Thumbprint cookies with jam are a favorite of mine, so I set out to come up with something different. Being in the mood for chocolate, I thought this might be a good starting point. In my mind, raspberry and chocolate are made for each other.
I added almond extract but be careful with the amount; it is a potent extract and can overpower the taste of the raspberry jam. Please read this article if you have a nut allergy. I am adding this recipe to the nuts category, so please be aware that almond extract contains pieces from the almond pit to make the extract.
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Ingredients for Chocolate Jam Cookies
- Butter unsalted
- Cream Cheese
- Sugar white
- Light brown sugar
- Almond extract
- All-purpose flour - My go to all purpose flour is by King Aurthur
- Unsweetened cocoa powder - I use Guittard Cocoa Rouge Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Preserves raspberry - So many jams and preserves but my favorite is Bonne Maman Raspberry but it has seeds in the preserves so I did half in a seedless jam that is sold under the Family Owned Market name label here in Lancaster by Walnut Creek Red Raspberry seedless jam. I love them both.
- Powdered sugar Dusting on top
Mixing Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
I leave my butter and cream cheese out on the counter for about an hour, so it comes to room temperature. In the meantime, weigh or measure both sugars into one bowl and set it aside. In another bowl, weigh or measure the flour, cocoa powder, and salt, running a whisk through to blend them together.
Blend the cream cheese and butter in your stand mixer for about 2 minutes on a medium mixer speed. Scrape the bowl down and add the sugars.
The sugars will make the butter cream cheese a light brown color. Continue to mix on a medium mixer speed for 3 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl, add the almond extract, and turn the mixer onto low speed. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix only until the flour is incorporated. You don't want to over mix the flour. Cover loosely and refrigerate for 2 hours.
How to Make Thumbprint Cookies
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. Grab the cookie dough from the refrigerator and lets get started.
Using a medium cookie scooper, scoop out enough cookie dough to make a ball about 1" to 1 ½" in diameter using your hands. Place 12 balls onto one of the prepared cookie sheet pans.
Take your thumb and go down the middle of the cookie dough ball. Only go about ⅔ of the way. You do not want to go through to the sheet pan. You will end up with jam leaking through the bottom of your cookie.
I do make my hole a little bigger by going around the inside of the hole. It will make the hole wider but not deeper.
My silverware set came with a long-handled teaspoon, which I use to spoon the jam into the hole. Fill the hole, but you don't want it so full it runs down the sides.
I did half the cookies with the seedless jam and half with the seeded preserves. I will say the preservers fill the holes more evenly than the jam. This is because the jam is thicker than the preserves.
I put the cookie pan with the ready-to-bake cookies into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking. The butter gets really warm from using your hands to form the balls.
Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 11 to 13 minutes. Once the cookies come out of the oven move them to a cooking rack. When completely cooled sprinkle the tops lightly with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
FAQs
To prevent the raspberry jam from leaking, please ensure the hole in each cookie is deep enough to hold the jam securely but not go through the bottom. It would be best if you only went about ¾ of the way down when using your thumb into the cookie ball to make the hole. You can also try chilling the cookies before baking to help the dough set and hold the jam in place.
If you are still going to use the almond extract, you can use apricot, cherry, or strawberry jam or preserves.
Yes, you can make the cookie dough ahead of time, shape them into balls, and store them in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, bring them out and let them warm up a little it will make it easier to make the hole for the jam. Then fill them with raspberry jam and bake.
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container right on your counter. I separate the layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Enjoy them for 4 to 5 days for their best taste.
Other Raspberry Cookies or Bites
Recipe
Chocolate with Raspberry Jam Cookies
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted
- 4 oz (4 oz) Cream Cheese
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar white
- ½ cup (110 g) Light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Almond extract
- 2 ⅓ cup (291.67 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ cup (43 g) Unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- 1 cup (340 g) Preserves raspberry
- ¼ cup (30 g) Powdered sugar Dusting on top
Instructions
- Weigh or measure the flour, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and whisk to blend. In another bowl, weigh or measure the white and light brown sugar and set aside.
- Add the butter and cream cheese and blend for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue to mix for another 3 minutes. You want it creamy looking. Next, add the almond extract and incorporate it. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixer. Don't dump, or the cocoa powder will go everywhere. Mix for a minute or less. Take a spatula and scrape the sides and across the bottom to make sure all the flour mixer is mixed into the cookie dough. Lightly cover and put into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. You want the butter very cold.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line 2 cookie pans with parchment paper so they are ready. I am using a medium cookie scoop for ball size, then roll the dough into a ball. Take your thumb and press down in the middle. Don't go too far down, or the jam will leak out the bottom during baking. Using a small spoon fill each hole with the raspberry preserves.
- I put the cookie pan with the ready-to-bake cookies into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking. The dough gets warm from your hands when you are forming the balls — Bake for 11-14 minutes. After taking the baked cookies out of the oven, leave them on the cookie pan for a minute before moving them to a cooling rack. After they have cooled completely, I dust the tops of the cookies with powdered sugar.
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NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
Hannah says
Loved these! I typically like a lot of fruit jam on cookies like this, so I decided to make my own raspberry jam, just using frozen raspberries, lemon juice, sugar, and some cornstarch so it would be extra firm. This turned out really well when baked - I was able to make the cookies flatter, and add more jam filling without it leaking through the bottom or out of the sides. Thanks for the recipe - they were delicious!
Barbara says
Hi Hannah, I am so glad you like the cookies. You are not to believe this, but I just posted a recipe for Raspberry Filling. You are spot on for the ingredients. - Barbara
Susan Conrad. says
These look awesome. I think I will have to try them. 👍
Barbara says
Hey Susan, they are good and glad you want to try them. Let me know how you like them!
VASANTH says
THANKS FOR YOUR RECIPE.YOUR RECIPE IS TEMPTING. GOING TO TRY IT OUT. I WONDER WHETHER I CAN SKIP ALMOND EXTRACT
?
Barbara says
Yes, you can skip the almond extract, or you can substitute it for vanilla extract. Either way the star of the cookie is the jam and chocolate. Have fun! - Barbara