Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Buttery almond shortbread with crisp edges, deep wells that hold raspberry jam without leaking, and a clean vanilla drizzle that sets firm. Everything below stays on the cookies—ingredients in cups/tbsp, what the dough should feel like, how to press wells that don’t crack, how to bake to pale-gold without drying, and how to store or freeze so they stay tender.
Why this recipe works
Shortbread base, not cake. Egg yolk only—no white—keeps the crumb short and tender. The small bump of baking powder prevents a dense bite but doesn’t puff so much that wells close up.
Almond two ways. A little almond extract hits the bakery flavor you expect; finely chopped toasted almonds in the dough add quiet richness without rough bits. Sliced almonds on top toast fast and give texture at the edge of each bite.
Jam that stays put. Stirring seedless raspberry jam until smooth makes it pipeable and glossy. Filling just below the rim leaves room for expansion so it doesn’t boil over. Cooling on the sheet 5 minutes finishes the set before you touch them.
Drizzle that actually sets. Powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt—salt matters; it cuts the chalky taste and makes the vanilla read cleaner. Two–three second ribbon is the target consistency.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1/2 tspfine salt
- 1/4 tspbaking powder
- 3/4 cupunsalted butter, softened to cool room temp
- 3/4 cupgranulated sugar
- 1large egg yolk
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1/2 tspalmond extract
- 1/2 cupvery finely chopped toasted almonds (or almond flour)
Fill & Finish
- 1/2 cupseedless raspberry jam, stirred smooth
- 1 tsplemon juice (optional, brightens jam)
- 3 tbspsliced almonds, for topping
- 3/4 cuppowdered sugar (drizzle)
- 1–2 tbspmilk or cream, to thin
- 1/2 tspvanilla + pinch of salt (drizzle)
Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy and slightly light, 1–2 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth.
- Dry mix flour, salt, baking powder, and finely chopped almonds. Add to wet on low just until a soft dough forms and pulls from the bowl. If sticky, chill 10 minutes; if crumbly, knead by hand 10 seconds to bring it together.
- Shape 24 balls using level tablespoon scoops. Place 2 inches apart on the lined sheets.
- Press wells with a 1/2-teaspoon measure (dust the spoon with flour). Push straight down to make a deep, round cavity. Mend cracks now so jam won’t leak.
- Fill jam (stirred smooth with lemon if using) to just below the rim—about 1/2–3/4 teaspoon each. Sprinkle sliced almonds on the dough ring.
- Bake 11–13 minutes, rotating once, until edges are pale gold and the dough looks set. The jam will be glossy and may bubble lightly at the edges.
- Cool 5 minutes on the sheet to let jam thicken, then move to a rack and cool completely.
- Drizzle powdered sugar, vanilla, pinch of salt, and milk to ribbon consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies; let set 20 minutes before stacking.
Yield: about 24 cookies. For minis (36), use 2-teaspoon scoops and bake 8–10 minutes; for bakery-big (18), use heaping tablespoon scoops and bake 12–14 minutes.
Step-by-step cues you can see
Creaming target
Look for a pale, creamy mix with tiny ridges; no fluffy cake batter. Over-creaming traps air and makes the cookies spread and crack more.
Dough feel
Soft and smooth, not sticky. If it leaves residue on your palms, chill a few minutes. If it fissures as you roll, it’s a touch dry—knead briefly or add 1 teaspoon milk.
Pressing wells
Use the back of a 1/2-teaspoon measure for a clean circle. Go deep and keep the sides straight; shallow, sloped wells close in the oven and shove jam out.
Bake window
Pull at pale gold edges. Deep color = dry texture later. The jam finishes setting as the cookies rest on the hot sheet.
Dough science (why these choices)
Yolk only. Yolk adds fat and emulsifiers for tenderness; whites add water and protein that toughens and puffs. We don’t want cakey domes; we want short, buttery crumb.
Minimal leavener. A pinch of baking powder prevents dense cookies but won’t balloon the centers shut. That’s the balance that keeps the wells open and edges neat.
Jam behavior. Seedless raspberry jam thickens as it hits baking temperature; stirring first gives even texture so it doesn’t spit or tunnel. Filling below the rim gives expansion room to avoid leaks.
Salt in the drizzle. Tiny pinch; big payoff. It cuts powdered-sugar chalkiness and sharpens the vanilla so the drizzle tastes like icing, not dust.
Common mistakes (and blunt fixes)
- Cookies spread flat. Butter too warm or over-creamed. Chill shaped dough 10 minutes and beat butter less next time.
- Wells closed up. Too shallow or warm dough. Press deeper and chill the tray before baking.
- Jam leaked. Overfilled or cracked sides. Fill just below rim and mend cracks before baking.
- Dry, sandy bite. Too much flour or over-bake. Spoon & level flour; pull at pale gold.
- Drizzle smeared. Cookies weren’t fully cool. Wait until jam is set and cookies are room temp.
Substitutions & variations
Swap the jam
- Apricot, strawberry, blackberry, or cherry—all work. If very loose, simmer 2–3 minutes to thicken, cool, then fill.
- Lemon curd after baking: bake cookies unfilled, cool, then spoon in curd and drizzle white chocolate.
With or without almonds
- No nuts? Skip almonds and extract; increase vanilla to 2 teaspoons and add 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
- Hazelnut + raspberry is elite; pistachio + apricot with orange zest hits bakery vibes.
1:1 blend (with xanthan)
- Use a cup-for-cup GF blend that includes xanthan gum (binder). Rest dough 10 minutes before shaping to hydrate starches.
Keep it tender
- Use a firm plant butter stick (not soft tub). If dough feels dry, add 1–2 teaspoons plant milk.
Dress them up
- White-chocolate drizzle + crushed freeze-dried raspberries.
- Cardamom (1/4 tsp) in dough for a Scandinavian note.
Mini or bakery-big
- Mini (36): 2-teaspoon scoops, 8–10 minutes.
- Large (18): heaping tablespoon scoops, 12–14 minutes.
Make-ahead & freezing
- Dough, 3 days: Wrap and refrigerate. Warm 10 minutes, then scoop, press, fill, and bake.
- Freeze unbaked balls, 2 months: Freeze scooped dough on a tray until solid. Bag airtight. Thaw 20 minutes, press wells, fill, and bake (add ~1 minute if needed).
- Freeze baked cookies, 2 months: Skip drizzle; freeze in layers with parchment. Thaw uncovered to keep edges crisp, then drizzle.
Drizzle & decor that set clean
Bag the icing in a small zip bag and snip a tiny corner—cleaner than spoons. If lines pool, it’s too thin; whisk in a teaspoon more powdered sugar. If it breaks, add milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Let set at room temp; chilling can cause condensation and smearing later.
Nutrition (estimated)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~140 kcal |
| Total Fat | 7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 18 g |
| Total Sugars | 9 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Sodium | ~65 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 cookie (of 24) |
Numbers are estimates and vary with ingredient brands, scoop size, and drizzle amount. Use as a guide only.
Storage
- Room temp: Airtight up to 4 days. Layer with parchment so drizzle doesn’t smudge.
- Fridge: Not needed—refrigeration softens the crunch.
- Re-crisp: If edges soften, 3–4 minutes at 300°F brings them back.
FAQ
My wells crack—fix?
Let dough relax 5 minutes, then pinch big cracks shut before baking. Tiny hairlines are fine and won’t leak.
Can I skip almond?
Yes. Omit extract and nuts; use 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon lemon zest for brightness.
Why are bottoms too dark?
Sheet is thin or dark. Use light-colored aluminum on the middle rack and pull at pale gold.
Homemade jam?
Great. If loose, simmer a minute to thicken, cool, then fill so it doesn’t run.
Cook notes
- Spoon & level flour. Scooping packs in extra and dries the cookies.
- Rotate once. Swap sheets and rotate front-to-back halfway for even color.
- Test near the edge. When checking doneness, avoid a jam pocket; look for moist crumbs, not wet dough.
- Set before stacking. Give the drizzle time or lines will smear in the container.
- Gift wrap tip. Parchment between layers in a tin keeps tops pristine.
