I am a sucker for all things heart-shaped, and have fallen head over heels for these yummy Thumbprint Heart cookies filled with your favourite jam. These cookies deserve two BIG thumbs up! Perfect for Valentine’s Day or truly ANY occasion big or small.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, I knew I wanted to get baking something special from the heart to share with my family and friends. If you know me, you know I am no stranger to a heart-shaped cookie cutter (LOL) but the beauty of this recipe is you can achieve the cutest little hearts with your thumbs! These cookies are not only delicious, but are the perfect easy way to spread some love (I wouldn’t be mad if someone made me a batch). Full disclosure, consider doubling the recipe!
How to Make Thumbprint Cookies
The name says it all! Forming an indent in the dough is easy, and using your thumb makes a cute heart shape! You can also alternatively use a small spoon to get the shape as well. This will be the nesting ground for your yummy preserves, so make sure you push deep enough into the dough. Note: after the cookies come out of the oven, you might want to re-indent the hearts a little bit again prior to adding the jam, just push it in lightly with your pinky finger or a little spoon. Use a spoon to add jam evenly to all of your cookies, and ta-da! You have made yourself a sweetheart thumbprint cookie.
What Jam to use for Thumbprint Cookies
The real star here is the yummy jam you choose! I used a homemade raspberry jam gifted from my dear friend Mackenzie. If you have a homemade batch or a family favourite, now is it’s time to shine! A strawberry, orange, apricot, blackberry, cherry (I think you get my point) jam would all work great! Let your cookies cool completely before topping with your jam of choice into the heart shaped indent.
How to Make Cookies Vegan
Want to skip the egg? I’ve got you! Another reason (as if you needed more) to love these cookies is they can be made vegan. I honestly loved how they came out! Replace egg in this recipe for 1 tablespoon ground flax or ground chia and 2 tablespoons water and stir together (let sit a few minutes before using). This version came out tasting so good… your family will never know! Of course use vegan butter instead of the regular butter to make them fully vegan.
More Cookie Recipes
All you need is love… and cookies, right? Looking for more recipes to get baking? Try these Chocolate Coconut Love Bites (heart-shaped of course!) or check out this 8 Cookie Roundup! If you make these adorable Thumbprint Heart Cookies, make sure to let mw know how you enjoyed them below.
Thumbprint Heart Cookies
Thumbprint Heart Cookies
I am a sucker for all things heart-shaped, and have fallen head over heels for these yummy Thumbprint Heart Cookies, filled with your favourite jam! These cookies deserve two BIG thumbs up!
Ingredients
Original Thumbprint Cookies
- 3/4 cup butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 egg*
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup jam of choice (I used raspberry)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla and continue mixing until fully incorporated. Add in the flour and salt and continue blending until combined.
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Shape the dough into 1" balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 1 1/2 inches apart and gently press your thumb or the rounded back of a teaspoon in the centre twice, to form a heart indent (this is where the jam will be placed). Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. If the centres have lost their shape, simply gently press again to re-create the heart shape. Allow the cookies to cool before filling the centres with around a dollop of your favourite jam.
Recipe Notes
*to make vegan, substitute the egg for 1 tablespoon ground flax and 2 tablespoons water, mixed together.
Made thumbprint cookies, for the life of me couldn’t make the hearts, tried thumb, small spoon, just didn’t look like a heart. Oh well I guess not a good day to bake.
SAMEEE!! it was soo hard to make the thumbprints. i was so annoyed. my neck hurts from arching over and making the hearts LOL. Great recipe tho!
Ah!! I feel the pain – you can easily skip that heart and just make it a thumbprint of course:)
The whole family LOVED these! Next time I’d press a little harder when making the thumbprints because they didn’t look much like hearts after baking, but surprisingly once I put the jam in they looked like hearts again!
Glad you loved them Karen! We found the same!
Has anyone tried making these gluten free? I’m going to try just replacing 1:1 with my gf flour. We’ll see how they turn out!
My oldest son is very excited to make these❤️
I’m going to try the same with the GF flour. I think it will work out perfectly.
I just bought a huge bag of organic spelt flour. Any reason I couldn’t sub the flour with it? Never used spelt and I’m trying! Thank you!
Hi Kathy, I haven’t tried but I suspect that you could! Please let me know if you try, would love to hear and I’m sure others would find it helpful too! Tori
Made these for my little mans day-home valentines party. I had to make a second batch as he found the frozen ones in the freezer and got into them before the party. They were delicious, easy to make and freeze well.
So glad you loved them Kristin!!
If freezing, do you freeze cookies prior to jam application or after?
I haven’t actually tried freezing these ones myself but a comment in here has been they freeze well!
I would say you could freeze without the jam then add later on OR let the cookies and jam settle/cool and then freeze in layers with parchment!
This recipe was a huge hit today in my house hold. The cookie was so yummy and very east recipe to follow.
Thank you Kelsey I’m so happy that your family loved it! Tori
this recipe is great! just wondering, would I be able to substitute jam with chocolate chips?
Thanks Lily! Although I haven’t tried it, that sounds delicious and I bet would work! I will need to try! xx Tori
super delicious and pretty cookies
Thank you so much Gabriela!
They were so great! I used cranberry jam instead, and I highly recommend.
So happy you liked them Layla! Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe I appreciate it!
very yummy ! i would recommend indenting them deeper than you think. will be making again 👍
Thanks Sonia for taking the time to rate the recipe!
These were super easy to make with my kids and they were so yummy!!
They were so easy to make and delicious ! Just wondering for haw long i can keep them before they go bad ? I would like to make them for my friends and i don’t know if they will be as good if i make them the night before.
Hey Lea! They will keep at room temp for 5 days in a container or in the freezer for up to a month! Baking the night before is a great idea! xx Tori
These look adorable! All other recipes I’ve made in the past, you place the jam inside prior to baking, so it sets with the cookies. Is it just a matter of preference or will these cookies not turn out if the jam is baked in?
Thanks for your help! 😊
Hi Michelle!
I haven’t tried with baking the jam in them but that should work too! Enjoy!
I have not made these yet but wanted to know if you use real butter or margarine?
Thank you. They look delicious!
Hi Susan I used real butter! Happy baking!
the heart prints almost disappeared after baking. would it help to chill the dough first 🙁
Melanie sorry for the delay! It does help but I also often take my finger or the back of a rounded spoon and re-push it in while they are warm from the oven to re-create the indent!
Hi! I want to try these but what type of flour should I use? Would all-purpose flour be okay?
Hi Alishba yes all-purpose!
Can you make this without a mixer???
Hi Bonita I haven’t tried but if you do please let me know!