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Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

Tender eggless almond shortbread cookies are shaped around a deep thumbprint, filled with raspberry jam, and optionally drizzled with almond glaze. The recipe makes approximately 30–36 cookies.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 30 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookie Dough
  • 1 cup (227 g) Unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup (133 g) Granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 cups (240 g) All-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
Filling
  • 1/2 cup (about 160 g) Seedless raspberry jam or raspberry preserves
Optional Almond Glaze
  • 1 cup (about 120 g) Powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Almond extract
  • 2-3 teaspoons Milk or water

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Beat softened butter, granulated sugar, almond extract, and salt until smooth and creamy, about 1–2 minutes.
  3. Gradually mix in the flour just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
  4. Shape the dough into balls about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  5. Press a deep indentation into the center of each ball using your thumb or the rounded end of a measuring spoon.
  6. Fill each indentation with approximately 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam, keeping the filling about three-quarters full.
  7. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are set and just lightly golden while the centers remain fairly pale.
  8. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
  9. For the optional glaze, whisk powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk or water until smooth, then drizzle over completely cooled cookies.

Notes

Use softened, not melted, butter. If the dough feels greasy or difficult to shape, refrigerate it for 20–30 minutes. Seedless raspberry jam creates the smoothest filling, though raspberry preserves with seeds may also be used.