These heart thumbprint cookies are my favorite Valentine’s Day cookies to make with my kids. The cookie dough is super simple to put together, and my kids love using their little thumbs to make the heart imprints. I filled them with store-bought strawberry jam for a rich red color, and they turned out so cute!
Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies for Valentine’s Day
Made with just 7 ingredients, these heart-shaped thumbprint cookies are super quick and easy. I added cornstarch to the dough to help the cookies hold their cute heart shape during baking, and I filled them with yummy strawberry jam. I think they’d turn out just as cute with raspberry or cherry jam, so go with your heart on flavor. Bonne Maman is my favorite brand, but any kind should work, so long as it’s not too runny.
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How to Tell When Thumbprint Cookies Are Done
These heart-shaped thumbprint cookies are meant to stay pale and tender. If you wait for the tops to turn golden, they’ll be overbaked and dry. Pulling them when only the bottoms are lightly golden keeps the centers soft and helps the jam stay glossy instead of sticky.
Heart Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 2 Baking Sheet(s)
- 2-Tablespoon Cookie Portion Scoop
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup salted butter room temperature (1⅓ sticks)*
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ⅓ cup strawberry jam or preserves **
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about 30 seconds.⅔ cup salted butter
- Add the sugar to the bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure a smooth mixture with no grain.½ cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until combined.2 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a separate, medium bowl, whisk the flour and cornstarch together.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until incorporated. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the bowl and combine.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- After the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll it into balls with your hands. Place 12 balls about 1 inch apart on each baking sheet.
- Using the end of a small spoon (I used espresso spoons) or your thumb gently press a heart shape into the balls.
- Fill each heart cavity with about 1⁄2 a teaspoon of strawberry jam.⅓ cup strawberry jam or preserves
- Chill the cookies for 10 minutes in the freezer.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until they are golden on the bottom.
- Leave cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. Once cool serve and enjoy with your favorite beverage.
Notes
- This dough is on the dryer side to help prevent spreading, but if it won’t come together, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk or water.
- Don’t skip chilling, or your cookies will spread and lose their shape.
- Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling if it’s cracking straight from the fridge.
- Use light pressure when making your imprints to prevent cracks. Flour the spoon to prevent sticking.
- If you do have cracks, mold them back together with the warmth of your fingers.
- Slightly warm thick jam and stir it smooth before filling so it settles evenly into the heart.
- Stop filling your cookies just short of the edge of the thumbprint since the jam spreads as it heats.
- The tops should stay pale; browning on top means they’re overbaked.
What to Do With Leftover Egg Whites
It’d be a shame to waste 2 perfectly good egg whites. You can label them and place them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 12 months. Or use them right away in vanilla sheet cake, Christmas bread, Linzer cookies, marshmallow fluff, or ghost meringues!
How to Make Heart Thumbprint Cookies Step-by-Step
Prep: Gather up the short list of ingredients needed to make these thumbprint cookies. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites (you can refrigerate or freeze the whites for another use–see above). Bring the butter and egg yolks to room temperature for 15-30 minutes before beginning, so they mix more easily into the dough.
Beat the Butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ⅔ cup of room-temperature salted butter on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
Add the Eggs: Add ½ cup of granulated sugar to the bowl and mix until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure a smooth mixture with no grain. Add 2 large egg yolks and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and mix until combined, about 30-60 seconds.
Add the Flour: In a separate, medium bowl, whisk 1½ cups of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch together. Measure using the spoon-and-level method to avoid making the dough overly dry. Gradually add the dry mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until incorporated. Switch to a silicone spatula to scrape the bowl and combine, so you don’t overwork the dough. It should be on the dryer side, but if it’s not holding together, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk or water.
Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Chilling this dough is essential to create lasting thumbprints. It prevents the dough from spreading too much as it bakes, and it deepens the flavor as well.
Portion the Cookies: After the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the dough and roll it into balls with your hands. If you notice the dough cracking too much, let it sit for 5 minutes at room temperature to soften up before trying again. Place 12 balls about 1 inch apart on each baking sheet.
Press the Hearts: Using the end of a small spoon (I used espresso spoons–flour them to prevent sticking) or your thumb, gently press a heart shape into the balls. A few small cracks in the dough are to be expected, but if you notice any larger cracks, use your fingers to gently press them back together.
Fill the Hearts: Fill each heart cavity with about ½ teaspoon of strawberry jam (⅓ cup total). If your jam is very thick, I recommend microwaving it for a few seconds to soften it up. Chill the cookies for 10 minutes in the freezer. Don’t overfill the thumbprints, or the jam will overflow and run out onto the baking sheet.
Bake the Cookies: Bake your strawberry thumbprint cookies in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until they are golden on the bottom (but still pale on top) and the jam is bubbling.
Cool the Cookies: Leave cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set up, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Once cool, serve and enjoy with your favorite beverage.
How to Store and Freeze
Store leftover heart thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before enjoying cold or at room temperature.
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