Prep Time

　　20 minutes

　　Total Time

　　45 minutes plus chilling

　　Jam thumbprints are a classic Christmas cookie that bring together a buttery shortbread-like base and any flavor jam you like. Raspberry jam is standard in this easy recipe, but apricot and strawberry jam make equally delicious cookies. Want to go a little off-traditional in this year’s cookie tin? Make pecan thumbprints, peanut butter thumbprints with chocolate ganache, honey-sweetened cookies filled with pistachio paste or lemon curd, or grated shortbread cookie bars with rose jam, in addition to this traditional thumbprint cookie recipe.

　　Here the jam is added before the cookies hit the oven. Make a deep impression in the center of the cookie dough with your thumb, a small pestle, or the circular handle of a wooden spoon and add about 1 tsp. jam per cookie. Don’t overfill the indentation, as these cookies will flatten and spread in the oven and too much jam can cause an avalanche. For the same reason be sure to leave plenty of room in between when lining up the balls of dough on your cookie sheet.

　　Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published November 1, 2011, as Siobhan’s Thumbprint Cookies.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

　　2½ cups all-purpose flour

　　¼ teaspoon baking soda

　　¼ teaspoon salt

　　1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

　　¾ cup sugar

　　1 large egg

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　½ cup jam such as raspberry, strawberry, or apricot

　　Powdered sugar for dusting

　　Special Equipment: 2 large baking sheets, parchment paper, small pestle or wooden spoon with rounded handle

　　

Step 1

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and a second rack in the lower third then preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

　　

Step 2

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

　　

Step 3

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic, and chill at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

　　

Step 4

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. Using your thumb or the round end of a small pestle, make a well in the center of each cookie. Using a teaspoon, fill each indentation with jam, being careful not to overfill. Bake, switching the cookies between the upper and lower racks about halfway through baking, until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. Continue baking cookies on cooled baking sheets.

　　DO AHEAD: The cookies can be baked ahead and stored, in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 days.