Today I’m sharing how to make Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint cookies using our family’s favorite sugar cookie recipe. The recipe comes from Lavern Klein, mother of 10, and childhood neighbor to Bill and his family in Illinois.
If you don’t have time to make sugar cookie cut-outs this Christmas, then these festive thumbprint cookies are the perfect solution.
With the addition of raspberry jam and a little extra sugar, I have modified our favorite sugar cookie recipe to create Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies. So easy and so good!
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What is a Thumbprint Cookie?
A thumbprint cookie is made using a sugar cookie recipe. However, instead of rolling out the sugar cookie dough to make traditional Christmas cut-out cookies, the dough is rolled into balls, and a “thumbprint” is placed in the center of the cookie to create a well.
The well created by the baker’s thumb is then filled with jam. To create Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint cookies, fill the well with raspberry jam.
The beautiful red raspberry color creates a festive Christmas cookie that your friends and family are sure to enjoy.
Printable Recipe Card: Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Almond Extract
- 3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Table salt
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 small jar of Raspberry Jam
- Extra Granulated Sugar for rolling the dough balls
Instructions
- To create the sugar cookie dough, begin my creaming the sugar and room temperature butter using a mixer.
- Next add eggs (one at a time) to the mixture and combine.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts to the mixture and combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients together (baking powder, salt and flour).
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix until all the ingredients are combined.
- Form the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the dough overnight (or for a minimum of 2 hours).
- After your dough has been chilled, it's time to preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare the thumbprint cookies for baking.
- Start by creating doughballs using a cookie scoop and then rolling them with clean hands as needed to create balls.
- Next, add sugar to a bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar until coated.
- Place dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet allowing ample space between cookies.
- Press wells into each dough ball using your thumb or the back of your cookie scoop.
- Add a dollop of raspberry jam in each of the wells. Don't overfill.
- Bake thumbprint cookies 8-10 minutes in a preheated oven (350 degrees F). Do not let the cookies brown.
- Transfer cookies to a baking rack to cool.
- Allow cookies to cool before serving. Enjoy!
What Ingredients do I need to make Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies?
Let’s head to our kitchens to gather everything needed to make Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies. Today’s recipe utilizes simple ingredients and tools. You may already have everything needed for today’s recipe in your kitchen.
If not, stop by the grocery store first and pick up the needed ingredients. Don’t forget the two most flavorful ingredients needed for your thumbprint cookies: almond extract and raspberry jam.
Ingredients and Notes
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter: Be sure to use room temperature unsalted butter for today’s recipe. You’ll find that most bakers use unsalted butter so that they can create a recipe that controls for the amount of added salt.
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar: It’s cookie time! Sugar is a must.
- 3 Eggs: We use farm fresh eggs courtesy of our chickens (the MegHENs). Be sure to crack your eggs into a separate bowl so that you don’t risk adding shells to the recipe.
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract: I recommend using the best vanilla extract that your budget allows. Better ingredients equal better cookies.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Almond Extract: Don’t skip the the almond extract. This ingredient is a game changer. Everyone will be asking for the recipe.
- 3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour: I recommend sifting the flour when making soft baked goods like cookies and cakes.
- 1/2 Teaspoon Table Salt: Always measure the salt when baking and make needed adjustments if substituting Kosher or Sea Salt.
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder: If you don’t bake often and the baking powder has been sitting in the back of your pantry then it might be time to buy new baking powder. Not sure? Check out this article by Martha Stewart.
- 1 small jar of Raspberry Jam: Raspberry jam is one of my favorites and adds great color and taste to today’s recipe. But if you’re not a fan of raspberry, substitute Strawberry Jam so that you still get a beautiful red thumbprint cookie.
- Extra Granulated Sugar: Be sure you have enough sugar on hand to coat the dough balls in sugar prior to baking.
How do I Make Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies?
Now that you’ve gathered the needed ingredients, it’s time to make Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies.
Speaking of time, since we’re making thumbprints, the cookies themselves are a fairly quick and easy recipe. The dough can be made in 10 minutes or so and the cookies bake for 8-10 minutes after they’ve been rolled into balls and the raspberry jam has been added.
The real time for this recipe comes in chilling the dough at least 2 hours or preferrably overnight. So, plan accordingly.
Your thumbprint cookies will bake so much better if you don’t skip this step. Also, be sure to cool the cookies before serving.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Dough for Thumbprint Cookies
- To create the sugar cookie dough, begin my creaming the sugar and room temperature butter using a mixer.
- Next add eggs (one at a time) to the mixture and combine.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts to the mixture and combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients together (baking powder, salt and flour).
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix until all the ingredients are combined.
- Form the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the dough overnight (or for a minimum of 2 hours).
How to Create Christmas Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- After your dough has been chilled, it’s time to preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare the thumbprint cookies for baking.
- Start by creating doughballs using a cookie scoop and then rolling them with clean hands as needed to create balls.
- Next, add sugar to a bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar until coated.
- Place dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet allowing ample space between cookies.
- Press wells into each dough ball using your thumb or the back of your cookie scoop.
- Add a dollop of raspberry jam in each of the wells. Don’t overfill.
- Bake thumbprint cookies 8-10 minutes in a preheated oven (350 degrees F). Do not let the cookies brown.
- Transfer cookies to a baking rack to cool.
- Allow cookies to cool before serving. Enjoy!
Gifting Cookies to Friends and Family
Christmas Raspberry Thumbprints make a great gift for family and friends. Listed below are a few steps including my go to products for creating cookie gift bags.
- After the cookies are completely cooled, pop 6-8 cookies in a treat bag;
- add a bow made of red and white twine;
- and then finish up with a gift tag.
Now you have the perfect homemade gift for the holidays.
Cheers to retired life, and as always, happy gardening!
x Penny Pennington Weeks
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