Presenting my recipe for the #WiltonVirtualCookieExchange: Classic Thumbprint Cookies! See the full recipe and cooking tips below, along with details on a fabulous giveaway from Wilton! You all know I’m a huge fan of Wilton products, so I’m thrilled to be able to offer you something from my favorite bakeware company. First, a discount! Save 20% off sitewide at Wilton.com through 11/26/23 with code RAMONA20 to get anything and everything you need for your holiday cookie and baking needs! I’m also giving away a Wilton Holiday Baking Bundle of over $170 worth of Wilton products (including bakeware, supplies, and decorations)! Enter on Instagram here. Now, onto the recipe. This old-fashioned thumbprint cookies recipe is inspired by one my grandmother used to always make. The raspberry thumbprint cookies are buttery, rich, crumbly, and delicately sweet (similar to the flavor and texture of shortbread), with most of the sweetness coming from the jam. You can use any flavor of jam or preserves that you like, but my favorites for these cookies are seedless raspberry jam like this recipe, and apricot preserves to make apricot thumbprint cookies. The buttery, slightly salty flavor is full of nostalgia for me, but if you prefer your cookies sweeter, you can sift a little confectioners’ sugar over the top of the finished cookies. Keep reading for step-by-step photos for the Classic Thumbprint Cookies recipe, and follow @wiltoncakes and follow along at #WiltonVirtualCookieExchange on social media for daily cookie recipe inspiration all month long!
This recipe and my participation in the Wilton Virtual Cookie Exchange are sponsored by Wilton. The opinions are my own.
More recipe ideas like this Classic Thumbprint Cookies recipe for your cookie and dessert exchanges
- Vegan Snickerdoodles (dairy-free snickerdoodles recipe)
- Easy Pretzel and Candy Melt Christmas Trees (easy no-bake Christmas treats)
- OREO Cookie Balls Christmas Lights (no-bake recipe)
- OREO Truffles (easy no-bake truffles)
- No-Bake Pumpkin Spice Truffles
- Coquito Balls (Caribbean-Style Coconut Rum Balls)
- Dark Chocolate Caramel Corn Fudge
- Perfect Peanut Butter Fudge recipe
- Kickin’ Texas Peanut Brittle
- Rich and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies (or check out the gluten-free version or the vegan version)
- King Cake Cookies
- Red Velvet Cookies
- Candy Cane Brownies
- DoubleTree Hotels Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (the authentic recipe!)
- Cranberry-Lemon Bars (blonde brownie recipe)
- Everest Snowballs Recipe
What you need to make these raspberry thumbprint cookies with nuts
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this Classic Thumbprint Cookies recipe:
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam (you can also alternate the cookies with half raspberry jam and half apricot preserves if you want to make both raspberry thumbprint cookies and apricot thumbprint cookies)
- Optional: Confectioners’ sugar*
*These cookies are meant to be buttery, rich, crumbly, and delicately sweet (similar to the flavor and texture of shortbread), with most of the sweetness coming from the jam. If you prefer your cookies sweeter, sift a little confectioners’ sugar over the top of the finished cookies.
How to make old-fashioned thumbprint cookies
To make these old-fashioned thumbprint cookies, start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Separate the eggs, and place the egg whites in a small bowl and whisk lightly. Place the chopped walnuts in a separate small bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, egg yolks, almond extract, and vanilla extract together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Next, add the flour (spooned and leveled so you don’t add too much flour to the recipe by packing a measuring cup down into your flour) and salt. Mix until well combined.
Roll the dough into 24 1 1/2-inch balls. Dip each ball in the egg white, then roll in the chopped walnuts until coated. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets (12 on each sheet).
Bake the thumbprint cookies with nuts in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until slightly puffed, then remove them from the oven.
Using your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon, gently press an indent in the center of each cookie, flattening them down a bit.
Spoon jam into each thumbprint.
Return the old-fashioned thumbprint cookies to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes, or until the cookies are set and the bottoms are golden brown.
Remove the Classic Thumbprint Cookies from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely (about 15 minutes). The cookies will seem soft when first removed from the oven, but will continue to cook and firm up during the cooling process.
Optional: These old-fashioned thumbprint cookies are meant to be buttery, rich, crumbly, and delicately sweet, with most of the sweetness coming from the jam. If you prefer your raspberry thumbprint cookies or apricot thumbprint cookies sweeter, sift a little confectioners’ sugar over the top of the finished cookies.
The taste reminds me of my grandmother and my childhood!
These old-fashioned thumbprint cookies are great for holiday cookie exchanges.
Here’s the Classic Thumbprint Cookies recipe! I hope these raspberry thumbprint cookies remind you of days gone by, too, and bring you lots of new memories!
Classic Thumbprint Cookies
This old-fashioned thumbprint cookies recipe is inspired by one my grandmother used to always make. The raspberry thumbprint cookies are buttery, rich, crumbly, and delicately sweet (similar to the flavor and texture of shortbread), with most of the sweetness coming from the jam. The buttery, slightly salty flavor is full of nostalgia for me, but if you prefer your cookies sweeter, you can sift a little confectioners’ sugar over the top of the finished classic thumbprint cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam (you can also alternate the cookies with half raspberry jam and half apricot preserves)
- Optional: Confectioners’ sugar*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Place the egg whites in a small bowl and whisk lightly. Place the chopped walnuts in a separate small bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, egg yolks, almond extract, and vanilla extract together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the flour and salt and mix until well combined.
- Roll the dough into 24 1 1/2-inch balls. Dip each ball in the egg white, then roll in the chopped walnuts until coated. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets (12 on each sheet).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until slightly puffed. Remove from the oven.
- Using your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon, gently press an indent in the center of each cookie. Spoon jam into each thumbprint.
- Return the cookies to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes, or until set and the bottoms are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely (about 15 minutes). Cookies will seem soft when first removed from the oven, but will continue to cook and firm up during the cooling process.
Notes
*These cookies are meant to be buttery, rich, crumbly, and delicately sweet (similar to the flavor and texture of shortbread), with most of the sweetness coming from the jam. If you prefer your cookies sweeter, sift a little confectioners’ sugar over the top of the finished cookies.
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