Buttery, tender almond-vanilla shortbread meets raspberry jam—these raspberry almond thumbprint cookies are a classic for a reason. With their melt-in-your-mouth texture, perfectly paired sweet flavors, and pretty presentation, it’s hard to believe you only need 7 ingredients for the dough and 1 bowl to make them!
I originally published this recipe in 2013, and it now features updated photos, added success tips, and a revised shaping method for even better results.
If there’s one cookie that feels like a holiday classic and a year-round treat, it’s this one.
Why You’ll Love These Thumbprint Cookies
- Soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture: The dough is buttery and delicate, yet sturdy enough to hold a jam filling.
- Bright fruit flavor: Raspberry jam in each indentation brings a vibrant, flavorful contrast to the sweet almond-kissed cookie.
- Short ingredient list: These cookies make the cut for my list of recipes requiring 8 ingredients or less!
- 1-bowl cookie dough: An electric mixer and 1 bowl is all you need to make the dough!
- Egg-free baking recipe: Whether you have an allergy or are simply out of eggs, these cookies don’t require any.
These raspberry almond thumbprints are perfect for cookie exchanges, gifting, or simply enjoying with a cup of tea. And on a holiday dessert platter, these cookies stand out like little jewels!
Ingredients You Need & Why
- Butter: Unsalted butter is the foundation of shortbread’s rich, tender texture. Because butter carries the flavor here, make sure it’s properly softened to room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the dough and helps it hold structure, giving the cookies a soft, tender bite without ever turning cakey.
- Vanilla: A splash of vanilla rounds out the flavor and complements the raspberry jam.
- Almond Extract: The star of the show! I mean, the dough! 😉 Almond extract adds a warm, bakery-style aroma that pairs beautifully with berry preserves.
- Salt: Balances the sweet.
- Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base of this egg-free cookie. It absorbs the butter and creates a dough that’s soft but not sticky, perfect for shaping.
- Raspberry Jam: Use a thick, high-quality raspberry jam or preserves. Seeded or seedless both work—choose your preference. Other flavors such as strawberry, apricot, or blackberry also work wonderfully.
Optional Icing: For a pretty finish, whisk together confectioners’ sugar with a splash of milk (or half-and-half, or cream). A little almond or vanilla extract is lovely here, too.
Almond Shortbread Dough
Typical shortbread cookies are made up of one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour. Some recipes have eggs, some don’t. Some recipes have chemical leavening agents, some don’t.
My shortbread cookie dough is just sugar-butter-flour with a little salt, plus almond and vanilla extracts. I like to use a variation of today’s dough for wedge-shaped shortbread cookies. The dough is pretty easy to work with and is versatile for lots of different shapes of cookies.
After you mix up the dough, it will be quite soft and buttery. Shortbread cookies are supposed to be buttery, so if the dough feels extra buttery—you’re on the right track.
Shaping Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Here’s what’s new: Roll and indent the cookie dough before chilling. Chilling the shaped dough prevents spreading and makes it much easier to handle. Previously, the dough was chilled as a whole, which made shaping trickier.
Roll the dough into balls, about 1 Tablespoon of dough (20g) each. Make sure they’re smooth so they bake evenly.
Make the indentation. Press your thumb into each ball. The dough may crack slightly, so just use your fingers to smooth the edges together.
Chill the shaped dough. Place the indented dough balls on a lined baking sheet or large plate and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Once chilled, transfer them to fresh baking sheets with space between each cookie.
Fill each with about 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam per cookie. Feel free to swap in another jam or preserves.
Then it’s time to bake. The cookies will puff up and spread just a bit. Avoid overbaking; the bottoms should be pale with only the faintest hint of browning.
Success Tip: Use light-colored baking sheets for these cookies. Dark metal conducts heat faster and contributes to browning. If you bake these light-colored cookies on a dark baking sheet (even if it’s lined!), the bottoms will over-brown. Same rule applies for these peppermint meltaway cookies.
The Icing on the Cookie
Now… the creamy icing! Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and milk. Feel free to add a bit of almond or vanilla extract to the mix as well. Drizzle the icing onto each cookie.
This recipe comes together beautifully because the buttery shortbread (with its hints of vanilla and almond) is mellow yet rich, the raspberry jam adds brightness and tang, and the glaze ties it all together. They’ve been a trusted go-to for more than a decade, and once you taste them, you’ll understand why.
More Thumbprint Cookies
For more cookie inspiration, here are all my favorite Christmas cookies.
Description
Soft, buttery almond shortbread cookies filled with sweet raspberry jam. These easy, egg-free thumbprint cookies come together in 1 bowl and bake into tender, melt-in-your-mouth treats perfect for the holidays or any time of year. See Note below about keeping the dough cold at all times, to help prevent over-spreading.
- Make the cookies: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Switch mixer to medium speed and add the the sugar, vanilla, and almond extracts. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the salt and flour. Turn the mixer on low and slowly beat until a very soft dough is formed. If the dough seems too sticky for rolling, beat in another Tablespoon of flour.
- Shape the cookies: Line a baking sheet or plate with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scoop and roll the dough, about a Tablespoon (18–20g) each, into balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Press an indentation with your thumb in each ball. The dough may crack slightly when you press your thumb into it. Simply smooth it out with your fingers if you can.
- Place the baking sheet with the thumbprint cookies in the refrigerator and chill until firm, at least 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2–3 inches apart, about 9–12 cookies per baking sheet. Fill each cookie with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of jam.
- Bake the shortbread thumbprint cookies for 13–15 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the edges. The cookies will puff up and spread slightly. Do not overbake. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing.
- Make the icing: Whisk the icing ingredients together until smooth. Add more liquid to thin out or add more confectioners’ sugar to thicken to your desired consistency. Drizzle over cookies. Icing will set after about 1 hour.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Shaped shortbread dough (rolled and indented) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, and then continue with step 4. Baked cookies (with or without icing) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk
- Jam: Use a thick, high-quality raspberry jam or preserves. Seeded or seedless both work—choose your preference. Other flavors such as strawberry, apricot, or blackberry also work wonderfully.
- Cold Dough: The shaped cookie dough must stay cold and firm before baking. After rolling and adding the thumbprint, chill the shaped dough for at least 4 hours (or up to 3 days). If the dough softens as you fill with jam, simply return the shaped cookies to the refrigerator to firm up again. When baking in batches, keep the remaining shaped cookies in the refrigerator while the first batch bakes. You can also shape and indent a second tray, refrigerate it, and bake it right after the first.
