Easy Lemon Thumbprint Cookies with Raspberry Jam. Elegant little teatime cookies using just a few ingredients and a simple thumbprint method. Use any jam you like!
Adding the dry ingredients.
Originally published Jan 2023.
Olivia here! Today I wanted to share one of my favourite teatime cookie recipes: Easy Lemon Thumbprint Cookies with Raspberry Jam. These buttery, lemony thumbprint cookies are made up of just a few simple ingredients, which I usually always have on hand.
I first developed this recipe back in the depths of quarantine, in April 2020. I had a craving for just a little something sweet, but was short on ingredients that day. What I did have was a couple of jars of nice jam, so I decided to put them to use!
The original cookies I made in 2020, using almonds in the dough.
What came out were these simple but utterly delicious treats, which remind me of the many varieties of little cookies you can find in Italian bakeries here in Toronto. My original version included nuts – which are totally optional, but walnuts and almonds both work great if you’re looking to add a nice crunch.
The prep.
Adding the dry ingredients.
Spooning the dough.
You can also feel free to use any flavour of jam you like, including a good quality grocery store brand like Bonne Maman. This lemon cookie dough goes also well with blueberry, strawberry or fig – just make sure the jam isn’t too runny.
A few tips for success!
A few tips here: order of operations is important. Be sure to take the time to chill the dough first, as this helps the lemon thumbprint cookies maintain their shape.
Easy Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
Also, I don’t actually use my thumb to make the thumbprints. What yields the best shape and result is pre-baking the cookie dough balls, then removing them from the oven early.
Then, you press a thumbprint in with a utensil, like the handle of a wooden spoon. Then, I fill the cookies with jam and pop them back in the oven for a few more minutes.
Easy Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
Trust this process: by following these steps, you can ensure uniform thumbprints that hold their shape rather than flattening out, and perfectly set little jewels of jam that won’t absorb into the cookie dough.
I like making these small to have as a little treat with an afternoon espresso or herbal tea. They are buttery, zesty and as easy as can be.
Enjoy!
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Easy Lemon Thumbprint Cookies with Raspberry Jam. Delicious little teatime cookies using staple ingredients and a simple thumbprint method. Use any jam you like!
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup raspberry jam, or any other favourite jam
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, sift the lemon zest into the flour.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. You want to make sure all the flour has been saturated, but do not over-mix the dough. Once there is no visible flour left, press the dough together into a large ball.
- Using about a tablespoon of dough per cookie, roll the dough into one-inch balls. This should yield about 18-20 cookies.
- Chill the balls in the fridge for 10-15 minutes — an essential step to help the cookies keep their shape. While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350F.
- Bake the dough balls on a parchment-lined aluminium tray for 8 minutes.
- After 8 minutes, remove them from the oven and use the handle of a wooden spoon, spatula (or any other thumb-shaped tool) to gently press a “thumbprint” into the centre of each cookie. Be careful not to press all the way down to the tray!
- Spoon your chosen jam into each thumbprint as neatly as you can. I like to use the handle of a teaspoon, which helps not get jam on the rest of the cookie.
- Put the cookies back in the oven and continue to bake for another 4 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the jam has set.
- Remove from the oven, allow the cookies to cool, and enjoy!
Notes
Be sure to follow the order of operations. Chilling your dough, and pre-baking the cookies before adding the thumbprints of jam ensures the best cookie possible!
Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 98Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 21mgSodium 39mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 0gSugar 7gProtein 1g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.