These double chocolate thumbprint cookies are made of crispy and buttery chocolate shortbread and filled with a rich and creamy chocolate ganache. Add a drizzle of melted chocolate and a pinch of flakey salt to finish them off!
Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate
Calling all chocolate lovers, this great recipe is for you! These tasty cookies are a richer, chocolatier take on the classic thumbprint cookie and absolutely perfect for the holiday season.
But don’t let that stop you from indulging in this delicious treat all year round! These soft chocolate thumbprint cookies taste great any time of year, and if you’re like me, you can never have too much chocolate!
Why You’ll Love this Thumbprint Cookie Recipe:
- Super Chocolatey: These thumbprint cookies are made of chocolate shortbread and have a creamy chocolate center that will satisfy all your chocolate cravings.
- Easy Recipe: You only need a few ingredients to make these delicious chocolate cookies, making them ideal in a time crunch!
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How to Make Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Mix ingredients to make the dough, then let it chill in the fridge.
- Roll out the dough and slice into cookies, then use your thumb to press a well at the center of each one.
- Freeze while the oven preheats, then bake.
- Combine ingredients to make the chocolate ganache, then fill the center of the cooled cookies.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Gives the cookies structure and richness. Just make sure it’s fully softened, so it incorporates into the dough smoothly.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and keeps them soft and light.
- Flour: Gives the cookies structure as well. I like to measure using the scoop and level method, so I don’t add too much.
- Cocoa Powder: Makes the cookies chocolatey. Feel free to use regular, dark, dutch-process, or all-natural – they’ll all work in this recipe.
- Milk: Helps bring the dough together if you accidentally add too much flour.
- Chocolate: The main flavor in our ganache, so make sure to choose one that’s good quality. I’m using semi-sweet but use whatever you like.
- Heavy Cream: Thins the ganache, so it’s pourable and hardens in the fridge. Milk will not work– it must be cream!
Traditional thumbprint cookies are made from soft sugar cookie dough that is indented and filled with jam. For this chocolate variation, we added cocoa powder to the dough and opted to fill the cookies with chocolate ganache!
The name comes from the fact that you use your thumb to press an indentation into each ball of cookie dough. That indentation is then filled with jam or, in this case, ganache.
You can use any cocoa powder you prefer, as long as it is unsweetened. Use natural cocoa powder for a more natural taste, and use Dutch-process cocoa powder for a smoother taste.
For this particular recipe, wait until after baking to fill the cookies; otherwise, the ganache will melt out!
If your thumbprint cookies came out flat, the butter may have been too soft. Chill the next batch for 10-15 minutes before baking to keep them from spreading.
Yes. However, the texture of the ganache will change depending on the chocolate. White chocolate ganache will be softer, and dark chocolate will be firmer. I recommend using a high-quality chocolate bar, such as Ghirardelli.
If your chocolate ganache splits or becomes grainy, you can fix it by placing it in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water to heat it back up. Stir vigorously until it comes back together. If this doesn’t work, try whisking in a small amount of room temperature cream until it comes back together.
Store them in a single layer in an airtight container to prevent sticking.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to measure your flour carefully. Instead of scooping your measuring cup into your flour, scoop spoonfuls into your measuring cup and swipe the access flour off with a knife. That way, you don’t accidentally use too much flour!
- Use a cookie cutter to go around the cookies in a circular motion right after taking them out of the oven. This will bring the cookies back to their smaller size and give them the perfect circular shape!
Make Ahead Instructions
Unbaked chocolate thumbprint cookie dough can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake directly from the refrigerator or freezer, adding 1-2 minutes to the final bake time.
The chocolate ganache can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using if frozen, then microwave for 10-20 seconds to bring to temperature.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover chocolate thumbprint cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let come to room temperature before enjoying.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze chocolate thumbprint cookies in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 1 month. Let thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Substitutions
- You can use salted butter for slightly saltier cookies.
- If you don’t have powdered sugar, grind granulated sugar in a food processor or blender until fine, then sift before using.
- For gluten-free chocolate thumbprint cookies, replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- Use whatever cocoa powder you have on hand, or try something fun like black cocoa powder!
- You can use any kind of milk in these cookies, including non-dairy.
- For extra crunch, roll the cookies in coarse sugar before baking them.
- Use a good quality chocolate bar, such as Ghirardelli, for the ganache. You can use milk, semisweet, dark, or white chocolate.
- Feel free to garnish these cookies with chopped nuts or sprinkles!
Tips for the Best Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method to prevent using too much, which could lead to dry, crumbly cookies.
- Press the thumbprints into the dough while it is at room temperature to prevent the edges from cracking.
- Chill the dough thoroughly before baking so that the cookies hold their shape.
- Once baked, the thumbprints can lose some of their depth, so you may need to use a measuring teaspoon to press the indentations back into the dough while it is still hot.
- Cool the cookies to room temperature before filling with the ganache; otherwise, the ganache will melt out.
- If the ganache is too thick to work with, reheat it in the microwave or over a double boiler until soft.
Enjoy these double chocolate thumbprint cookies! The silky ganache is our absolute favorite part… What about you? Let us know in the comments below. Happy cooking!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 cup powdered sugar 113 grams
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 210 grams
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 21 grams
- 2 tablespoons milk 28 grams (if needed)
For the Ganache
- 4 ounces chocolate 113 grams, finely chopped (1 bar)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream 28 grams
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Stand Mixer
- Baking Sheet
Instructions
For the Cookies
- Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar
- In a small bowl, mix the flour and cocoa powder together. With the mixer still on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture,1¾ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix just until no large lumps of flour remain. The dough should come together in large crumbles– if it is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk and mix to combine. If the dough still doesn’t come together, add the second tablespoon of milk.2 tablespoons milk
- Shape the dough into a disc and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
- When the dough is chilled, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it to ¼-inch thick. Cut out as many 1½-inch round cookies as you can.
- Use your thumb or a spoon to create a small well in the center of each cookie.
- Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put them into the freezer to chill for 15 minutes.
- While the cookies chill, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake the chilled cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are no longer soft. If the wells in the center puff too much while baking, use a spoon to reshape them while the cookies are still warm.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before adding the ganache.
For the Ganache
- Place the finely chopped chocolate in a small heat-proof bowl.4 ounces chocolate
- Heat the heavy cream (in the microwave or on the stovetop) just until it begins to steam. Add the cream to the chocolate and allow it to sit for 1 minute.2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Stir the ganache until it is smooth and the chocolate has fully melted. Place as much ganache as will fit into the center of each well (about 1 teaspoon).
- (Optional) Add a drizzle of melted chocolate (I’m using dark, but any chocolate will work) and sprinkle with flakey sea salt, if using.
- Allow the ganache to set completely before enjoying (about 10 minutes in the fridge or 30 minutes at room temperature).
Notes
- You can use salted butter for slightly saltier cookies.
- If you don’t have powdered sugar, grind granulated sugar in a food processor or blender until fine, then sift before using.
- For gluten-free chocolate thumbprint cookies, replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- Use whatever cocoa powder you have on hand, or try something fun like black cocoa powder!
- You can use any kind of milk in these cookies, including non-dairy.
- For extra crunch, roll the cookies in coarse sugar before baking them.
- Use a good quality chocolate bar, such as Ghirardelli, for the ganache. You can use milk, semisweet, dark, or white chocolate.
- Feel free to garnish these cookies with chopped nuts or sprinkles!
- Measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method to prevent using too much, which could lead to dry, crumbly cookies.
- Press the thumbprints into the dough while it is at room temperature to prevent the edges from cracking.
- Chill the dough thoroughly before baking so that the cookies hold their shape.
- Once baked, the thumbprints can lose some of their depth, so you may need to use a measuring teaspoon to press the indentations back into the dough while it is still hot.
- Cool the cookies to room temperature before filling with the ganache; otherwise, the ganache will melt out.
- If the ganache is too thick to work with, reheat it in the microwave or over a double boiler until soft.
- Nutritional information does not include optional chocolate drizzle and flakey sea salt.
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