Eggless Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Ring in the holidays with these Eggless Thumbprint Cookies! these buttery cookies and bright strawberry jam will match perfectly with your holiday spread. Perfect for company, a holiday snack, or cookie swap.
When it comes to cookie recipes, I only have one rule: They have to be mouthwateringly good and yet incredibly simple to make. These Eggless Thumbprint Cookies fit the bill!
I cannot tell you how much my kids (and I) love cookies! They don’t just love to eat but to make them too, and these Eggless Thumbprint Cookies are so easy and fun to make that my children can help me prepare them.
Since this will be our first Holiday season in our new neighborhood I am planning to pilgrimage around with plates of cookies. After all, cookies are basically the point of Christmas, right? just kidding…kind of.
Even though December hasn’t started yet, we have already done dark chocolate cookies, chocolate chip cookies, molasses cookies, sugar cookies, and these Eggless Thumbprint Cookies. Of course, none of these batches of cookies will make it to our new neighbors’ hands. They are long gone, but I had the chance to test and try new eggless cookies recipes.
Serve these succulent Eggless Thumbprint Cookies out with after-dinner coffee and/or tea and they’ll disappear in no time!
EGGLESS THUMBPRINT COOKIES INGREDIENTS
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
You’ll need:
- All-purpose flour – Standard all-purpose flour works best here, skip the cake flour, bread flour and wheat flour.
- Cornstarch
- Salt – I prefer kosher or sea salt.
- Unsalted butter – You can also use salted butter if that is what you have handy. In that case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
- Granulated sugar – Also known as caster sugar.
- Pure vanilla extract
- Jam – I used strawberry. See more filling ideas below.
EGGLESS THUMBPRINT COOKIES STEP BY STEP RECIPE PHOTO TUTORIAL
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
1 – MAKE THE EGGLESS COOKIE DOUGH
This cookies dough is very easy to make! First, mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Then, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla. And finally, add dry ingredients in two batches and continue beating at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
2 – SHAPE THE COOKIES
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Make an indentation in center of each cookie with your thumb or with the rounded back of a teaspoon. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to 4 days.
3 – BAKE
Fill each indentation to the brim with jam or with the filling of your choice. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.
TIPS TO MAKE EGGLESS THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Measure: Use a scale to measure out your ingredients.
Chill the Cookie Dough: Chilling cookie dough helps prevent spreading. The colder the dough, the less the cookies are likely to over-spread.
Secret ingredient: Adding a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch will help prevent excess spreading.
Filling: If the jam/preserve is too firm, place it in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat briefly (about 5-10 seconds) or until jam is not hot but is no longer firm and is easy to stir.
Don’t care too much about the baking time! The reason for this is that every oven is different, so the cookies are done when the edges are set and lightly browned.
FILLING IDEAS FOR THESE EGGLESS THUMBPRINT COOKIES
Jam/preserve: any jam or preserve will work fantastic for these cookies, from strawberry to lingonberry and everything in between.
White Chocolate-Peppermint: melt the chopped white chocolate in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Add a few drops of peppermint extract. Fill each indentation and let it set before serving.
Dark Chocolate and hazelnuts: melt the chopped dark chocolate in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Add chopped hazelnuts. Fill each indentation and let it set before serving.
White Chocolate + Crushed Pistachios: melt the chopped white chocolate in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Add chopped pistachios. Fill each indentation and let it set before serving.
Dulce de Leche + Coconut: After the cookies are cool, fill each indentation with dulce de leche. Sprinkle with shredded coconut (unsweetened).
Hershey’s Kisses: press the Hershey’s Kisses into the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven
Milk Chocolate and M&M: melt the chopped milk chocolate in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Fill each indentation with melted chocolate and add the M&M on top. Let it set before serving.
Lemon curd: After the cookies are cool, fill each indentation with lemon curd.
STORING & FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS
STORE: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
FREEZE the unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then make an indent into each, and fill with jam before baking. Baked cookies with jam filling, freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
MORE EGGLESS COOKIE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- 25 Easy and Delicious Eggless Christmas Cookies
- Eggless Sugar Cookies
- The Best Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Eggless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Eggless Gingerbread Cookies
- Easy Palmiers Recipe (Elephant Ear Cookies or Palmeritas) (Video)
- Easy Eggless Vanilla Cookies
- Eggless Royal Icing
- Browse more eggless cookie recipes…
Eggless Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (280 g)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (20 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (230 g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup jam (I used strawberry)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g)
- 2 – 3 teaspoons milk or water (30-40 ml)
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
- In another bowl, beat butter and sugar, scraping bowl often, until creamy, pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla; mix to incorporate. Then add dry ingredients in two batches and continue beating at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. You can also use a small ice cream and scoop 1” balls. Place balls onto prepared baking sheets. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb or with or the rounded back of a teaspoon (edges may crack slightly). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to 4 days.
- Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).
- Fill each indentation to the brim with jam, about 1/4 – 1/3 teaspoon each. Place them in the prepared baking sheet 2-inch apart. IMPORTANT NOTE: if you decide to fill the cookies with any type of chocolate, caramel, lemon curd, or dulce de leche the cookies must be filled after baking once they are completely cool.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to cooling rack.
- Combine all glaze ingredients in a bowl with whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cookies, if desired.
- If the jam is too firm to fill the indentations, place it in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat briefly (about 5-10 seconds) or until jam is not hot but is no longer firm and is easy to stir.
- If you don’t have enough space in your refrigerator to cool the cookies in two baking sheets, you can place all the cookies in one baking sheet to cool. After the cooling time is over, distribute the cookies in two baking sheets making sure they are 2-inch apart.
- 25 Easy and Delicious Eggless Christmas Cookies
- Eggless Sugar Cookies
- The Best Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Eggless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Eggless Gingerbread Cookies
- Easy Eggless Vanilla Cookies
- Eggless Royal Icing
- Browse more eggless cookie recipes…
Nutrition
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
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Originally posted November 2018, post content edited to add more helpful information, no change to the recipe in November 2021.
Can i leave in the refrigerator less then 2 months? Like 2 days?
Hello s-srsudharsana! You can refrigerate the cookie dough for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then roll in sugar and fill with jam right before baking. Hope that helps!
Thanks. Your recipes are the best.
Hello s-srsudharsana! Thanks so much for your support =) I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
I tried this recipe for the first time .. omg I loved it .. cookies were so delicious and it’s a hit.I haven’t missed a step. I am gonna try all the eggless recipes( “I am a vegetarian “).
Hello Ragha! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
Will this recipe roll and cut ok? I would like to make raspberry jam linzer cookies with my linzer cookie cutters and can’t make with traditional almond flour since My son has tree nut and egg allergies. Thanks in advance.
Hello CH, if you are looking for a cut-out cookie, I would recommend using this recipe > Eggless Sugar Cookies
I made these cookies with my 11 year old grandson that is just getting interested in cooking & baking. They were for my 4 yr old grandson with egg allergies. The 4 yr old put the jelly in the thumb print. We all thought the cookies were really tasty. I also made the chocolate chip & sugar cookies. All were very good & I’ll be making them again. Thank you for your efforts to deliver a tasty product!
Hello Wanda! These are so fun to make with the kids. I am glad you liked them. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. Happy 2021 😉
Can I freeze this dough?
Hello Theresa! You can..cookie dough can be frozen up to 2 months; baked cookies (without glaze) may be frozen up to 2-3 months—thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Delicious! I put in white chocolate chips and then put on a layer of raspberry preserves.
(<3)
Thanks!
These brightened up my day
Hello August! I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed these so much. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Hello! I just found your site and could not be more thrilled! We don’t eat eggs in our family and are always looking for ways to still make our favorite desserts! I made these cookies with lemon zest/extract added to the dough and glaze and with a mix of black and red raspberry jam and they were delicious. Perfect compliment to a cup of coffee! Thank you for providing such great recipes for eggless baking-can’t wait to try more soon!
Hello Sapna! Sounds like you nailed it. Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
Omg they were so crumbly!!! What did I do wrong
Hello Kelly! Did you use butter or margarine? Margarine contains water and can actually cause crumbly texture since they lack the fat to coat all of the flour. Overbaking the cookies can also cause a crumbly cookie. Hope this helps!
Hi how Long should I chill the dough ?
Hello Nik! After shaping the dough balls refrigerate at least 1 hour. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Thanks for posting this eggless recipe! I made these cookies with raspberry filling and I love them. They did take a little longer to bake but that was most likely on my end!
Hello Anonymous! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Dear Oriana, I tried your recipe for making Thumbnail Cookies. They turned out wonderful. I had used blueberry preserve on some and strawberry chocolate on others. My family loved them. Thank you and regards from India, Brototi Das Gupta.
Hello Brototi! Thanks for trying this recipe. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!