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!
Heart Thumbprint Cookie Recipe
Made with just 7 ingredients, these heart thumbprint cookies are super quick and easy. I added cornstarch to the dough to help them 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 Store
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.
Tips for Success
- If the butter is too warm, it will melt right out of the cookies, causing them to spread in the oven.
- Don’t skip the chill times noted in the recipe or your cookies will spread.
- Be careful when printing the heart into the cookie dough balls. Use light pressure so you don’t crack your cookies. If you do have cracks you can mold them back together with the warmth of your fingers.
- The jam can leak out of your thumbprints if it is too runny or if you overfilled the imprint. Be sure to use a jam that is thick enough to stay inside the thumbprint, and take care not to overfill the cookies!
- Thumbprint cookie dough is on the dryer side so that they don’t spread in the oven. A few cracks are okay, but just make sure to pinch back together any cracks in the thumbprints so that the jam doesn’t spill out.
- It’d be a shame to waste 2 perfectly good egg whites. You can label them and place them in the refrigerator until you need them, or use them right away in vanilla sheet cake, Christmas bread, Linzer cookies, marshmallow fluff, or ghost meringues!
Heart Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
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
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Stand Mixer
- 2 Baking Sheet
- Cookie Portion Scoop
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
How to Make Heart Thumbprint Cookies Step-by-Step
Beat the Butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ⅔ cup of 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. 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.
Add the Flour: In a separate, medium bowl, whisk 1½ cups of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch together. 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.
Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
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 tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll it into balls with your hands. 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) or your thumb gently press a heart shape into the balls.
Fill the Hearts Fill each heart cavity with about ½ teaspoon of strawberry jam (⅓ cup total). Chill the cookies for 10 minutes in the freezer.
Bake the Cookies: Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until they are golden on the bottom.
Cool the Cookies: 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.
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