Santa's Thumbprints

Sweeten your holiday season with "Santa's Thumbprints," a festive cookie recipe that combines buttery shortbread with a jewel-like jam center, perfect for your Christmas dessert spread. These tender, melt-in-your-mouth treats are made with a simple dough infused with vanilla and rich egg yolks, and each one is topped with a dollop of your favorite jam—strawberry, raspberry, or apricot for a splash of color and flavor. With a prep time of just 20 minutes and easy-to-follow steps, these cookies are ideal for holiday baking with the family. Finish them with a light dusting of powdered sugar for a snowy, magical touch that Santa himself won't be able to resist. This recipe yields 24 cookies and is perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or as a heartwarming gift from your kitchen. Make this classic holiday treat part of your Christmas tradition!

Nutriscore Rating: 42/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:15 mins

Total Time:35 mins

Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.25 teaspoons salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 0.5 cup your choice of jam (strawberry, raspberry, or apricot)
• 0.25 cup powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 3

Add the vanilla extract and egg yolks to the butter mixture, and beat until well combined.

Step 4

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt.

Step 5

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes.

Step 6

Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Step 7

Using your thumb or the back of a teaspoon, gently press a small indent into the center of each cookie ball.

Step 8

Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of your choice of jam into each indentation. Be careful not to overfill as the jam may spread while baking.

Step 9

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

Step 10

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 11

Optional: Once the cookies are fully cooled, dust them lightly with powdered sugar for a snowy holiday appearance.

Step 12

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5-7 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(646.2g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2624.0

Total Fat 107.4g	0%
Saturated Fat 59.6g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat g
Cholesterol 617mg	0%
Sodium 656.4mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 394.1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 7.7g	0%
Total Sugars 192.6g
Protein 31.0g	0%

Vitamin D 36.6IU	0%
Calcium 115.5mg	0%
Iron 12.7mg	0%
Potassium 455.3mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 36.2%

Protein: 4.6%

Carbs: 59.1%