These Christmas Thumbprint Cookies are buttery on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, and endlessly customizable. The best part? You can create a whole variety of flavors from just one batch of dough! With no chill time required, these cookies are quick to make, stay soft for days, and aren’t too delicate—making them perfect for holiday cookie boxes, trays, and gifting.
This recipe has become my go-to for Christmas baking because it’s versatile, festive, and so easy. From raspberry jam to lemon curd, chocolate hazelnut, or even peppermint, the flavor options are endless. You can fill a whole cookie box with just one batch of these thumbprints, and no two cookies need to be the same.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Quick & easy: No chilling, no complicated steps.
- Customizable: Endless filling and topping combinations to suit your taste.
- Perfect for gifting: Sturdy yet soft, these cookies travel well and look beautiful in holiday boxes.
- Family favorite: Kids love helping roll the dough and fill the centers with colorful jams and chocolates.
Key Ingredients
- Butter: Softened butter gives the cookies their rich, buttery flavor.
- Sugar: A mix of granulated and brown sugar creates crisp edges and a soft interior.
- Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base of the dough—be sure to measure correctly for the best results.
- Baking powder: Helps the cookies puff without spreading too much.
- Flavor variations: Divide the dough and mix in cocoa powder for chocolate thumbprints, or keep it vanilla for a classic base.
- Coatings & toppings: Roll in sugar, nuts, coconut, or crushed peppermint before baking.
- Fillings: Raspberry jam, lemon curd, Nutella, chocolates, or even cookie butter add endless variety.
How to Make Christmas Thumbprint Cookies
- Make the dough – Cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and salt. Mix in flour and baking powder until a soft dough forms. Divide in half and add cocoa powder to one portion for chocolate thumbprints.
- Shape & coat – Scoop the dough into balls, roll smooth, then coat in sugar, nuts, or coconut.
- Add thumbprints – Press down the center with your thumb or the back of a teaspoon. Fill with jam or curd (add chocolate or Nutella after baking).
- Bake – Arrange on a lined baking sheet and bake at 355°F (180°C) for 8–10 minutes until puffed but still soft in the middle.
- Finish & enjoy – Cool completely, then add any additional toppings.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix the dough—stop once it comes together.
- Slightly underbake for a soft, chewy center.
- Coat in sugar or nuts to prevent sticking and add extra flavor.
- Add chocolate-based fillings after baking so they don’t burn.
- Jam and curd fillings should go in before baking for a glossy finish.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Best baked the same day—unbaked dough doesn’t store well as it becomes dry and harder to shape.
Why This Recipe is Perfect for Christmas
With just one dough, you can create a cookie box filled with multiple flavors and textures. These cookies are festive, colorful, and customizable—ideal for last-minute baking since they don’t require chilling. Plus, their buttery crunch and soft centers make them absolutely irresistible.
Flavor Ideas to Try
- Classic Raspberry – Rolled in sugar, filled with raspberry jam.
- Lemon Curd – Rolled in powdered sugar, filled with tangy lemon curd.
- Chocolate Peppermint – Chocolate dough rolled in crushed peppermint, filled with chocolate ganache.
- Hazelnut Nutella – Chocolate dough rolled in nuts, filled with Nutella after baking.
- Coconut Raspberry – Vanilla dough rolled in coconut, filled with raspberry jam.
Christmas Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: ~28 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder (optional, for half the dough)
- ½ cup sugar, nuts, or coconut for coating
- ½ cup seedless jam, lemon curd, Nutella, or other fillings
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, and salt.
- Sift in flour and baking powder. Mix just until combined.
- Divide dough—add cocoa to half for chocolate cookies.
- Scoop into 1 ½ Tbsp balls, roll smooth, coat in sugar/nuts/coconut.
- Press the centers with your thumb or a teaspoon. Fill with jam or curd.
- Bake 8–10 minutes, until puffed and set around the edges.
- If using chocolate or Nutella, add after baking. Cool on a rack before serving.