These easy Thumbprint Cookies are soft, tender Italian-style cookies filled with your favorite jam. Made with a simple homemade dough, olive oil, lemon zest, and a sweet fruit filling, they are a delicious alternative to traditional butter thumbprint cookies.
The cookies are easy to shape and require no complicated decorating. Simply roll the dough into small balls, create a small indentation in the center, and fill each cookie with jam before baking. The result is a batch of delicate, lightly golden cookies with a soft texture and a glossy fruit center.
These homemade thumbprint cookies are perfect for afternoon tea, holiday cookie trays, edible gifts, breakfast, or whenever you want an easy homemade treat. You can use strawberry, raspberry, apricot, cherry, or any other thick jam you enjoy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔ Easy homemade cookie recipe with simple ingredients
✔ Made with a versatile Italian-style cookie dough
✔ No electric mixer required
✔ Uses your favorite jam or preserves
✔ Ready in under 1 hour, including resting time
✔ Perfect for beginners
✔ Great for holidays, gifting, and cookie boxes
✔ Easy to customize with different flavors
Thumbprint Cookies
Course: Breakfast, Desserts, VegetarianCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy24
cookies15
minutes14
minutes20 – 30
minutesIngredients
For the dough (based on pasta frolla):
2 large eggs100 g caster sugar
80 g olive oil
8 g baking powder
300 g flour
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
250 g jam of your choice (cherry, apricot, strawberry or whatever you love)
Directions
- Mix wet ingredients
In a bowl, whisk together:
eggs
sugar
olive oil
lemon zest
until smooth and glossy. - Add dry ingredients
Add flour and salt.
Mix just until a soft dough forms.
It should be smooth, pliable, and not sticky. - Rest the dough
Wrap and rest for 20–30 minutes at room temperature
(or fridge if your kitchen is warm). - Preheat oven
175 °C / 350 °F
Line a baking tray with parchment. - Shape cookies
Roll dough into walnut-sized balls (about 1 tbsp).
Place on tray with space between. - Make thumbprints
Press gently with your thumb or a spoon to create an indentation. - Fill with jam
Add a small spoon of jam to each center. - Bake
Bake 14–18 minutes, until:
bottoms are lightly golden
tops stay pale
jam looks set but glossy - Cool
Let cool on the tray , they firm up as they set.
Notes
- Tips for Best Results
Use thick jam: A thicker jam (apricot, raspberry, blackberry) holds shape better in these smaller cookies.
Chill the tray: If cookies spread too much, chill the tray between batches.
Zest adds brightness: The lemon zest from the crostata dough pairs beautifully with fruit jam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of jam?
Yes. You can use strawberry, raspberry, apricot, cherry, blackberry, or any other thick jam you enjoy.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough can be prepared ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to shape the cookies. Let it soften slightly if it becomes too firm to roll.
Why did my thumbprint cookies spread?
Cookies can spread if the dough is too warm or if the baking tray is warm. Chilling the dough or shaped cookies before baking can help them hold their shape.
Can I freeze thumbprint cookies?
Yes. Allow the baked cookies to cool completely, then store them in an airtight freezer-safe container. Thaw them at room temperature.
Can I make these cookies without lemon zest?
Yes, but lemon zest adds a fresh flavor that balances the sweetness of the jam. You can omit it or replace it with a small amount of orange zest.
Why are my cookies soft after baking?
These cookies firm up as they cool. Allow them to cool completely before judging their final texture.
