Chocolate and peanut butter is a combination that never gets old. Add a raspberry jam filling to these soft chocolate thumbprint cookies and you have a trifecta of flavor! Simple, loved by old and young and a hit around the holidays.
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These cookies are slightly chewy with a little pool of sweet raspberry jam in the middle. You get a taste of three magic flavors in each bite.
They are simple and fun to make (and eat) with kids over the holidays.
Tips for Making Perfect Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
While thumbprint cookies are simple to make, there are a few tips that will ensure yours turn out perfect the first time around. Here is what I have learned:
- The cookies will look the best on a holiday platter if they are all made into a similar size and shape. Use some sort of scoop (a melon baller or an ice cream scoop to get the exact portion and then use your hands to roll them into round balls before chilling.
- Sometimes thumbprint cookies will not hold the indentation throughout the baking time. It’s OK to tamp down the indentation again when they come out of the oven. Just don’t get too enthusiastic and press all the way to the bottom of the cookie!
- Be very precise with measuring the flour and the cocoa. Too much flour will give you dry cookies and nt enough flour will make the cookies too flat
- Be sure and chill the dough. This helps tremendously in helping the cookies keep their shape during baking.
- Bake one pan at a time. I always try and cook two pizza doughs at the same time, and one ends up crisp and the other ends up doughy. This would hold with cookie dough also.
- Lastly, make sure your second batch of cookies goes onto a cool baking sheet. If you are using the same baking sheet for both batches, run cold water over the back of the first baking sheet after the cookies are removed so the second batch is not placed on a warm sheet pan (you’ll lose the shape)
What is the Best Filling for Thumbprint Cookies?
Of course you can use any type of preserve you want in thumbprint cookies, which is why they are so wonderful. Please a variety of palates and make your cookie tray beautiful with any of the following flavors:
- Lemon (or citrus) Filled Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
- Savory Thumbprint with Hot Pepper Jellies
- Ginger-Spiced Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
- Savory Cornmeal Thumbprint Cookies with Lime Marmalade
- Chocolate Sprinkles Thumbprint Cookies with Nutella
Frequently Asked Questions:
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you plan to freeze them, they freeze best before adding the filling. Simply unthaw on the counter and finish by adding your favorite fillin.
Yes, they will not keep their shape if you don’t chill the dough ahead of time, causing them to be flat and the filling to run over the edges.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheet Helpful to have two
- mixing bowls
- Melon baller Or small ice cream scoop, or a spoon
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ t kosher salt
- 1 stick 1/2 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Raspberry Chambord Jam berry jams seem to pair great with this one
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.In large bowl, thoroughly whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 t kosher salt
- In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, beat the butter, peanut butter, and sugars together until fluffy (about 2 minutes), scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.1 stick, 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- With the machine on the lowest speed, slowly pour the flour mix into the batter. Mix until just incorporated, scraping sides as needed.Gather dough together into large ball , wrap in saran wrap, and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes
- Using small ice cream scoop or melon baller, scoop rounded balls onto lined cookie sheet about an inch apart.Press a small indentation into each cookie with your thumb. Don't worry if the sides crack a little.Bake for 11-14 minutes or until the dough it just set.
- While the cookies are still warm, you can push the indentation in a little deeper if you need to. Cool on a wire rack.After the cookies are cooled, spoon in some raspberry (or other flavor) preservesRaspberry Chambord Jam
Notes
- Sometimes thumbprint cookies will not hold the indentation throughout the baking time. It’s OK to tamp down the indentation again when they come out of the oven. Just don’t get too enthusiastic and press all the way to the bottom of the cookie!
- Be very precise with measuring the flour and the cocoa. Too much flour will give you dry cookies and nt enough flour will make the cookies too flat
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