These classic thumbprint cookies are soft, chewy sugar cookies filled with a dollop of your favorite jam! This easy cookie recipe needs just 7 ingredients. They’re perfect for Christmas cookie trays and cookie exchanges.

Overhead view of jam thumbprint cookies on a countertop.

These jam-filled cookies look so pretty on a cookie platter, you won’t believe how easy they are to make! Thumbprint cookies, named after the “thumbprint” filled with jam in the middle, are classic Christmas cookies. My favorite jam thumbprint cookie recipe has a sweet, chewy sugar cookie dough that won’t overspread, filled with apricot jam and raspberry jam. You can fill your thumbprints with any jam you’d like, or another filling, like chocolate, caramel, or frosting.

Classic Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint cookies always make an appearance on my Christmas cookie platters, and they’re perfect for gifting and exchanging. Here’s why you’ll make these cookies again and again:

Simple ingredients. I rarely need to run to the grocery store when making these, since most of the ingredients are in the pantry already.
Easy to make. Mix the cookie dough in one bowl, indent each cookie, fill, and bake! Thumbprint cookies are great for holiday baking, and it’s a fun activity to do with kids.
Endless possibilities. Fill your thumbprint cookies with jam, or switch it up and make chocolate thumbprint cookies, turtle thumbprint cookies, or these festive peppermint thumbprint cookies. Once you have the dough, you can fill it however you’d like!

Close up of a jam thumbprint cookie with a bite missing, surrounded by more thumbprint cookies.

Ingredients Needed

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make these classic jam thumbprint cookies from scratch. Scroll to the printable recipe for the full measurements and step-by-step instructions.

Unsalted Butter – Bring your butter to room temperature before starting on your dough. This way, it’s easier to mix. You can soften the butter quickly by microwaving it for 5-10 seconds.
Sugar – Granulated sugar, or you can make a version of brown sugar cookies and use brown sugar instead.
Egg Yolks – You won’t be needing any egg whites for this recipe. The yolks contribute to a chewier cookie.
Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla, or an equal amount of vanilla paste.
All-Purpose Flour – Make sure to measure the flour correctly, using a kitchen scale or the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour from the bag into the measuring cup, and level it off. This avoids overmeasuring, which can lead to dry, crumbly cookies.
Jam – I use apricot and raspberry. You can use any type of jam or fruit preserve you’d like. Try strawberry, blackberry, grape jelly, or marmalade.

Close up of jam thumbprint cookies on a countertop.

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

Technically, you don’t have to use your thumb to make the well in the center of the cookie. I use the back of a measuring spoon!

Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F while you line the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Combine the wet ingredients. Next, cream the butter and sugar together until they’re light in color and fluffy. Then, add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after adding each yolk. Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients. Now, add the flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together. Do not over-mix.
Form the cookies. Scoop the dough into balls about 1 ½ tablespoons in size, and gently roll them smooth. If you’d like, you can roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar for a crunchy coating. Set the dough balls on the baking sheet.
Indent the cookies. Use the handle of a wooden spoon, your finger, or the bottom of a measuring spoon to gently press a well in the center of each cookie. Do this immediately after rolling the dough, as it helps to prevent the cookies from cracking.
Fill the thumbprints. Next, fill the centers with jam. I used roughly ½ teaspoon per cookie.
Bake. Bake the thumbprint cookies at 350ºF for 10-13 minutes or until the edges JUST begin to brown. Overbaking leads to dry cookies! Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

A Note on Different Fillings

When I fill these thumbprint cookies with jam, I do it before baking. However, fillings like chocolate or frosting, for example, must be added to the cookies after they’re baked. Otherwise, the filling will melt right out of the cookie! In this case, press the thumbprints before you bake them (as directed), and add the filling once the cookies have cooled.

Jam thumbprint cookies piled on a silver platter.

Tips for the Best Thumbprint Cookies

Use a food scale. For the best results, I always recommend using a food scale to measure your dry ingredients. Flour especially. This cookie dough is already fairly thick to avoid spreading, so over-measuring the flour leads to dry, firm cookies.
Press the cookies right after rolling. As soon as you form the cookie dough balls (and roll them in sugar, if you choose to do that step), press the centers down. As the cookie dough sits, the edges start to dry out, so waiting to press your cookies can lead to cracking.
Use a medium-colored baking sheet. Try to use a medium-colored baking sheet for this recipe. Lighter colored baking sheets cause cookies to spread more, and darker baking sheets cause them to spread less and brown more on the bottom. A medium-colored sheet is just right!
Avoid chilling the dough. There’s no need to refrigerate this cookie dough. You can if you’d like to, but I found that the cookies actually did more spreading after being refrigerated, so keep that in mind.

How to Store these Cookies

Store the cookies airtight. I recommend keeping these jam thumbprint cookies in an airtight container or resealable bag. On the counter, they’ll last for about 3 days. If you store them in the fridge, they’ll stay good for up to a week.
Freeze. If you want to store these thumbprint cookies long-term, you can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies at room temperature before serving.

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