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Thumbprint Heart Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 52 reviews

These Thumbprint Heart Cookies are a charming and delightful treat perfect for sharing love and sweetness. Made with a buttery, tender dough and filled with your favorite jam, these cookies offer a perfect balance of soft texture and fruity flavor. Easy to prepare and customizable for vegan diets, they make a lovely homemade gift or a festive snack.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened (or vegan butter for vegan version)
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg (or 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2 tbsp water for vegan)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Filling

  • 1/4 cup jam of choice (raspberry, strawberry, apricot, etc.)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar on high speed until the mixture turns light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg (or flaxseed mixture) and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth.
  4. Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms without overworking it to maintain tenderness.
  5. Form Dough Balls: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them spaced about 1½ inches apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow room for spreading.
  6. Create Heart Indentations: Using your thumb or the rounded back of a teaspoon, press into the center of each dough ball twice to shape a heart-shaped indentation for the jam filling.
  7. Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden, indicating they are cooked through.
  8. Cool and Reshape: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. If the heart indentations have filled in during baking, gently press them again while the cookies are still warm.
  9. Add Jam Filling: Once the cookies are completely cooled, spoon a small dollop of your favorite jam into each heart-shaped center to finish the cookies.

Notes

  • For a vegan version, substitute butter with vegan butter and replace the egg with a flaxseed mixture.
  • You can experiment with different jams such as raspberry, strawberry, or apricot according to your preference.
  • Ensure the dough balls are spaced adequately to prevent cookies from sticking together.
  • Pressing the indentations twice helps form a clearer heart shape for the jam.
  • Re-press indentations gently after baking if they have puffed up too much.

Keywords: thumbprint cookies, heart shaped cookies, jam filled cookies, vegan thumbprint cookies, easy cookies, holiday cookies

Find it online: https://cookwithruby.com/thumbprint-heart-cookies-recipe/