Buttery Jam Thumbprints

These classic thumbprint cookies combine buttery shortbread with sweet fruit preserves. They're simple to make, need no eggs, and turn out perfectly tender every time.

These buttery jam thumbprints take me right back to baking with my grandmother. The sweet aroma of butter and vanilla fills my kitchen as I make batch after batch. Something about pressing your thumb into soft cookie dough and filling it with colorful preserves brings out the joy in baking.

Why These Cookies Never Last Long in My House

Every time I make these cookies they disappear faster than I can cool them. Their buttery softness and sweet jam centers make them absolutely irresistible. My family hovers around the kitchen just waiting to snag one warm from the cooling rack.

Everything You Need to Get Started

Butter: 1 cup just slightly softened. The quality of your butter really matters here.
Confectioner’s Sugar: A half cup gives these the most incredible melt away texture.
Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla makes all the difference.
Almond Extract: Just half a teaspoon adds that something special.
Flour: 2 cups of regular all purpose flour works perfectly.
Salt: A quarter teaspoon to make all the flavors pop.
Preserves: About half a cup of your favorite thick fruit preserves.

Let’s Bake Together

Create Your Base: Get your mixer ready and beat that butter with sugar until it looks light and fluffy. This usually takes me about 3 minutes and it’s worth every second.
Add the Magic: Mix in your extracts and salt. The smell is absolutely heavenly at this point.
Make Your Dough: Slowly add the flour until everything comes together into a soft beautiful dough. Give it some time to chill.
Shape with Love: Roll your dough into cute little balls and make wells in the center. I love this part it feels like playing with clay.
Fill Those Centers: Add your favorite preserves into each well. I usually go for raspberry but honestly they’re all delicious.
Time to Bake: Pop them in the oven and watch the magic happen. Your kitchen will smell amazing.