Jam thumbprints are a timeless cookie, a favorite at holiday cookie exchanges. Below you’ll find a clear, reader-friendly version of the recipe and the story behind the cookie party that keeps this family tradition alive.
Another cookie you might enjoy is my date and walnut thumbprint recipe.
For easier browsing, all of my baking and dessert recipes are collected in one place.
Jam Thumbprints – One of 16 Cookies Baked for a Memorial Cookie Party
Jam thumbprints are one of the sixteen cookies we bake each year to honor my friend Sharon’s mother, Hermine. Hermine was famous for baking hundreds of cookies each holiday season and sharing them with a select group of recipients. After she passed away, the recipients decided to carry on her tradition by baking and exchanging the same assortment of cookies so her legacy could live on in our holiday boxes.
What Hermine managed alone now takes a small team: it generally takes at least eight bakers to match what she once produced while working full time and caring for her family. Her dedication continues to inspire and impress us.
Among her collection, jam thumbprints were always a favorite—simple, buttery cookies with a bright dollop of jam that both adults and children reach for first.
How to Make This Recipe Your Own
This recipe is adaptable. Swap flavors, nuts, or spices to suit your pantry or preferences. For the batch shown here I used three homemade jams:
- Strawberry Raspberry Jam
- Strawberry Jam with Pineapple Guava
- Apricot Jam, made with fruit from a local orchard
Experiment with different nuts: the recipe calls for pecans, but chopped almonds, pistachios, or walnuts would also be excellent. For spices, it uses cinnamon and allspice; you could substitute or add nutmeg, cardamom, or even a bit of cocoa powder for a different twist.
What is your favorite holiday cookie?
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Jam Thumbprints
Beth Lee
Pin Recipe
15 mins
25 mins
40 mins
Dessert
American
30 servings
71 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional
- ¼ teaspoon allspice optional
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup butter or margarine 1 stick
- 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Jams and jellies any flavor — about ½ cup total
Instructions
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Place the flour, cinnamon, allspice, and salt on a sheet of parchment or in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
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In a medium bowl, cream the butter or margarine with the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth, by hand or with a mixer.
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Stir in the dry ingredients, adding half at a time, until you have a soft dough. Fold in the chopped pecans.
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If the dough is very soft, chill briefly to make it easier to handle. The dough can be prepared ahead and rolled later; if it becomes too firm in the fridge, let it sit a few minutes to soften.
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Roll the dough by tablespoonfuls into marble-sized balls and place them about 2 inches apart on ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheets.
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Make a small hollow in the center of each ball with your thumb and fill with about ½ teaspoon of jam or jelly.
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Bake in a slow oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 25 minutes, or until the edges are delicately golden. Remove from sheets and cool completely on wire racks. Makes about 30 cookies.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 5 g
Protein: 1 g
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 8 mg
Sodium: 47 mg
Fiber: 1 g
cookie party, jam, jam thumbprints
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