Simple Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies are the most festive, most delicious, and most beautiful cookies. I have been OBSESSED with raspberry thumbprints for years. They are a staple of my holiday cookie baking, but I have always felt like they were too tough and too much work. SO, I thought it was time to develop a recipe that could be whipped up a bit quicker, with a bit more ease, and with that same gorgeous taste you know and love!
Cold Butter
You will rarely see cold butter used on my blog. Using room temperature butter has changed my baking for the better. HOWEVER, cold butter in this recipe keeps your thumbprints from spreading too thin.
Not only does cold butter save you from flat cookies, but it also saves you some time! You’ll just pull your butter from the fridge and get straight to baking!
The cold butter will require a bit more mixing since it’s stiffer, so don’t fear when it seems like things aren’t mixing!
Raspberry Thumbprint Jam
I LOVE these cookies with raspberry jam. It’s the most incredible mix of flavors- raspberry compliments almond like no other. There are tons of options if you’d rather try something else, though! Here are a few fun ones:
- Blueberry
- Strawberry
- Peach
- Blackberry
- Grape
The options are endless! Try them a few different ways! You won’t regret it… you’ll never regret a few more cookie options!
Almond Extract and Vanilla Extract
You’ll notice that there is both almond and vanilla extract in these cookies! I recommend using both for the best flavor!
I wish I could offer a substitute for almond extract, but I honestly can’t imagine these cookies any other way! If you just don’t love almond, you can just use vanilla extract!
Filling and Freezing Simple Thumbprints
The trick to these simple raspberry thumbprint cookies is to create a deep indent with your pinky or your wooden spoon. The cookies might look a little strange, but TRUST ME! You want small, tall ball with a tall indent rather than a wide one.
You’ll slowly spoon between 1/4 teaspoon and 1/2 teaspoon into the indents of each cookie. Then, you’ll place your cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes. Not only does this help ensure your cookies stay thick and puffy, but it keeps your jam from running all over your cookies! Do not skip this step! You’ll still have your cookies ready in literally 45 minutes even with that 10 minute freezer break!
Other Recipes
Print Simple Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies, Jam Cookies, Raspberry, Christmas Cookies
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Simple Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies are easy, delicious, flavorful, and gorgeous! They are soft almond-flavored cookies with raspberry jam filling topped with effortlessly easy glaze!
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam
For the Glaze
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
For the Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a bowl with an electric mixer, cream cold butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Mix in almond and vanilla extracts. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure the flavorings fully disperse in the mixture.
- Slowly add in flour to the mixture, mixing on medium/ low. Add in salt. Mixture will be slightly crumbly towards the beginning of mixing, but continue to mix until combined.
- Roll dough into 1 tablespoon balls. Use your pinky finger or the end of a wooden spoon to make a deep indent in each ball. Do not break through the ball.
- Microwave jam for about 15 seconds. Mix the jam to thin and smoothen it. Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indent.
- Place your cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Bake at 350 for about 12-14 minutes. Edges will turn slightly golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
For the Glaze
- In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar and milk together. You’ll want the glaze to feel thick- not watery or wet at all. However, if you lift your spoon out of the bowl, a consistent stream of glaze should fall from the spoon! If your glaze is too runny, add more confectioners’ sugar by the tablespoon. If the glaze is too thick, add milk by the 1/2 teaspoon!
- Drizzle glaze over the cookies using a spoon, piping bag, or homemade piping bag using a Ziploc bag.
- Let cookies set for 10 minutes! Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Keywords: Simple Thumbprint Cookies, Raspberry Jam, Glazed Cookies, Vanilla Glaze, Almond COokies
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