This thumbprint cookie recipe is my favorite yet. Buttery, soft cookies rolled in sugar, filled with a decadent scratch made lilikoi butter, and dusted with a fine sprinkle of powdered sugar. This simple recipe is sure to please.
Day 4 of the 12 days of cookies: Thumbprint cookies.
If you missed days 1-3, check them out below
- Day 1: Easy chocolate chip cookies
- Day 2: Soft oatmeal cookies
- Day 3: Macadamia nut snowball cookies
What are thumbprint cookies?
Thumbprint cookies are another classic holiday cookie. These cookies get their name from the indentation that is made with your thumb (usually) and filled with some type of jam. The customization on these cookies really are endless, however this thumbprint cookie recipe uses lilikoi butter and in my opinion the best way to make it.
If you’ve never had lilikoi butter you’ve got to try it. Slightly tart yet sweet, smooth, and rich. You can follow my recipe for homemade lilikoi butter or if you’re in a pinch you can use your favorite store bought brand or pick it up online.
You can read more about lilikoi here.
What do I need to make thumbprint cookies?
- Unsalted butter: you can better control the salt in the recipe using unsalted butter.
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract (try my homemade vanilla extract recipe
- All purpose flour: I’d recommend scooping the flour with a spoon into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a flat surface with a knife.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Lilikoi butter
How to store lilikoi butter thumbprint cookies?
These cookies are best kept in an airtight container at room temperature and will keep for about 5 days.
Can you freeze this thumbprint cookie recipe dough?
The nice thing about this recipe is that you can make it ahead of time and freeze for later. You can opt to wrap the dough in plastic wrap or the plastic free alternative of your choice and seal in a zip top bag as a whole. Or pre roll out the dough balls and store. When ready to bake allow dough to come to soften at room temperature prior to baking.
Why did my thumbprint cookies spread?
- Often times if the butter overly softened when added to the mixture it will cause the cookies to spread too thinly.
- If you make the thumbprint too deep and flatten the cookie before baking has even begun.
- Adding too much of the lilikoi butter filling can also cause it to overly flatten out. I suggest using no more than 1 teaspoon of filling.
How to make this lilikoi butter thumbprint cookie recipe?
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl whip butter and sugar with a handheld or stand mixer until well incorporated, light, and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla. Beat until well combined.
Add the flour along with the baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough then roll in granulated sugar and place onto the cookie sheet. Be sure to leave about an inch or two between cookies.
Using the back of a round teaspoon, gently press into the middle of each cookie a shallow well being sure to not push through the bottom of the cookie.
Add about a teaspoon of lilikoi butter to the indention being sure not to overfill.
Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Lilikoi Butter Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar plus more for rolling
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup lilikoi butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl whip butter and sugar with a handheld or stand mixer until well incorporated, light, and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla. Beat until well combined.
- Add the flour along with the baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough then roll in granulated sugar and
place onto the cookie sheet. Be sure to leave about an inch or two
between cookies. - Using the back of a round teaspoon, gently press into the middle of each cookie a shallow well being sure to not push through the bottom of the cookie.
- Add about a teaspoon of lilikoi butter to the indention being sure not to overfill.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
© Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I’d love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!
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Is the lilikoi butter put into the cookie dough divot before baking or after?
Before
Made these for a Christmas cookie exchange. Only difference is I used store bought lilikoi butter. They came out so tasty and was pretty easy to make. I’ll definitely be making these again.
Where is the lilikoi butter recipe?
I found it on YouTube. Can’t wait to try these cookies!
Hope you enjoy!
http://bit.ly/lilikoi-butter
Can I mix some Lilikoi juice into the dough rather than making this a thumbprint cookie?
Aloha Ingrid. I have not tried that. You can do that, but you may have to adjust the liquids and bake time. Let me know how it turns out.