Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Egg-free almond shortbread cookies filled with seedless raspberry jam and finished with a thin almond glaze drizzle. A one-bowl holiday cookie that holds its shape and freezes well.
Servings 32 cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (226 g)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 133 g
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (281 g)
- ½ cup seedless raspberry jam 160 g
For the Almond Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar 120 g
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Beat the softened butter on medium speed for about 1 minute until creamy. Add the sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract and beat 1 to 2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl once.
- Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until a soft, smooth dough forms. If very sticky, mix in 1 tablespoon more flour.
Shape and Chill
- Line two light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll 1 tablespoon portions of dough into smooth balls and place 2 inches apart.
- Press the back of a floured ½ teaspoon measure or your pinky into the center of each ball, about halfway down.
- Refrigerate the shaped cookies for 1 hour, or cover and chill up to 3 days.
Fill and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Gently re-press any wells that have puffed.
- Stir the jam until smooth and fill each well with a scant ½ teaspoon, level with the rim.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and almond extract until smooth, adding more milk a few drops at a time until it falls in a thick ribbon.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies in thin lines. Let set about 30 minutes before stacking or storing.
Notes
- Measure the flour: Spoon and level, or weigh 281 g. Too much flour causes cracks; too little causes spreading.
- Do not skip the chill: Chilling the shaped cookies keeps them round and the wells neat.
- Test bake: Bake 2 or 3 cookies first. If they spread, chill the rest 15 minutes longer.
- Storage: Airtight at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerated up to 1 week.
- Freezing: Freeze shaped dough or baked unglazed cookies up to 3 months. Thaw baked cookies fully before glazing.