Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies Jam (Print version)

Buttery shortbread treats filled with sweet strawberry jam, perfect for summer picnics.

# What you’ll need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 cups all-purpose flour

→ Filling

06 - 1/2 cup strawberry jam, seedless preferred

→ Optional Decoration

07 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Beat in vanilla extract and salt until well incorporated.
04 - Gradually add flour to the mixture, stirring just until combined and a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
06 - Using your thumb or the back of a rounded teaspoon, gently press an indentation into the center of each dough ball.
07 - Place approximately 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry jam into each indentation.
08 - Bake for 13-15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown.
09 - Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
10 - If desired, dust finished cookies with powdered sugar before serving.

# Cooking tips:

01 -
  • They come together faster than you'd expect, leaving you with actual time to enjoy the picnic instead of being glued to the kitchen.
  • One batch feeds a crowd without requiring any fancy equipment or tricky techniques that might go sideways.
  • The texture is pure comfort—crispy edges with a tender crumb, and that jam center keeps them interesting with every bite.
02 -
  • Don't overbake these cookies—they'll firm up on the cooling rack, so pulling them out when the edges look just barely golden is the move that changes everything.
  • If your dough starts feeling warm and greasy while shaping, refrigerate it for 10 minutes; cold dough rolls into neater balls and holds its shape better in the oven.
03 -
  • Softening butter in advance means you're never tempted to use a microwave, which creates greasy, unevenly soft butter that throws off your dough texture.
  • The indentation tool matters less than consistency; use whatever makes a shape you like, then stick with it for even baking across the whole batch.
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