Thumbprint Cookies: Easy To Make Jam Cookies
Looking for a fun and easy Christmas shortbread recipe to make with kids? Try our jammy thumbprint cookies! These plump, gourmet cookies can be shaped by hand without the need for a rolling pin or cookie cutters.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make about 20 thumbprint cookies:
160 g flour
75 g brown sugar
1 pinch of salt
50 g soft butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon of olive oil
3 tablespoons of milk
jam of your choice (e.g. orange marmalade, raspberry or red currant jelly)
To note: to prepare the dough for these shortbread cookies, remember to take the butter out of the refrigerator in advance. It should be at room temperature or even a little soft to work with more easily.
Preparation of the shortcrust pastry
The preparation of the dough for the thumbprint cookies is easy.
1- In a large container, mix the flour with the brown sugar and the pinch of salt.
2- Add the soft butter cut in small pieces and start to knead all the ingredients with your fingertips to incorporate the butter to the dry ingredients. You should obtain a coarse sand texture.
3- Make a well and add the olive oil and milk. Knead again until you can form a soft ball of dough.
4- Wrap the dough ball in cling film and place it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
Shaping of thumbprint cookies
As the name suggests, thumbprint cookies owe their singular shape to a thumbprint.
These cookies are fun to make with kids this holiday season because they are shaped by hand, without a rolling pin or cookie cutters. Budding bakers will love kneading the shortbread dough between their fingers like play dough!
1- Divide the ball of dough into two equal parts and shape two puddles about 2 cm in diameter.
2- Cut each dough ball into 10 slices of the same thickness.
3- Once you have 10 slices of dough, shape each slice between your hands to form a small ball of dough.
4- Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and then press down on the center of each ball with your thumb to form a cookie with a hollow in the center.
5- To finalize these jam cookies, simply fill each little scoop with the filling of your choice before baking.
Baking of thumbprint cookies
1- Preheat your oven to 180°C.
2- Bake the thumbprint cookies for about 15 minutes.
3- Let them cool for a few minutes before peeling them off the baking sheet.
Conservation Council
Jam thumbprint cookies will keep for several days in a metal cookie jar.
The advantage of this Christmas shortbread recipe is that it can be made in different flavors to suit all tastes.
For this first try I used homemade orange jelly and red fruit jam.
