Jam Shortbread Cookies | Jam Thumbprint Cookie Recipe
These Raspberry Jam Thumbprints are a sugar crusted butter shortbread cookie with raspberry jam filling that we flavor with a little almond extract or fill with your choice of jam! These shortbread cookies are crisp with soft, sweet jam filled centers and they’re perfect for your Christmas cookies or anytime of the year.
I recommend adding the jam filling before cooking these shortbread cookies. Look for jam or preserves that are on the thicker side, and don’t overfill the indents for best results. As the cookies cool, the jam will firm up.
Jam Shortbread Cookies | Jam Thumbprint Cookies | Christmas Cookies
Our Jam Shortbread Cookies recipe, also called raspberry jam thumbprints, are delicious sugar crusted butter cookies with a rich raspberry jam filling that's flavored with a touch of almond extract. These thumbprint cookies are easy to make, and I think your guests will love finding these crisp shortbread cookies on your Christmas cookie table!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optionally crushed with mortar and pestle)
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Set the butter out ahead of time to soften.
- In a large bowl, measure out 1 ¾ cups of flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. This part is optional, I've crushed the kosher salt a bit in a mortar and pestle.
- Give the dry ingredients a whisk to mix it all together, and set this aside.
- In another large bowl, add 14 tablespoons softened butter. Add ⅔ cup of white granulated sugar, and beat with a hand mixer for about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The mixture will be light yellow and fluffy.
- Add one egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat on medium speed to combine.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add about a third of the dry ingredients. Beat slowly until combined, then add another third of the dry ingredients and beat on low to incorporate the flour. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and beat just until it’s all combined. Scrape the bowl.
- Measure out about 1/4 cup raspberry jam. Add a generous ¼ teaspoon almond extract and mix. You can use other jams instead, like apricot, fig, lemon curd – share your favorite in the comments!
- Scoop out a pinch of shortbread dough that will make about a one inch ball, and roll between your hands. Roll the ball in white granulated sugar, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. These will spread a little while baking, so space the cookies about 2 inches apart
- Use your thumb or a ¼ teaspoon measuring scoop to make an indent in each cookie. Don't make the indent too deep, be careful not to break through the bottom of the shortbread cookie or the jam will leak out. Fill each indent with about 1/4 teaspoon of raspberry jam.
- When the jam thumbprint cookies are filled, put them in the fridge for an hour to chill.
- Then preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake the chilled jam shortbread cookies just until the edges are golden. For me this was about 10 – 12 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store these raspberry jam thumbprint cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.