Thumbprint Cookies. This shortbread-style thumbprint cookie is light and flaky. The salted caramel and dark chocolate add a delicious richness. This won first place at a recent neighborhood cookie swap. Chef John shares two equally melt-in-your-mouth versions of everyone's favorite shortbread thumbprint cookies filled with jam and holiday cheer. Fill with a small spoonful of jam.

Cool on baking sheets before serving. Old fashioned, shortbread or with nuts, our classic thumbprint cookie recipes just can't be matched! Fill you and your guests up with these recipes. You can cook Thumbprint Cookies using 7 ingredients and 6 steps. Here is how you cook that.

Ingredients of Thumbprint Cookies

You need 1 cup of unsalted butter, softened.
It's 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar.
It's 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
You need 2 of egg yolks.
It's 2 cup of flour.
You need 1/2 tsp of salt.
It's of Jelly or jam of your liking.

In Swedish, the cookies are called "Hallongrotta." It literally means raspberry cave. In the United States, they are simply called thumbprint cookies. The the middle of the cookies are practically caved in as a result of pressing the thumbprint in the center of the cookie dough. Thumbprint cookies are one of those classic cookies that seem to make an appearance at any event regardless what the occasion is!

Thumbprint Cookies step by step

Preheat oven to 350°F..
Combine brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and egg yolks in a medium bowl..
Using a mixer, or your utensil, mix the ingredients until smooth..
Add flour and salt to the mixture gradually. Sifting the dry ingredients into the wet batter may help. Be sure you mix in between each addition!.
Once the mixture has a doughy texture shape the cookie batter into small one inch balls. After the balls are on the pan push a hole into each ball, if using your finger place finger in flour first to make a clean hole, and to avoid a mess! Then add your jelly or jam and place in the holes..
Bake for 20 minutes, or until light brown.

I think it's because they combine so many things people love: buttery cookies, nuts, and jam. How much more homemade can you get? A signature Christmastime sweet, our tiny almond-flavored cookies bear the print of the baker's thumb, which is gently pressed into the partially baked cookie to create a well. A dollop of apricot, red currant, or raspberry jam fills the center. If you use fruit preserves you've put up yourself, the signature is even more personal.