Italian Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

A taste of tradition! These irresistible Italian Thumbprint Cookies are a holiday classic. My mom's recipe, filled with sweet grape or strawberry jelly, gets a festive twist with red or green maraschino cherries or a rich Hershey's Kiss nestled in each thumbprint. Perfect for Christmas cookie trays or any special occasion, these cookies are delightfully buttery and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Get ready to share the holiday cheer (and these amazing cookies!)

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Calories 150.7 kcal
Protein 4g
Rating 5.0 (1 Reviews)
Italian Thumbprint Cookies 36

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Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Italian Thumbprint Cookies

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How to Make Italian Thumbprint Cookies

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  5. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls.
  6. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
  7. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie. The indentation should be deep enough to hold your filling.
  8. Fill each indentation with your choice of filling: grape jelly, strawberry jelly, a maraschino cherry, or a Hershey's Kiss.
  9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

7 g

Sugar

25g

Fat

7g

Carbs

5g