Classic Heart Thumbprint Cookies
When it comes to cookies, I think the simple ones taste the best. These heart thumbprint cookies have a classic butter base with tasty jam in the center. They look special (not perfect, but very sweet!) but are super simple to make. And bonus, they actually taste better after a day, so they’re perfect for baking ahead of time for a party. Cookie recipes are great for bringing to parties and simple enough to bake in the afternoon.
Classic Heart Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon salt
Assembly
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling
- ½ cup fruit jam strawberry or raspberry recommended
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Instructions
- Prep. Position racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream. In a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Mix in egg yolks and vanilla until pale and creamy, 1-2 minutes more.
- Mix. Whisk flour and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture gradually, mixing at low speed until combined.
- Chill. Cover dough tightly with greased plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm. Preheat oven to 350°F while dough chills.
- Shape. Scoop chilled dough using a cookie scoop and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat. Place on prepared sheets 1 inch apart.
- Create hearts. Make heart shapes by pressing the bottom of a wooden spoon into each cookie to create two overlapping indentations that meet at a point at the bottom. Don’t reshape the cookie itself from the outside, or you'll mess up the heart.
- Fill. Spoon or pipe about ¼ teaspoon jam into each heart indentation, being careful not to overfill.
- Bake. Place in oven and bake 12-14 minutes until edges are lightly golden and jam is bubbly.
- Cool. Let cookies rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
If you understand how flour and butter work together, your cookies will turn out great. Use a light hand when mixing and chill the dough beforehand. This helps the butter create layers that make each bite melt in your mouth. However, they have a strong shortbread-like structure, so they will hold up for a friendly cookie swap.
The chill time is important so that the cookies don’t spread too much in the oven. Cold butter takes longer to melt, so the cookies will hold their shape better and get crisp edges with a tender middle.
Tips for Success
Your butter should be cool at room temperature – it should dent when pressed but not feel squishy.
Stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated – this keeps the cookies tender.
Press straight down to make heart shapes – no dragging or reshaping needed.
Keep jam away from the edges of the indentations to prevent overflow.
Look for edges to be just barely golden – they’ll continue to set as they cool.
Ingredients and Equipment
Butter: Unsalted gives you better control over flavor
Flour: Regular all-purpose works perfectly here
Jam: Choose a smooth jam without fruit chunks, such as strawberry jam.
Cookie Scoop: Makes portioning quick and consistent.
Wooden Spoon: The handle creates perfect heart indentations.
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Make It Your Own
These simple cookies don’t need much changing, but here are subtle ways to adjust the recipe.
- Use any smooth jam you like. If you don’t like strawberry, try raspberry jam.
- Add citrus zest to the dough for brightness
- Roll in coarse sugar for extra crunch
- Try different extracts – almond works particularly well
- Split the batch and use different jam flavors
The most loved recipes are often the simple ones we make over and over. No fancy techniques. No weird ingredients. Just mix and bake. This recipe will make any occasion feel special.
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.