Cherry Heart Thumbprint Cookies with Fresh Cherry Jam Recipe
Delight in these charming Cherry Thumbprint Cookies, featuring crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth hearts filled with a fresh, homemade cherry jam made from whole cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Perfect for summer gatherings or as a sweet treat, these American-style cookies combine the smooth richness of buttery dough with the vibrant, fruity burst of cherry filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
- Category: Cookie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cherry Jam
- 150g Whole cherries, approx. 1 cup
- 50g (1/4 cup) Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
Cookie
- 115g (1/2 cup) Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 60g (1/2 cup) Icing/powdered sugar
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 140g (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp) All purpose flour
- 15g (2 tbsp) Cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare Cherry Jam: Finely chop the whole cherries into small pieces. In a small saucepan, combine the chopped cherries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Heat the mixture over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and allow it to cool completely.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Tray: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper to prevent cookies from sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream the room temperature unsalted butter and icing sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, indicating well-incorporated air and smooth texture.
- Add Egg Yolk and Vanilla: Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar mixture until well combined and smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and cornstarch to the wet ingredients. Stir the mixture gently until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which could make the cookies tough.
- Shape Cookies: Divide the dough rolled into 12 equal balls. Place each ball on the prepared baking tray. Using two fingerprints, gently press into the center of each ball to create a heart-shaped indentation for the jam filling.
- Fill with Cherry Jam: Spoon or carefully fill the heart-shaped cavity in each cookie with the cooled cherry jam, ensuring not to overfill to prevent spilling during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the cookies feel set.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely for about 15 minutes, or until firm to touch, before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is at room temperature for easier creaming and better texture.
- Finely chopping cherries helps the jam cook down evenly and thicken properly.
- Do not overmix the dough after adding flour and cornstarch to keep cookies tender.
- You can use fresh or frozen cherries for the jam; just thaw frozen cherries beforehand.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
