Thumbprint Cookies
- Oct 7, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 4
Shaped by hand and filled with bright jam. Buttery and soft with delicate crisp edges.
Forage Baker's Notes
Flour matters.
Gluten-free flours—and even wheat flours—can vary widely in weight per cup, which is why we always recommend using a kitchen scale for best results. If measuring by volume, gently scoop Heritage Baker’s Flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife. This yields approximately 125g per cup. Packing the cup can result in excess flour and a denser cookie, while spooning may under-measure.
Sweeteners matter too. Sweeteners vary just as much and can significantly affect cookie texture. For best results, we recommend Homestead Sweetener or traditional sugar. Homestead Sweetener is a 1:1 replacement by volume and weighs approximately 140g per cup. Granulated sugar weighs about 200g per cup. Substitutions may produce cookies that are overly soft, dry, or crumbly.
Working the Dough
Thumbprint dough should be soft, smooth, and easy to roll without cracking. For shaping, work with the dough at room temperature—cold dough is more likely to split when pressed. After shaping and filling, chilling the cookies briefly before baking helps set their shape and prevents excess spread.
Recipe
Makes: about 18 cookies
Ingredients
1⅔ cups Heritage Baker’s Flour (208g)
¾ cup Homestead Sweetener (105g)
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened or melted and cooled (84g)
2 egg yolks (40g)
1 Tbsp milk or water
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Jam, for filling
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and sweetener.
In a separate bowl, combine butter, egg yolks, milk or water, and extracts; mix until smooth.
Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a cohesive dough forms.
Portion dough and roll into balls. Place on prepared baking sheet.
Press a thumb or finger gently into the center of each cookie to form an indentation.
Chill shaped cookies until firm, about 30 minutes.
Fill each indentation with jam.
Bake 10–14 minutes, until set and lightly golden at the edges. Cool before serving.
Vegan Variation
For a vegan version, replace egg yolks with 3 tablespoons nut milk and use a plant-based butter. If using coconut oil, reduce the amount to 7 tablespoons.
From the Forage Kitchen
Made with our gluten-free Heritage Baker’s Flour and zero sugar Homestead Sweetener — crafted to organic standards and designed for balanced structure, gentle sweetness, and everyday heritage baking.
