baking sheets and return to the oven, baking another 4 to 5 minutes, or until light golden and set.
- While cookies are cooling on baking sheets, gently press the centers again to make an indentation.
- Place preserves in a small bowl and microwave for 10 seconds; whisk to loosen. Fill the center of each cookie with 1 teaspoon preserves. Let cookies cool completely on baking sheets.
- Make glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, salt, almond extract, corn syrup, and heavy cream in a small bowl until combined. Microwave in 5 second bursts, whisking until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cookies and let set before serving.
- Store cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Extracts: Use pure vanilla extract and pure almond extract to flavor the dough. If you don’t like almond extract (or have an allergy), increase the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons.
Make Ahead: Make the dough and roll into 1-inch balls, then roll in almond-sugar mixture to coat. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and make an indentation in the center of each one with the back of a 1/2 teaspoon. Freeze on the baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. On baking day, bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.
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Keywords: Thumbprint Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Almond, Jam
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These were SO good. The almond flavor played really nicely with the raspberry jam and was not overpowering. Our almonds for the coating were a bit coarser which wasn’t intentional, but gave the cookies a good texture.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Maddy! That’s so nice to hear. 🙂
Made these cookies for Valentine’s Day filled with strawberry jam. So easy and delicious, we all enjoyed them!
★★★★★
So glad you tried these cookies, Kira! Strawberry jam sounds delicious too. 🙂
Hi Laura! Didn’t this recipe used to have a homemade cranberry filling? I had it pinned from a couple years ago and it seems to have changed. Is it archived somewhere? I didn’t print it and my husband liked the cranberries! 🙂
Hi Grace, that was an old recipe that I revamped to post this updated version with a jam filling. I will email you the cranberry filling recipe. 🙂
I made five batches of these cookies over the holidays and filled them with raspberry preserves. Absolutely delicious!
★★★★★
Hi Sophia, so happy to hear these cookies were a hit! 🙂
Baked these cookies on Sunday and they are delicious. My kids asked me to double the recipe next time!
★★★★★
Hi Melanie, I’m so glad you tried this recipe. Happy Holidays!