Light, buttery, almond flavored shortbread thumbprint cookies have been the most requested cookie I make for almost as long as I can remember. My friend Augusta gave me this recipe years ago and it became a forever favorite at first bite.
Thumbprint Cookies with Jam
There’s something so endearing and adorable about jam thumbprint cookies. Fruity jam adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the flaky shortbread cookie. The easy glaze on top of these thumbprint cookies adds a beautiful touch.
These cookies are great as a snack, tucked into lunches, or when served as dessert. I especially enjoy them with cafe con leche, chai, or a London Fog on a chilly afternoon.
Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
With just the right amount of sweetness, filled with jam, and then lightly drizzled with icing, these cookies are a hit with everyone who tries them. Don’t be fooled by their unassuming appearance. They’ll surprise you by just melting in your mouth.
Almond extract is what gives these cookies just a hint of almond flavor. It adds a nice layer of nuttiness that complements the buttery flavor of the shortbread cookie and the fruitiness of the jam.
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
I often reach for a jar of my family’s favorite homemade peach jam to use in these cookies. You can use whatever flavor of sweet preserves you like. I’ve made these cookies with several varieties of jam and the cookies turn out delicious every time.
I typically just use whichever flavors of jam I happen to have on hand at the time. For this last batch, I used apricot jam and a mixed berry jam. You really can’t go wrong with the jam choice. If you enjoy eating the jam, you’ll likely love it in the cookies.
How to Make Thumbprint Cookies
Chilling the dough for a solid hour in the refrigerator is an important step in this recipe. So even if you’re in a hurry to bake these cookies, don’t skip that step.
Chilling the dough helps keep the butter in this recipe solid. And the cold butter helps the cookies maintain their structure in the oven.
When it comes to filling thumbprints with jam, less is more. A quarter teaspoon or so should do it. Too much and you risk disrupting the structure of the cookie and the jam to cookie ratios. (Yes, jam to cookie ratios are a thing!)
The last thing to remember here is to be extra careful not to overbake these cookies! You want to take these cookies out of the oven before they are even slightly brown.
Overbaking will result in a much harder cookie without that crumby delicate shortbread texture. If you love thumbprint cookies like we do, you’ll want to try Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies and Marmalade Thumbprint Cookies too.
Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the flour and almond extract. Beat again to combine. Chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
When ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll the dough into 1″ balls or use a 1″ scoop to place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Press down on the top of each cookie and use your thumb to create a small indent. After all the indents are made, fill the indents with about ½ teaspoon of jam.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Remove from the oven before the cookies are browned. Let cool on the trays for 1-2 minutes and then remove to a wire cooling rack.
To make the glaze, add the almond extract to the powdered sugar and then slowly add the milk. Stir constantly and stop adding milk when you reach the consistency of icing. It should drizzle off the tip of a spoon in a thin white stream.
When the cookies are completely cooled, drizzle the icing over the tops. Allow them to sit until hardened and then store in an airtight container.
Shortbread Cookie Recipes
Shortbread cookies don’t get as much love as they deserve, in my opinion. Delicious, simple, and not-too-sweet, they appeal to the palettes of kids and adults alike.
If you’re looking for more great shortbread cookies, I recommend Sugared Shortbread Cookies for sure. They’re a simple cookie sprinkled with sugar crystals that you can bake and serve all year round.
If the perfect slice of cinnamon toast met Pecan Sandies, these Cinnamon Pecan Shortbread Bars would be the result. This is a tender shortbread, filled with pecans, and then generously topped with cinnamon sugar.
Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread is a flaky shortbread that is barely crisp on the outside. These shortbread bites melt in your mouth with chocolate and just a hint of coffee flavor.
Buttery and just barely sweetened, Brown Sugar Whole Wheat Shortbread is a delicious surprise. The addition of whole wheat changes the texture and adds a new dimension to the flavor as well.
For a seasonal shortbread treat, Chocolate Dipped Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies are delightful. They look impressive and festive but take hardly any time in the kitchen making them perfect to whip up during the busy holiday season.
Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
COOKIE INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup butter softened
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- approximately ½ cup any flavor jam I used our favorite peach jam
GLAZE INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the flour and almond extract. Beat again to combine. Chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- When ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll the dough into 1" balls or use a 1" scoop to place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Press down on the top of each cookie and use your thumb to create a small indent. After all the indents are made, fill the indents with about ½ teaspoon of jam.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Remove from the oven before the cookies are browned. Let cool on the trays for 1-2 minutes and then remove to a wire cooling rack.
- To make the glaze, add the almond extract to the powdered sugar and then slowly add the milk. Stir constantly and stop adding milk when you reach the consistency of icing. It should drizzle off the tip of a spoon in a thin white stream.
- When the cookies are completely cooled, drizzle the icing over the tops. Allow them to sit until hardened and then store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 8/12/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 12/13/23}
Kay says
Made these last night. So goooood.
Kim says
I did 5 batches total. These are now a Xmas keeper. Thank you!!!!
Anonymous says
I love almond cookies I, use the same recipie but for a variation, I dip the cookies in rainbow sprinkles, my son goes crazy for theses, I can't keep enough on hand he goes though them so fast.
Anonymous says
can you use jelly?
Mary says
Any flavored jelly or jam will work fine.
Penny says
I made these for Christmas with my homemade strawberry and cherry jams; they were awesome! Thanks for a great recipe.
Anne says
I made these and they are so good!!
Rosie says
Made these, they are really good.
Carol says
These are so good. I used apricot jam for the filling and it turned out awesome.
Rosie says
Made these, they are really good.
Jess says
Salted or unsalted butter?
Mary says
I use salted butter, Jess.
traci york says
This cookie was delicious. I needed a ton so I doubled the recipe twice and only ended up with 100!! I made them small! Is everyone getting around 40 per batch.? My favorite cookie this year though!
Mary says
That's strange, Traci. I made a double batch of these cookies just yesterday and easily had 80 cookies. They are a small, almost bite-size cookie though. It's possibly yours are just a bit larger. I'm thrilled that you like them!
Tracy Tolliver says
Is an egg needed in the dough. When I mixed butter, sugar, flour and almond extract there was no form to the dough
Mary says
There is no egg at all, Tracy. You should be able to press the dough together with your hands and form the round shape for each cookie.
Betty Pringle says
You did what I did; you mixed the butter, sugar, flour and extract all together. You should have just creamed the butter and sugar first to a creamy texture then ADDED THE FLOUR AND EXTRACT. I made the same mistake so after the ref – I broke up the hardened dough then added a little apple juice then I could roll out the dough into balls. 11/1/15
Betty Pringle says
I made these cookies again today and creamed only the butter and sugar together, then added the flour and almond extract and mixed it together. It still needed liquid to bring it together so I added 3 tbsp apple juice and it came together, then I put it in the refrigerator for the hour. Time to make them now. 11/3/
15
Pat says
I love these cookies! We've made them several times. Thanks!!
caldyswife says
These cookies are amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing!! 🙂
Debby Foodiewife says
I have oodles of jars of homemade jam, and have been looking for the right cookie to showcase them. When I saw that you use almond extract…well, that's it! Gotta have these. Freeze them? Surely you jest. I doubt I'll have any left to freeze!
Anonymous says
How would these taste with green jelapeno jam or red hot pepper jam?
Yes or no?
Trying them first with homemade strawberry rhubarb jam.
Mary says
A pepper jam sounds amazing!!
Debbie says
The BEST! It's our go to cookie recipe in my culinary classroom when we want something party worthy without being hard for students. Our faculty begs us to make them!
Anonymous says
Can I use almond flour?
Mary says
These cookies will not work with a 1:1 almond flour substitution for all-purpose flour. I'm still working on a perfect gluten free version of this particular cookie.
Anonymous says
Has any of you made these without the drizzle? I think they would be better, not quite so sweet. Just wondering. I am definitely saving this recipe and making it soon.
Mary says
They're good without the glaze, but the glaze gives them an extra hit of almond and I can't resist it. Taste them both ways and let me know what you think!
Mary Ann says
This has got to be the easiest cookie I have ever made and so good. I love them! I am so glad I found this recipe. You could keep some of this dough in the fridge for emergencies and just whip up cookies when you need them.
Mary says
I like the way you think. "Cookie emergencies" happen in my house as well.