I love thumbprint cookies with icing! They’re the perfect little bite-sized treat for any occasion. I especially love making them during the holidays, they’re so festive and everyone loves them!
My aunt is the best thumbprint cookie baker I know. She always has the most delicious cookies and she’s always so generous with her recipes. When I was younger, she would let me help her in the kitchen and she would teach me how to make her famous thumbprint cookies.
Even now, years later, I still love baking these cookies with my aunt. We get together every year to make a huge batch of them and we always have a lot of fun in the kitchen. We chat, laugh, and listen to Christmas music while we bake. It’s such a special tradition for us and I can’t wait to do it again this year!
This recipe will make around 30 servings and only takes 25 minutes to prepare and cook! Plus, each serving is only 137 calories. So, if you’re looking for a delicious and festive holiday treat, then you should definitely try making some thumbprint cookies with icing! They’re sure to be a hit with your friends and family!
Equipment Required For The Recipe
To make thumbprint cookies with icing, you will need an electric hand mixer, silicone spatula, parchment paper sheets, baking sheet pan, and piping bags. The electric hand mixer will help you mix the cookie dough together quickly and easily. The silicone spatula will help you fold in the ingredients without losing any texture. The parchment paper sheets will help to prevent the cookies from sticking to the baking sheet pan. And the piping bags will help you pipe the icing onto the cookies in a variety of shapes and designs.
Ingredients Overview For Thumbprint Cookies With Icing Recipe
Unsalted Butter Softened To Room Temperature
Unsalted butter is perfect for thumbprint cookies because it’s not as salty as salted butter. The sweetness of the sugar and the icing can really shine through when using unsalted butter in this recipe. Additionally, unsalted butter has a higher fat content than salted butter, which means that your cookies will be richer and more moist.
Granulated Sugar
Granulated sugar is an essential ingredient for any thumbprint cookie recipe. It’s the main source of sweetness in these cookies and it helps to give them their delicious flavour.
All-Purpose Flour
The all-purpose flour gives the cookies structure and thickness which helps them hold their shape when baking. Additionally, the protein in the flour helps to give the cookies a chewy texture.
Baking Soda & Baking Powder
These two ingredients help the cookies to rise while they’re baking, giving them their fluffy texture. Be sure to measure each ingredient carefully and accurately for best results.
Vanilla Extract
The vanilla extract in this recipe gives the cookies an extra layer of flavour, making them even more irresistible.
Salt
The salt in the recipe helps to balance out all of the sweetness from the sugar and icing, adding a savory element to this classic treat.
Egg Yolk At Room Temperature
The egg yolk helps to bind the ingredients together and it adds moisture to the cookies. Be sure to use a room temperature egg yolk for best results.
Powdered Sugar
Powdered sugar is essential for making icing for your thumbprint cookies. It’s what gives the icing its signature sweetness and light texture.
Milk Use As Needed
Milk is used to thin out the icing. Start with a tablespoon of milk and add more if necessary, until you reach your desired consistency.
Food Coloring Optional
If you’d like to get creative with your icing, you can use food coloring to give it a fun burst of color!
Substitutions
Unsalted Butter Softened To Room Temperature
If you don’t have any unsalted butter on hand, you can use salted butter instead. Just be sure to reduce the amount of salt that’s listed in the recipe.
Egg Yolk At Room Temperature
If you don’t have any egg yolks on hand, you can use two tablespoons of milk in its place. Milk will help bind the ingredients together and it won’t affect the flavor or texture too much.
Milk Use As Needed
If you’d like to make a vegan version of this recipe, you can use coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk instead of cow’s milk. Additionally, if you’re not a fan of dairy, you can also use a non-dairy alternative.
Ingredients Measurements
Icing Ingredients
- 2-4 tbsp milk use as needed
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- food coloring or sprinkles (optional)
Cookies Base Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
Instructions For Thumbprint Cookies With Icing Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper sheets and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add in the egg yolk and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix!
- Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out dough, then roll into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon, press an indentation into each cookie ball.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Allow cookies to cool before icing them.
- For the icing: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth and creamy (add more milk if needed). Add in food coloring if desired and mix until combined.
- Spoon the icing onto each cooled cookie and decorate with sprinkles or other decorations as desired. Enjoy!
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. If you have leftovers, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months. Enjoy!
Important Notes To Consider
- Before baking, let your pans cool- as a rule of thumb in baking, if you don’t want your cookies to spread, don’t put your dough on a warm baking sheet. Letting it cool completely or using another one between batches is ideal.
- When you’re baking, it’s always best to spoon and level your flour. If you simply scoop the measuring cup into the flour, you’ll end up compacting the flour and adding more than what the recipe calls for. To spoon and level correctly, use a large spoon to scoop the desired amount of flour into your measuring cup. Once it’s full, take a flat edge (like a butter knife) and scrape across the top of the measuring cup until leveled off.
- This recipe requires careful attention to the temperature of your butter. If it’s too warm, your cookies will spread and lose their shape. I recommend taking the butter out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to bake, so it has time to come to room temperature. You can test whether it’s ready by pressing on it gently with your finger – there should be a slight dent left behind, but the wrapper shouldn’t feel greasy at all.
Nutrition
This recipe for Christmas Sprinkled Thumbprint Cookies contains 137 calories per serving, with 19 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein, 6 grams of fat and 4 grams of saturated fat.
Storage instructions
You can keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to five days. If you bake them, they’ll last in the freezer for three months – just remember to take them out of the freezer and let them come to room temperature before serving!
Conclusion
Thanks for checking out our recipe for Thumbprint Cookies With Icing! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. If you make them, be sure to share a picture on Instagram or Facebook with your friends and family. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments about the recipe, please leave them in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you!
