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+ servings
A plate of thumbprint heart cookies with red jam.
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5 from 1 vote

Thumbprint Heart Cookies with Jam

Thumbprint Heart Cookies are made with a buttery cookie base and filled with homemade jam for the ultimate treat. They are a beautiful, easy, and delicious way to say "I love you" to friends and family.
Prep Time8 minutes
Cook Time14 minutes
Chill Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 32 cookies
Calories: 110kcal
Author: Shani W.

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
  • Paddle Attachment for Mixer
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Mini Cookie Scoop optional
  • Kitchen Scale optional
  • 2 Cookie Sheets
  • Parchment Paper
  • Piping Bag
  • Spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup salted butter softened, but not melted
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 count egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 5 - 6 tablespoons strawberry jam

Instructions

  • Use either a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer.
  • Cream the softened butter & both sugars until just creamy, about 1 minute.
  • Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt to the mixing bowl. Beat until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Turn your mixer to low speed. Pour in your flour, a little at a time, until a dough is formed.
  • Prepare 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Grab 1 tablespoon of cookie dough (or 20 grams) and roll them into smooth balls in between your palms. Repeat with the rest of the dough, placing the dough balls onto the parchment-lined baking trays.
    You can also use a mini cookie scoop to scoop same-sized portions and then roll each one by hand.
  • Use your pinky finger to create small indents in the middle of the dough that look like a hearts.
    If any cracks form on the outside of the dough, you can either smooth them over with your hands by gently pressing the cracks together, or just re-roll the entire ball and start from scratch.
  • Chill in the indented cookies on the trays in the refrigerator until firm, for at least an hour. 
  • Preheat your oven to 350℉.
  • Fill a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the strawberry jam. Pipe the jam onto the heart shapes; the cookies should be full, but not overflowing.
  • Bake on the top rack of the oven for 13-15 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden brown.
  • Finally, remove them from the oven and cool completely on the pan.
  • Top with sifted powdered sugar on top and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

Tips & Tricks: 
Use jam, not jelly if possible. Jelly has a higher water content which will affect the final look and bake of these cookies.
Don’t over whip the butter - that will ncorporate too much air which leads to spreading. Normally, spreading isn’t bad in a cookie; but we want the cookies to keep their shape as much as possible in this recipe.
Use a cool cookie sheet each time. If you’re making multiple batches, you can wash and rinse the cookie sheet under cold water until it's no longer hot, then dry thoroughly and reuse.
 
Storage Instructions:
Store the baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. These can be kept at either room temperature, or in the refrigerator.
 
Freezer Instructions:
Add the baked and cooled cookies to an airtight container in layers (with parchment paper in between to avoid sticking) and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you're ready to eat, let them fully come to room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.4mg