Description
Delicious raspberry almond thumbprint cookies featuring a tender buttery shortbread base, filled with sweet raspberry jam and finished with a smooth glaze icing. Perfectly chilled and baked to light golden perfection for a delightful treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (160g) raspberry jam
Icing
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1–2 Tablespoons (15–30g/ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
Instructions
- Make the cookies: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Switch mixer to medium speed and add the sugar, vanilla, and almond extracts. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the salt and flour. Turn the mixer on low and slowly beat until a very soft dough is formed. If the dough seems too sticky for rolling, beat in another Tablespoon of flour.
- Shape the cookies: Line a baking sheet or plate with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scoop and roll the dough, about a Tablespoon (18–20g) each, into balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Press an indentation with your thumb in each ball. The dough may crack slightly when you press your thumb into it. Simply smooth it out with your fingers if you can.
- Chill the dough: Place the baking sheet with the thumbprint cookies in the refrigerator and chill until firm, at least 4 hours.
- Preheat and prepare for baking: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Fill with jam: Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2–3 inches apart, about 12 cookies per baking sheet. Fill each cookie with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the shortbread thumbprint cookies for 15 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the edges. The cookies will puff up and spread slightly. Do not overbake. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing.
- Make the icing: Whisk the icing ingredients together until smooth. Add more liquid to thin out or more confectioners’ sugar to thicken to your desired consistency. Drizzle over cookies. Icing will set after about 1 hour.
- Store the cookies: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Shaped shortbread dough (rolled and indented) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then continue with step 4. Baked cookies (with or without icing) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools: Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand), Baking Sheets, Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper, Cooling Rack, Glass Mixing Bowl, Whisk.
- Jam: Use a thick, high-quality raspberry jam or preserves. Seeded or seedless both work—choose your preference. Other flavors such as strawberry, apricot, or blackberry also work wonderfully.
- Cold Dough: The shaped cookie dough must stay cold and firm before baking. After rolling and adding the thumbprint, chill the shaped dough for at least 4 hours (or up to 3 days). If the dough softens as you fill with jam, simply return the shaped cookies to the refrigerator to firm up again. When baking in batches, keep the remaining shaped cookies in the refrigerator while the first batch bakes. You can also shape and indent a second tray, refrigerate it, and bake it right after the first.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
