These buttery sugar cookies are rolled in sweet granulated sugar, indented, and then filled with your favorite jam or preserves. Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies are not only simple to make, but they will be a favorite on your cookie tray! Made with sourdough discard for an easy sourdough twist to a classic cookie recipe.
Once the snow starts falling here in the Midwest, ovens are preheated, and cookies are baked. One family tradition that I’ve always loved is the Christmas cookie bake day. Smudged and worn recipe cards are pulled out for a day full of baking.
One cookie recipe that is a must-have holiday cookie is buttery thumbprint cookies.
Traditionally, these cookies are indented with thumbprints and then filled to the brim with all sorts of homemade jams. Today, I want to share with you this delicious cake-like cookie recipe, but with a sourdough twist!
Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect Christmas cookie. The base is a soft and buttery shortbread. The dough is rolled in sparkling sugar for extra shine and sweet. Then, each cookie dough ball is indented with a thumbprint.
We love to fill our thumbprints with an array of different jams and preserves. From strawberry to apricot, raspberry to blackberry, whatever we have in our pantry or fridge, we will use it!
Once baked, the edges are slightly crisp, while the center is soft and tender. Each bite is sweet, fruity, and oh-so-buttery.
We love baking sourdough cookies, as it is a great way to use up any extra sourdough discard growing in my fridge. Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies are simple to make and will surely be a highlight this Christmas season.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
One bowl recipe:
No stand mixer is required for this recipe. A bowl and a hand mixer are all you need to make these easy cookies. Better yet, easy clean up!
Customizable –
Mix and match your favorite jams or preserves with these delicious cookies. My favorite is raspberry jam, but blueberry, apricot, or strawberry jam is just as delicious!
You can also incorporate a variety of add-ins to the dough, like chopped nuts, orange zest, lemon zest, or even warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamon.
Instead of rolling the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar, roll them in chopped walnuts. The options are endless!
Great use for discard –
I’m always on the hunt for new recipes to use my leftover starter. From cornbread to lemon cake, I love sneaking in my favorite ingredients. Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies are no exception!
Ingredients
Unsalted butter – It is important that the butter is at room temperature. If it is too cold, the ingredient won’t mix properly and if it is melted, the cookies won’t keep their shape.
White Sugar
Brown Sugar
Egg Yolk – Adding the egg white will make this dough too runny and the cookies will lose their shape while baking. Instead, just add the egg yolk.
Sourdough Starter – 1-2 weeks old sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter) is best.
Vanilla – I love using vanilla extract, but use what you have.
Flour – All-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe.
Cornstarch – Makes the cookies light and tender, while also helping them keep their circular shape.
Salt – To bring out the sweetness of the cookie.
Supplies
Electric mixer
Cookie scoop (optional)
Baking tray
Parchment paper
Cooling rack
How to Make Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies
Wet Ingredients
Add softened butter to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds.
To the butter, add the white sugar and tightly packed light brown sugar. Cream on medium speed for an additional 30 seconds until combined.
Then, add the egg yolk, sourdough starter discard, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
Mix
With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Occasionally you will need to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl. The cookie dough will look dry and crumbly, but keep mixing through this, everything will come together.
Shape
With a cookie scoop or hand, scoop about 1 Tablespoon worth of cookie dough and roll it into a tight and smooth ball. It is important that there are no air pockets in the dough, otherwise, this can lead to cracks in the exterior of the cookie dough.
*In-between batches, I like to store the cookie dough or shaped cookie dough balls in the fridge so the butter doesn’t melt.
If desired, roll the balls of dough in granulated sugar. This gives the cookies a sweet and crisp outer layer. It also helps to prevent your teaspoon or thumb from sticking to the dough when you are making your indents.
Filling
With a small teaspoon or your thumb, make a small indent in the center of each cookie. If the cookie dough cracks, reroll and try again. Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough.
With a small spoon, ladle your favorite jam or preserves into the indent of your cookie.
When you pull the jam/preserves from the jar, it will be a little firm, so I like to scoop it into a small bowl and heat it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. This softens the fruit filling and makes it easier to spoon onto your cookies.
*A neater option would be to add your jam to a piping bag. You choose!
Bake
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Then add your sourdough thumbprint cookies to your prepared cookie sheet, spacing them about 1-2 inches apart.
Bake your cookies in a 350-degree f oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the top is set and the edges of the cookies are a light golden brown.
Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.
How to Serve
Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies are simply delectable served on their own, but even better when served with a warm cup of hot chocolate or coffee. For a more festive look, I will lightly dust them with powdered sugar.
How to Store
Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to a week. I love to showcase mine in my favorite cookie jar.
These cookies also freeze for up to 3 months. Or shape and freeze the cookie dough with the jam in the center in an air-tight container or zip-loc bag. Bake from frozen for fresh cookies at a moment’s notice.
FAQs:
What is another name for thumbprint cookies?
Another name for thumbprint cookies is Hallongrotta, the name of a common Swedish cookie. The name translates to mean “raspberry caves” in Swedish.
Why are my sourdough thumbprint cookies dry?
It is important to not overbake these cookies! I typically will only bake them for 15-17 minutes, or when the jam thumbprints have set and the bottoms are just turning golden brown.
My sourdough thumbprint cookies are spread out! What do I do?
A Sourdough Thumbprint Cookie that spreads out may happen for a couple of reasons. Possibly, there wasn’t enough flour, the dough may have needed a little more chill time, or the butter was too melty when forming the dough.
For whatever reason, one way you may be able to salvage the cookie is with two spoons! When the cookies are still warm, slide the outside of the spoons on the edge of the cookie, pushing them toward the middle.
Happy baking!
More Recipes Like This:
Chewy Sourdough Butterscotch Cookies
Easy Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies Recipe (Discard)
These buttery sugar cookies are rolled in sweet granulated sugar, indented, and then filled with your favorite jam or preserves. Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies are not only simple to make, but they will be a favorite on your cookie tray. Made with sourdough discard for an easy sourdough twist to a classic cookie recipe.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature
- 1/3 cup (75g) white sugar
- 1/3 cup (75g) light brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50g) unfed starter (discard)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (6g) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon (4g) salt
- 2/3 cup of your favorite jam or preserve
Instructions
How to Make Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies
Wet Ingredients
1. Add softened butter to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds.
2. To the butter, add the white sugar and tightly packed light brown sugar. Cream on medium speed for an additional 30 seconds until combined.
3. Then, add the egg yolk, sourdough starter discard, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Dry Ingredients
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
Mix
5. With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Occasionally you will need to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl. The cookie dough will look dry and crumbly, but keep mixing through this, everything will come together.
Shape
6. With a cookie scoop or hand, scoop about 1 Tablespoon worth of cookie dough and roll it into a tight and smooth ball. It is important that there are no air pockets in the dough, otherwise, this can lead to cracks in the exterior of the cookie dough.
*In-between batches, I like to store the cookie dough or shaped cookie dough balls in the fridge so the butter doesn't melt.
7. If desired, roll the balls of dough in granulated sugar. This gives the cookies a sweet and crisp outer layer. It also helps to prevent your teaspoon or thumb from sticking to the dough when you are making your indents.
Filling
8. With a small teaspoon or your thumb, make a small indent in the center of each cookie. If the cookie dough cracks, reroll and try again.
9. Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough.
10. With a small spoon, ladle your favorite jam or preserves into the indent of your cookie.
When you pull the jam/preserves from the jar, it will be a little firm, so I like to scoop it into a small bowl and heat it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. This softens the fruit filling and makes it easier to spoon onto your cookies.
*A neater option would be to add your jam to a piping bag. You choose!
Bake
11. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
12. Then add your sourdough thumbprint cookies to your prepared cookie sheet, spacing them about 1-2 inches apart.
13. Bake your cookies in a 350-degree f oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the top is set and the edges of the cookies are a light golden brown.
14. Remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- For the most precise baking, I recommend using a kitchen scale. It's a really cheap investment, but it will ensure accuracy!
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature. Using melted butter will make the cookies spread while baking.
- It is important to not overbake these cookies! I typically will only bake them for 15-17 minutes, or when the jam thumbprints have set and the bottoms are just turning golden brown.
- If your cookies spread while baking, do this. When the cookies are still warm, slide the outside of the spoons on the edge of the cookie, pushing them toward the middle.
- Store in an airtight container for 1 week or in the freezer for 3 months.
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