These delightful Swedish Thumbprint Cookies are a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a burst of fruity goodness, for cookies that are both visually appealing and delicious.
The literal translation from Hallongrottor in Swedish is raspberry caves in English and sometimes these cookies can be found to be thicker with a deeper raspberry filling.
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Why you’ll love these
Delectable Butter Cookie Base
These Swedish Thumbprint Cookies have a rich, buttery base that melts in your mouth with every bite. The texture is perfectly crumbly, creating a combination of flavors that will impress you and your loved ones.
Irresistible Jam Filling
These raspberry thumbprint cookies feature a sweet jam filling. The jam adds a burst of fruity goodness that perfectly complements the buttery cookie, creating a delightful flavor contrast.
What are Thumbprint Cookies?
Hallongrottor, also known as Thumbprint Cookies, are delightful Swedish treats that have a unique name meaning "raspberry caves" in Swedish. These are traditional raspberry thumbprint cookies made from a buttery cookie dough that is shaped into small rounds and indented with a thumb, hence the name. The indentation is then filled with a delicious jam or preserve, creating a delightful burst of flavor in every bite.
Ingredients and substitutions for Thumbprint Cookies
- Butter: Room temperature unsalted butter was used here, though salted butter would also work, if that’s what you have on hand. Room temperature is best because this combines with the sugar and helps to give your cookies their texture.
- Sugar: Icing or confectioner's sugar is best here because it dissolves into the butter due to it's incredibly fine texture. It is not recommended to replace with any other other sugar as this would change the signature texture.
- Plain flour: Plain or all purpose works best here for a nice shortbread base, however, you could use bread flour in equal measure here if that’s all you have on hand.
- Baking powder: This helps the cookies rise ever so slightly meaning the cookie crumb is light.
- Raspberry jam: The traditional flavor to use, though, tou can opt to use a different jam, if you prefer!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Thumbprint Cookies:
Cream it: Cream the butter and sugar.
1
Dries and flavor: Add in the dry ingredients and extract and combine until a dough forms.
2
Crumbly: It will be a buttery and crumbly mixture.
3
Roll out: Between two sheets, roll the dough out.
Cookie cutter: Press a round cookie cutter into the dough and before you pull away press and turn your thumb into the center to make that print.
4
Batch em: Continue cutting and pressing your thumbprint into the cookie dough until your cookies have all been cut out.
Chill: Place on a tray and chill.
Jammy filling: Spoon some jam into the center of your cookies.
5
Bake: Place in the oven and bake until lightly golden on the edges.
Cool: Set aside to cool.
Serve: Grab 2 because you’ll need them as you dig in!
Equipment needed to make this
Greaseproof paper: Lining your tray will make sliding off your baked cookies a breeze!
Hand or stand mixer: To whip the butter and sugar and create that dough, though this can be done by hand.
Rolling pin: A rolling pin will help you achieve a nice consistent dough, however, you could substitute a wine bottle for similar results.
Honey drizzle: So this isn't necessary, but if you're a stickler for having a consistent 'thumbprint', a honey drizzle lightly coated in flour will give you that shape. Alternatively, you'll want to ensure your nails are short if using a thumb to leave a nice indent.
Mixing bowl: A medium mixing bowl works perfectly for the cookie dough.
FAQs for the best Thumbprint Cookies
If you have a honey drizzle, simply flour the tip of the drizzle and tap to remove any excess and press into the center of your cookie, turning gently to really indent your cookie before you remove your cookie cutter so it remains nice and round in shape.
The chill time, despite how short it is, allows the butter dough to firm up resulting in cookies that will spread less during baking which has a two fold result in ensuring the cookies bake more evenly.
Thumbprint Cookies offer a wide range of flavor possibilities. You can use any variety of jam or preserve that suits your taste. Popular choices include strawberry, apricot, blueberry, and even lemon curd. Feel free to experiment with different flavors to create your own unique combinations!
Absolutely! Thumbprint Cookies are incredibly versatile and can be customized to suit any occasion. For a festive touch, use red and green jams during the holiday season. You can also make them for special events like baby showers, weddings, or birthdays by using jams in colors that match the theme. The possibilities are endless!
Definitely! Swedish Thumbprint Cookies are a great option for beginner bakers. The recipe is simple and doesn't require any advanced techniques. With clear step-by-step instructions, even those new to baking can achieve delicious results. It's a wonderful way to start your baking journey and gain confidence in the kitchen.
More European cookies you’ll love
Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 250 grams / 8.8 ounces butter room temperature
- 75 grams / ¾ cup + 1 teaspoon confectioner’s/icing sugar
- 286 grams / 1 ¾ cups + ¼ teaspoon plain flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 grams / ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 100 grams / ⅓ cup raspberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/400F and line your baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, approximately 3 minutes with a hand mixer.
- Add in the flour, vanilla extract and baking powder.
- Combine on low until the mixture looks crumbly and no dry portions remain in your bowl.
- Measure out 2 equal portions of greaseproof paper and invert the crumbly dough onto one portion of the dough.
- Press the second piece of greaseproof paper over the top and press down, rolling out the dough to ? inch thick.
- Pull away the top piece of the paper and lightly flour the top of the dough to smooth it out.
- Press a round cookie cutter into the edge of your dough and either press firmly into the center with your lightly floured thumb or a lightly floured honey drizzle.
- Turn your wrist to make a proper and even dent in the center of your cookie.
- Lightly slide a thin offset spatula underneath your cookie and lift up, lightly pressing the top of your edges to loosen away from the cookie cutter.
- Set your cookie aside on your top layer of greaseproof paper and set on a tray.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Set the cookies in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Place your cookies onto a baking tray with 2 inches gap between each.
- Spoon ½ teaspoon raspberry jam into the centers of your cookies and bake until the biscuits look matte for 12 minutes.
- Remove and allow to cool for 2 minutes on the tray before placing on a cooling tray.
- Serve em up!
Video
Notes
- Creating consistent thumbprint indents: If you have a honey drizzle, simply flour the tip of the drizzle and tap to remove any excess and press into the center of your cookie, turning gently to really indent your cookie before you remove your cookie cutter so it remains nice and round in shape.
- Benefit of refrigerating your dough: The chill time, despite how short it is, allows the butter dough to firm up resulting in cookies that will spread less during baking which has a two fold result in ensuring the cookies bake more evenly.
- Make the jam filling your own: You can use any variety of jam or preserve that suits your taste. Popular choices include strawberry, apricot, blueberry, and even lemon curd. Feel free to experiment with different flavors to create your own unique combinations!
Nutrition
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