Description
Delight in these charming Thumbprint Heart Cookies, perfect for gifting or sharing with loved ones. Soft and buttery cookie dough is shaped into adorable heart indents filled with your choice of sweet jam, combining classic flavors with a lovely presentation. This recipe offers a simple method that accommodates both traditional and vegan diets while producing about 24 delicious cookies.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3⁄4 cup butter (softened) or vegan butter for vegan version
- 1⁄2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 egg or 1 tbsp ground flax + 2 tbsp water for vegan alternative
- 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1⁄4 tsp salt
Filling
- 1⁄4 cup jam of choice (raspberry, strawberry, apricot, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on high speed until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Incorporate the egg (or flaxseed mixture for the vegan version) and vanilla extract into the creamed mixture, blending thoroughly until smooth and uniform.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Gradually add in the all-purpose flour and salt, mixing just until a soft dough forms that comes together without being sticky.
- Shape the Cookies: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them approximately 1½ inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Create Heart Indents: Gently press your thumb or the rounded back of a teaspoon into the center of each dough ball twice to form a heart-shaped indentation, being careful not to press all the way through.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookie edges turn lightly golden and the centers are set.
- Cool Slightly: Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. If the indentations have partially filled in during baking, gently reshape the hearts while the cookies are still warm.
- Add Jam Filling: Once the cookies are completely cooled on a wire rack, spoon a small dollop of your favorite jam into each heart-shaped center, filling each cookie evenly and attractively.
Notes
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with vegan butter and egg with a flaxseed mixture (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2 tbsp water).
- Choose thick jams like raspberry, strawberry, or apricot for best results, as thinner jams may spread too much.
- Ensure not to overfill the indentations with jam to prevent leaking during serving.
- If the heart indentations fill in too much while baking, gently press them again when warm to restore the shape.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- This dough can also be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking, allowing flavors to develop further.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 90 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
