Thumbprint Cookies: 12 Christmas Fillings From One Easy Buttery Dough

Christmas thumbprint cookies are the prettiest cookies on the holiday tray, and this week they are trending. On Google, searches for eggnog thumbprint cookies are up 250 percent, chocolate hazelnut versions are up 140 percent and 3-ingredient thumbprints are up 130 percent. The best part is that they all start with one simple buttery dough you can make tonight and freeze. Roll, press your thumb into each ball, fill the dent, and you have a jewel-bright cookie for the tin. Here are the classic and trending fillings, each with a shopping list and easy steps, plus tips for the cookie tin. Grab the butter..

The Base Dough for Thumbprint Cookies, With Classic Raspberry

Press your thumb into a ball of butter dough, fill the dent, and you have the prettiest cookie on the Christmas tray. This is the one dough for all of these Christmas thumbprint cookies, and the top raspberry thumbprint on Allrecipes has close to 2,900 ratings. Make it ahead: roll the balls, freeze them on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months. Ready to press the first one?..

You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt, about 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

How to make it: 1. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the yolks and vanilla. 2. Mix in the flour and salt and chill the dough 30 minutes. 3. Roll into 1 inch balls and press a deep dent with your thumb or the back of a measuring teaspoon. 4. Fill each with about 1/2 tsp jam. 5. Bake at 350 F for 13 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are golden, and cool on a rack.

Eggnog Thumbprint Cookies

Searches for eggnog thumbprint cookies are up 250 percent this week, the biggest jump of any flavor. For these Christmas thumbprint cookies, add nutmeg to the dough, bake the cookies with a dent, then pipe in a creamy eggnog frosting once they cool. A last pinch of nutmeg on top makes them smell like Christmas Eve. Use rum extract if you want the classic eggnog taste without alcohol. Would you leave these out for Santa?

You will need: one batch base dough (slide 1) plus 1/2 tsp nutmeg. Filling: 3 tbsp soft butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tbsp eggnog, 1/4 tsp rum extract (optional), extra nutmeg

How to make it: 1. Mix the nutmeg into the dough, roll into balls and press a deep dent. 2. Bake at 350 F for 12 to 14 minutes and press the dents again while warm. 3. Cool completely. 4. Beat the butter, powdered sugar, eggnog and extract until fluffy. 5. Pipe into the centers and dust with nutmeg.

Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate hazelnut spread is the second fastest-rising thumbprint flavor this week, up 140 percent. It could not be easier: bake the cookies, then spoon a little spread into each warm dent so it melts slightly and sets glossy. Roll the dough in chopped hazelnuts first for extra crunch. Kids love helping with these Christmas thumbprint cookies. Hazelnut fans, how many could you eat?

You will need: one batch base dough (slide 1), 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts, 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough balls in the chopped hazelnuts. 2. Press a dent in each and bake at 350 F for 12 to 14 minutes. 3. Press the dents again right out of the oven. 4. While warm, spoon 1 tsp spread into each. 5. Cool until the filling sets.

3-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookies

Butter, flour and powdered sugar, plus any jam you have in the fridge. That is it. Searches for 3-ingredient thumbprint cookies are up 130 percent this week, and they are the perfect first cookie for kids to help bake. The dough is soft and shortbread-like and comes together in five minutes. Apple butter, strawberry or grape jelly: use what you have. Which jam is in your fridge right now?

You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 cups flour (plus about 1/2 cup jam for filling)

How to make it: 1. Beat the butter and powdered sugar until creamy. 2. Mix in the flour until a soft dough forms. 3. Roll into 1 inch balls and press a dent in each. 4. Fill with jam. 5. Bake at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are just golden.

Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies

All the gooey, caramel flavor of a pecan pie slice in one bite. The filling is a quick mix of brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and chopped pecans that bakes right inside the cookie. Top each one with a pecan half and they look like tiny pies. Like all Christmas thumbprint cookies, they freeze well, and they are great for Thanksgiving, too. Pecan pie fans, is this your new favorite?

You will need: one batch base dough (slide 1). Filling: 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 3 tbsp corn syrup, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, 24 pecan halves

How to make it: 1. Bake the dough balls with dents at 350 F for 8 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, bring the powdered sugar, butter, corn syrup and brown sugar to a boil, then stir in the chopped pecans. 3. Press the dents again and fill each with 1/2 tsp filling. 4. Top with a pecan half. 5. Bake 5 to 6 minutes more and cool on the pan.

Apricot Cream Cheese Thumbprints

Cream cheese in the dough makes these extra tender, and the bright apricot center looks like a little sunburst on the cookie tray. Allrecipes’ apricot cream cheese thumbprints have more than 300 ratings. Any golden preserves work here: apricot, peach or even guava paste. Warm the preserves for a few seconds so they spoon in smoothly. Apricot or peach?

You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 4 oz soft cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup apricot preserves, powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. 2. Mix in the flour and salt and chill 30 minutes. 3. Roll into balls, press a dent and fill with preserves. 4. Bake at 350 F for 14 to 16 minutes. 5. Cool and dust the edges with powdered sugar.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Thumbprints

Chocolate dough rolled in chopped nuts, a pool of soft caramel and a pinch of flaky salt: these taste like a fancy candy shop cookie. Melting soft caramels with a little cream makes the filling in two minutes. Add the flaky salt just before the caramel sets so it sticks. They are always the first to go at a cookie swap. Salted caramel: yes or no?

You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts. Filling: 14 soft caramels, 2 tbsp heavy cream, flaky salt

How to make it: 1. Beat the butter and sugar, then add the yolk and vanilla. 2. Mix in the flour, cocoa and salt. 3. Roll into balls, roll in the nuts and press a dent. 4. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes and press again. 5. Melt the caramels with the cream, spoon into the warm cookies and sprinkle with flaky salt.

Chocolate Peppermint Ganache Thumbprints

Dark chocolate cookies with a glossy peppermint ganache center are a grown-up Christmas cookie. The ganache is just chocolate and hot cream with a drop of peppermint extract. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top while it is still soft for a festive crunch. NYT Cooking’s double-chocolate thumbprints by Dorie Greenspan have more than 700 ratings for a reason. Mint and chocolate: perfect pair?

You will need: Chocolate dough from the salted caramel slide (no nuts). Ganache: 4 oz dark chocolate chopped, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/4 tsp peppermint extract, 2 crushed candy canes

How to make it: 1. Roll the chocolate dough into balls and press a dent. 2. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes and press the dents again. 3. Heat the cream until steaming and pour over the chocolate; stir until smooth. 4. Stir in the peppermint and let it thicken 10 minutes. 5. Spoon into the cooled cookies and top with crushed candy canes.

Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies

Bright, tangy lemon curd is a sunny break on a tray full of chocolate and spice. Roll the dough balls in sugar before baking for a sparkly, crisp edge. Store-bought lemon curd is fine, but homemade takes 10 minutes. Fill the cookies after baking, since curd can bubble over in the oven. Lemon lovers, would you add these to your Christmas thumbprint cookies?

You will need: one batch base dough (slide 1), 1/3 cup sugar for rolling, 1/2 cup lemon curd, zest of 1 lemon

How to make it: 1. Mix the lemon zest into the dough. 2. Roll into balls, roll in sugar and press a dent. 3. Bake at 350 F for 12 to 14 minutes and press the dents again. 4. Cool completely. 5. Fill each with 1 tsp lemon curd and let it set 30 minutes.

Swedish Hallongrottor, the Original Raspberry Thumbprint

Many bakers believe the thumbprint cookie came from Sweden, where hallongrottor, or “raspberry caves”, are baked in paper cups for every holiday coffee table. Another Swedish name is rosenmunnar, and Allrecipes’ rosenmunnar recipe has more than 600 ratings. The dough is rich with butter and a little baking powder, so it puffs around the jam. Bake them in mini paper cups to keep their shape. Have you ever tried the Swedish way?

You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla sugar or vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup raspberry jam, mini paper cups

How to make it: 1. Beat the butter and sugar, then add the vanilla. 2. Mix in the flour and baking powder. 3. Roll into 1 inch balls and set each in a mini paper cup on a baking sheet. 4. Press a dent and fill with jam. 5. Bake at 400 F for 12 to 15 minutes, until pale golden.

Grandma’s Nut-Rolled Jam Thumbprints

This is the version from grandma’s recipe box: the dough balls are dipped in egg white and rolled in finely chopped nuts before baking, so every cookie has a toasty, crunchy coat around the jam. Walnuts are classic; almonds or pecans work too. Fill with strawberry or currant jelly for that old-fashioned red center. Did your grandma make these every Christmas?

You will need: one batch base dough (slide 1), 1 egg white lightly beaten, 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup strawberry jam or currant jelly

How to make it: 1. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. 2. Dip each in egg white, then roll in the chopped walnuts. 3. Press a dent and bake at 350 F for 8 minutes. 4. Press the dents again and fill with jam. 5. Bake 6 to 8 minutes more, until golden.

Cranberry Orange Thumbprints, Plus Tips for the Cookie Tin

Orange zest in the dough and a ruby cranberry filling taste like the holidays in one bite. Simmer cranberries with sugar and orange juice for 10 minutes, or use whole berry cranberry sauce. Tips for all Christmas thumbprint cookies: chill the dough, press the dents twice (before and right after baking), and add creamy fillings only after the cookies cool. Packed in a tin with wax paper, jam thumbprints keep about a week. See our Christmas cookie box recipes for more ideas.

You will need: one batch base dough (slide 1) plus zest of 1 orange. Filling: 1 cup cranberries, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tbsp orange juice (or 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce)

How to make it: 1. Simmer the cranberries, sugar and orange juice until the berries pop and thicken, about 10 minutes; cool. 2. Mix the orange zest into the dough. 3. Roll into balls and press a dent. 4. Fill with the cranberry jam. 5. Bake at 350 F for 13 to 15 minutes and cool on a rack.