Thumbprint Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to keep Thumbprint Cookies from spreading? ›

Chilling Cookie Dough

If the cookie dough you are working with is on the wetter side or sticky, I always recommend chilling for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The colder the dough is, the less the cookies are going to spread as they are baked in the oven.

Why do my Thumbprint Cookies crack? Make sure when you are pressing the back of the teaspoon or your thumb into the center of the cookie dough you don't press too hard. Gently press!

The dough should be chilled for at least 30 minutes, so that you can shape it into balls and indent without falling apart. Check that your oven temperature isn't too high.

“Shortening can cause cookies to spread less due to its higher melting point,” Dawn explains. “Substitute it one-for-one by volume in a butter-based cookie recipe.

Store thumbprint cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. You can keep them at room temperature or in the fridge.

Do Thumbprint Cookies ship well? Yes. Firm and sturdy cookies are the best type of cookies to ship, so our Thumbprint Cookies handle the trip well.

Hallongrotta (plural: hallongrottor) is the name of a common Swedish cookie. The name means raspberry cave in Swedish. In the United States they are known as thumbprint cookies, as well as by many other names. Similar cookies sold in Australia are known as jam drops.

Stuff the tin or container with tissue paper (here's a festive option!), crumbled newspaper, or packing peanuts to keep the cookies snug. Place the tin or container into a shipping box and use more crumbled newspaper or other shipping materials if needed. Then send off!

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

Chill the cookie dough.

Chilling cookie dough helps prevent spreading. The colder the dough, the less the cookies will over-spread into greasy puddles. You'll have thicker, sturdier, and more solid cookies. Whenever I make cookies, I plan ahead and chill the cookie dough overnight.

Why are my thumbprint cookies dry? ›

Overmixing the dough

If you overmix the dough, the cookies will be dry and crumbly. The best way to fix this is to add more liquid to the dough. This can be done by adding milk, water, or even melted butter. You may also need to add more flour to the dough if it is too wet.

The most common reason that thumbprint cookies may spread when baking is an incorrect ratio of butter to flour. Be sure to follow my tips above for properly measuring flour. Another reason for spreading could be placing cookie dough on a hot cookie sheet. Be sure to read and follow my tips above.

To prevent this make sure the baking sheets are always at least on room temperature. Ideally you want to cut your cookies and then chill them with the baking sheet. that way the tray is still cool when it goes in the oven and the cookies have no time to spread before they are baked through.

Sandwich your dough between two sheets of parchment, roll, then freeze; it makes cut-out cookies a breeze! If you plan to store it for only a few hours or days, there's no need to overwrap the baking sheet; for longer storage, wrap the entire baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap before freezing.

Excess Sugar and Fat

Measuring is key in baking. If your cookie contains excess sugar or fat, it will spread while baking. If your first batch of cookies spreads, try adding a few tablespoons of flour to help thicken the remaining dough.