Our best holiday thumbprint cookies have a shortbread-like base and customizable baked-in filling. Choose raspberry, apricot, strawberry, or any jam you like.
04Roll the dough into 1" balls and arrange on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3" between cookies. Using your thumb, the round end of a small pestle, or the bottom of a measuring spoon, make a well in the center of each dough ball. Fill each indentation with ½ tsp. jam from ½ cup jam, such as raspberry, strawberry, or apricot, being careful not to overfill. Bake, switching cookie sheets between upper and lower racks about halfway through baking, until thumbprints are golden, about 15 minutes.
05Cool thumbprints on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. Bake remaining cookie dough on cool baking sheets.
Do ahead: Thumbprint cookies can be baked 3 days ahead. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally printed in November 2011 as Siobhan’s Thumbprint Cookies. Head this way for more of our all-time-best Christmas cookie recipes →