Strawberry Picnic Thumbprint Cookies (Printer-Friendly)

Buttery shortbread bites with a sweet strawberry jam center, perfect for gatherings and warm weather treats.

# 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 for dusting

# How To Make It:

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 to 3 minutes.
03 - Beat in vanilla extract and salt until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually add all-purpose flour to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Stop when soft dough forms to avoid overworking.
05 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into uniform balls. Arrange them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
06 - Using your thumb or the back of a rounded teaspoon, press a shallow indentation into the center of each dough ball.
07 - Spoon approximately 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry jam into each indentation.
08 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown.
09 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - If desired, dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're simple enough that even if you're not confident in the kitchen, these come together in under 40 minutes and taste like you've been baking all morning.
  • The jam center stays soft and jammy while the shortbread stays tender, which means you get that perfect contrast with every bite.
02 -
  • Don't overbake these—you want the edges golden but the centers still soft, otherwise they'll taste dry and the jam will harden.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chilling the shaped dough balls for 15 minutes before baking gives you cookies that hold their shape better and stay more tender.
03 -
  • Room-temperature butter creams more easily and incorporates air better than cold butter, so take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start.
  • If your jam is very thick, warm it slightly for 10 seconds in the microwave to make it easier to spoon into the centers without tearing your dough.
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