Thumbprint Jewels are tender, lemon-scented cookies topped with nuts, and their centers are filled with jam.
Finished your Christmas baking yet? If you haven’t, here’s an easy, pretty little cookie to add to your list. These little Thumbprint Jewels are very tender, short cookies with a hint of lemon and a nice little bite of jam right in the center. I used orange marmalade and raspberry jam in these, but you can use any seedless jam. Blackberry, blueberry, and cherry are all good in these little bite-sized treats.
This recipe makes up quickly and gives you about 4 dozen pretty cookies to share with family or friends. I like to put a dozen in a clear cellophane bag and tie it up with a pretty ribbon for a hostess gift.
How to Make Thumbprint Jewels
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two large baking sheets by lining with parchment paper, greasing or spraying with cooking spray.
Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and egg yolk. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy and well blended. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, and lemon zest, beating until evenly incorporated.
On low speed, beat in the flour mixture until well blended. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until dough firms up slightly.
Shape portions of the dough into approximate 1-inch balls. Place the dough in the palm of your hand and cup your other hand over the top. Roll the dough between your cupped hands to form a smooth little ball.
Dip the tops of the balls into the chopped nuts, if using. Place the balls, nut side up, on the baking sheets, about 1 ½ inches apart. Use your thumb to press a deep well into the center of each ball. Place about ¼ teaspoon jam in each indentation.
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, in the upper third of the oven for 9 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are just barely brown at the edges. Reverse the baking sheet halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let stand until cookies firm up slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the cookies from the pan and place them on the wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks or freeze for up to a month.
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Recipe
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Thumbprint Jewels
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- scant ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter slightly softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 ounces cream cheese slightly softened and cut into chunks
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- ⅔ cup finely chopped nuts optional (almonds, pistachios, pecans, etc)
- 12 teaspoons seedless jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two large baking sheets by lining with parchment paper, greasing or spraying with cooking spray.
- Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, scant ½ tsp. baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar and egg yolk. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy and well blended. Add the cream cheese, vanilla and lemon zest beating until evenly incorporated.1 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 large egg yolk, 3 ounces cream cheese, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- On low speed, beat in the flour mixture until well blended. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until dough firms up slightly.
- Shape portions of the dough into balls approximately 1-inch in diameter. (Place the dough in the palm of your hand and cup your other hand over the top. Roll the dough between your cupped hands to form a smooth little ball.)
- Dip the tops of the balls into the chopped nuts, if using.⅔ cup finely chopped nuts
- Place the balls, nut side up, on the baking sheets, about 1 ½ inches apart.
- Using your thumb, press a deep well into the center of each ball.
- Place about ¼ teaspoon jam in each indentation.12 teaspoons seedless jam
- Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, in the upper third of the oven for 9 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are just barely brown at the edges. Reverse the baking sheet halfway through baking to ensure even browning.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let stand until cookies firm up slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the pan and place them on the wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks or freeze for up to a month.
Notes
- For best results, use the fluff, scoop, and level method explained in the post when measuring flour.
- Choose seedless, smooth jam and fill each indentation with no more than ¼ teaspoon to prevent overflow.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
These are so pretty and perfect for the holiday season!!
Thanks Sues! They make pretty gifts wrapped up in cellophane bags with a bow :-)
Glad you liked my cookies. Let look just the same as when I make them. Happy Baking!
Beautiful and delicious sounding cookies.
Made these on Thursday with maraschino cherries in the center. Took them to work on Friday and they disappeared rather quickly. Super easy and oh so pretty.
Beautiful cookies! Someone gave me the gift of homemade marmalade, think I’ll make some of these cookies:@)
lovely jam cookies, like the nuts too…what, no mayhaw?
Oh, man! I didn’t even think about Mayhaw. Wouldn’t that be good!?
Oh how I ADORE these traditional Christmas jewels!! Happy holidays