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The Best Thumbprint Cookies With Irresistible Vanilla Frosting

BySally Kuzemchak, MS, RDN Published: Updated on
92 Comments
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Thumbprint Cookies, rolled in chopped walnuts and filled with a dab of frosting, are a festive holiday treat for your family.

Thumbprint Cookies

My husband’s favorite Christmas cookies are Thumbprint Cookies. Specifically, the ones my mom makes when we visit over the holidays.

So every December, I try to make him at least one batch to enjoy in the weeks leading up to Christmas–and I never, ever deviate from my mom’s recipe. 

Ingredients You Need To Make Thumbprint Cookies

  • Butter
  • Shortening (I use either Spectrum Organic or Crisco)
  • Brown sugar
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla
  • All-purpose flour
  • Salt
  • Chopped walnuts
  • Powered sugar
  • Milk
  • Almond extract
Thumbprint Cookies

Want more holiday cookie ideas?

Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies

Yield: 13
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

This classic holiday cookie is coated in chopped walnuts and topped with a dollop of buttercream frosting.

5.0 Stars (20 Reviews)

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup shortening, I use either Spectrum Organic or Crisco
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg yolk and white, separated
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Icing For Center

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons shortening (I use Spectrum)
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • drop almond extract

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix butter, shortening, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla with a mixer.
  3. Blend flour and salt together in a small bowl and stir into batter. Batter will be thick.
  4. Beat egg white in small bowl and place chopped walnuts on a small plate.
  5. Roll dough into balls (I do tablespoons, but my mom does teaspoons), dip balls into egg white, then roll in walnuts. Place on baking sheet.
  6. Press your thumb or the back of a tablespoon gently into the center of each cookie to make an indentation.
  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly firm. Remove from oven. You may need to press your thumb or tablespoon gently into each cookie while they're still warm to redefine the indentation.
  8. Mix frosting ingredients together while the cookies cool. If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time--if too thin, add a teaspoon of powdered sugar at a time--until you get a texture that's thick enough to stay in the center of the cookies.
  9. Once cookies are cool, put a small dab of frosting in the center of each cookie. Add festive sprinkles if you have them!

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 13 Serving Size: 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 229Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 77mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g
© Sally

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92 Comments

  5. Entry 2 & 3 done.

    Favorite xmas cookie

    This is when we load up on gingerbread men and snickerdoodle

    Reply

    1. Laurie–congratulations! You were selected at random as the winner! Watch your email inbox for a message from me. Thanks!

      Reply

  9. I did entry #2. My favorite cookie is a tie between gingerbread and holly cookies, a frosted and decorated sandwich cookie filled with jam.

    Reply

  15. 1. I love making chocolate crinkles. They are so chewy and chocolatey! Love!

    2. And I liked both Silpat and Real Mom Nutrition on facebook.

    3. And I shared this giveaway on facebook!

    I love silpat baking mats. They are so amazing!

    Reply

  17. My favorite cookie this time of the year is a tie! Either my old fashioned soft sugar cookies or my mocha crinkle cookies!

    Reply

  19. My favorite cookie to make for the holidays are also a family tradition – cinnamon cookies, based on a recipe from the Chicago Tribune during WWII. Butter was scarce so it uses only shortening. I can’t imagine the holidays without it!

    Reply

  26. My favorite holiday cookie is mother-in-law’s sugar cookies. They are so soft and delicious.

    Reply

  34. It’s not my tradition to bake holiday cookies, but my year-round favorite is chocolate-chip!

    Reply

  35. My favorite cookies to make during the Christmas season are sugar cookies. I love decorating them with my son – even though it gets a bit messy!
    I tweeted about the post, pinned the recipe and liked both you and Silpat on FB!

    Reply

  36. I don’t make cookies in December. As a church musician, I don’t have time. But my spouse makes kolachkes every year. Thumbprint cookies are my go to cookie the rest of the year. I vary the fillings a lot.

    Reply

  39. We like making LOTS of Christmas cookies! Our favorites are chocolate crinkles and pumpkin chocolate chip.

    Reply

  41. Ooh I love thumbprint cookies! A, I allowed to confess that I make mine with peanut butter and fill with a piece of chocolate? 😉

    But my favorite Christmas cookie is no bake cookies with ALL of the butter and sugar! 🙂

    Reply

  42. I love making ginger molasses cookies and making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for the holidays. Always a family favorite.

    Reply

  47. My new fav is saltine toffee (also called Christmas or hillbilly crack?!). Technically not a cookie, but super easy and I always have the
    ingredients on hand.

    Reply

  51. My new favorite cookie is the WORLD’s most perfect cookie! doesn’t require rolling dough and is the perfect combo of crunchy on the outside and chewy on the center!

    Reply

  59. 1. I love making Russian Tea Cookies!

    2. I liked both Facebook pages

    3. I shared this on Facebook!

    Thank you!

    Reply

  60. My favorite to make are oatmeal scotchies, primarily so I can eat mouthfuls of butterscotch chips while I make them.

    Reply

  86. I like Silpat & Real Mom Nutrition on Facebook as Carolsue Anderson
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

    Reply
  90. Pingback: 15 Christmas Cookie Recipes for Santa & His Helpers - Jill Castle

  91. My favorite cookie to make this time of year isn’t really a cookie…they’re Buckeyes (peanut butter filling coated in melted chocolate.

    Reply