What makes Raspberry Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies so irresistible is the cream cheese and a good quality preserve. It gives the cookies a solid outside to hold the preserves and a soft inside to go with the sweet raspberry taste. Added a little powdered sugar on top that works perfectly with the raspberry and makes them so pretty.
My favorite preserves now days is Bonne Maman. I really like the taste, and it bakes so well with this easy thumbprint cookie recipe. I keep trying other brands, but I always seem to come back to the Bonne Maman brand.
Why You'll Love These Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- These are an easy thumbprint cookie recipe to make with only 6 ingredients.
- You can't bet the sweet raspberry flavor with the tangy cream cheese.
- Raspberry cookies are a great way to start spring but also a great addition to your traditional holiday cookie recipes.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Cream cheese
- Butter unsalted
- Sugar white
- All purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Raspberry preserves
Step-by-Step to Making Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
This is a how-to in making raspberry thumbprint cookies. From mixing the cookie dough, to making the perfect hole to hold the raspberry filling, to finishing them with powdered sugar. You will impress your friends when you show up with these sweet and adorable cookies at your next event.
Prepping
Not too much prep work, but start by weighing or measuring the sugar and set it aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour. Then add the salt and blend with a whisk. That is all there is for the prep work.
Mix and Chill Thumbprint Cookies
1. Cream cheese and butter don't really mix well together by themselves. Just don't be surprised when it looks clumpy and not smooth with soft peaks. Mix for a minute or two on a medium mixer speed.
2. Now add the sugar and mix for 3 minutes on a medium mixer speed.
3. The sugar, when blended into the butter-cream cheese mixture, becomes smooth with soft peaks.
4. Finally, add the flour and salt mixture and mix for a minute to incorporate. Scrape down the mixer bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
Tips!
- Don't over fill the wells with preserves
- To help keep its shape chill for 5 minutes oven ready cookies to help firm them up from handling with warm hands
Ball, Fill, and Bake
6. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. I am also using a medium cookie scooper to make my balls.
In order to make my balls about the same size, I scoop some of the cookie dough. I press the dough into the scooper and scrape off any dough that sticks out past the half ball edge. This way, it is shaped like a half moon when you pop it out into your hand.
7. Now, using your hands roll them around to form the balls. Line them onto the 2 prepared cookie sheet pans.
8. Next, I make the thumbprint for each cookie ball by using my thumb and going straight down the top to form a well to hold the preserves. I also keep a wet paper towel near by to moisten my thumb between cookie balls. It helps to release the dough around your thumb. I use my thumb so I can tell how far down I have gone. You want to make sure there is cookie dough showing at the bottom of the well.
Before adding the preserves, I go around each cookie to smooth out any cracks or if the ball has lost some of its roundness. You don't want to over fill the well, so I take about ½ teaspoon to fill. You can add or take some preserves out if needed.
9. I fill one pan with the preserves and stick the whole pan into the fridge for 5 minutes to firm it up after my warm hands were used to form the balls. Then put the chilled pan into the oven. Then repeat with the second pan.
10. Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 12 to 13 minutes. Once out of the oven, leave them on the cookie sheet pan for 4-5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
When they have cooled, dust the top with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
Storage
I keep a container right on my counter with a tight-fitting lid. These will last for about 5 days. If it will be longer, I would refrigerate.
FAQ's
Yes, and I have a perfect homemade raspberry filling recipe you might like to try. Just bring your own raspberries.
While nothing beats the taste of cookies right out of the oven, but you can freeze these cookies. Without stacking, freeze the baked cookies, then transfer them to a freezer bag. They will be OK for about 2 months.
After I put my thumb down the top of the ball to make the well for the preserves, I go around and smooth out any cracks that I see. I also check for the roundness of the cookie.
After adding the filling and before baking, I stick the sheet pan into the fridge to firm the cookie dough back up. It may not get rid of all the cracks, but I do not get as many.
Other Thumbprint Cookies
Recipe
Raspberry Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies - Revised
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
We'll email a link of this post to you, so you can come back any time!
Ingredients
- 4 oz (4 oz) Cream Cheese softened
- ½ cup (113.5 g) Butter salted
- ⅔ cup (138.33 g) Sugar white
- 1 ¼ cup (156.25 g) All purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- ½ cup (170 g) Raspberry preserves
Instructions
- Weigh or measure the sugar and set it aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour. Add the salt and whisk though to blend.
- Add the cream cheese and butter together into a hand or stand mixer and mixing for a minute. Add the sugar and mix for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Turn the mixer to low mixer speed and add the flour. Scrape down the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 or more.
- Line 2 cookie pans with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scooper, just fill the scooper bowl so the dough looks like a half moon when it comes out. You want about 1 ½ inch in diameter ball after you roll it. Take your thumb and press gently into the ball to form a well. Don't go through to the bottom. Fill the hole with your favorite raspberry preserve. Since the dough has gotten warm from your hands, I pop the cookie pan with cookies on it back into the refrigerator for about 5 minutes before putting it into the oven.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 12-13 minutes or they look a little light brown around the bottom edges. Pull them out of the oven. Let them stay on the cookie pan for at least 4 - 5 minutes. This length of time helps to finish the cookie and allows the tops to firm up. Move to a cooling rack to finish. I dust the tops with powdered sugar just to make them pretty.
Share this recipe
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.
Linda says
Can you add an egg if we want?
Barbara says
Hi Linda, Yes, you can add an egg. When I was making this recipe, it was for a friend that needed eggless cookies for a relative. The egg will add a richness to the thumbprint cookies. - Barbara
Lisa says
Barbara
I am a newly retired IT professional & I do a lot of baking for the holidays. I wondering how & how long these cookies can me stored?
Thanks & Merry Christmas 🎄🎅🏻
Lisa
Barbara says
Hi Lisa,
Well, first of all, congrats on the retirement! I love it.... The cookies should last for 3-5 days; if you refrigerate, they can last for up to a week. Mine are never around long enough to have to worry about refrigerating my cookies hubby eats them all. I use Snapware or something similar to store right on the counter. Merry Christmas to you also! - Barbara
Karen says
Hi!
Flavor delicious— how do you keep the cookies so round and from spreading?
Thank you!!!
Barbara says
Hi Karen, I use a cookie scooper (medium size) and form tight balls using my hands. I also after I stick my thumb down the middle of the ball go around the outside and make sure they are still for the most part round. I will tell you that if your hands are warm when you are rolling and shaping it could affect the cookies. You might want to roll, shape, and fill with your jam, then put the whole pan with the cookies on it into the refrigerator or the freezer to firm the butter back up. Let me know if any of these tricks work. - Barbara
Jenny says
They came out perfect. Chilling the dough is a MUST.
Barbara says
Hi Jenny, You are so right! I am glad they came out perfect for you. Happy Holidays!
Rosie says
When double the recipe your grams stay the same, so I am assuming I need to add 6 tablespoons of sugar and flour ?
Barbara says
Hi Rosie,
I just wanted to let you know that I found out this program will allow me to add metrics that will double along with the US standard. WPRM is a new recipe program for me, and I am still learning all it can do. Sorry I did not know sooner.
Barbara