Jam drop cookies or thumbprint cookies are simple to make and delicious. Made with just basic ingredients you can whip up a batch in no time!
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Quick and easy to make jam drop cookies. These cookies store very well and can be frozen. This makes a big batch perfect for sharing around.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Jam drop cookies are budget friendly because, they are made with inexpensive everyday ingredients.
- These little jam biscuits are great for packing in lunch boxes because, they don’t break easily.
- The recipe makes 40 cookies so, there is plenty for sharing around at parties or for Christmas gift giving.
Ingredients
Butter – Use soft salted or unsalted butter. Don’t use butter that is cold or firm, if it is allow it to come to room temperature before using.
Sugar – Use caster sugar also known as superfine sugar. The crystals are smaller than regular white sugar making it easier to dissolve in the cookie dough.
Egg – use a large egg that’s about 60 grams (2 ounces). Allow it to come to room temperature before using.
Flour – Use plain flour also known as all-purpose flour.
Baking powder – is a raising agent which will make the cookies rise a little when baked.
Vanilla (optional) – The vanilla enhances the flavour of these cookies. You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Jam – use any jam you like. I used plum and strawberry jam for the cookies you see on this page. However, apricot jam, raspberry jam, mango jam, blackberry, mixed berry jam or cherry jam are also nice to use.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1 – Place the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
Step 2 – Use an electric mixer and beat the butter and sugar together at a medium-high speed, until light a fluffy.
If you don’t have an electric mixer you can mix the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon.
To make hand mixing easier make sure that the butter is very soft. It should be so soft that you can easily spread it with a knife.
If you live in a hot climate getting the butter this soft is as easy as leaving it out at room temperature for a short time.
However, if the conditions are cooler the butter won’t always get this soft at room temperature.
To soften the butter place, it near something warm or use the microwave to soften it, but don’t let it melt.
If you happen to melt the butter into a liquid, put it back in the fridge for a short time until it just starts to firm up again without getting too hard.
Step 3 Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Step 4 – Sift the flour and baking powder together.
Step 5 – Gradually add the dry ingredients to the bowl, use a wooden spoon stir until combined.
Step 6 - Scrape down the sides of the bowls and shape the dough into a ball.
Step 7 – Divide the dough into 40 even-sized pieces and roll into balls. Place the dough balls onto lined baking trays spacing them apart. I like to put about 12 – 13 balls per baking tray.
Step 8 – Use your finger or the back of a wooden spoon and gently press down into the dough, making a hole about halfway down.
Step 9 – Use a teaspoon to drop tiny amounts of jam into the holes but don’t overfill. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Step 10 – Preheat the oven about 10 minutes before baking. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to stay on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a cake rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
- Self-rising flour can be used instead of plain flour and baking powder.
Expert Tips
Use kitchen scales to weigh out the dough
The cookie dough weighs about 670 grams (23.6 ounces) and when divided into 40 each cookie will weigh around 16 grams (0.5 ounces).
If you don’t have scales 2 level teaspoons of dough is about 16 grams (0.5 ounces).
Filling with jam
- If you can use a smooth jam rather than a jam made with chunky pieces of fruit, a smooth jam will fill the holes better. If all you have is a chunky jam break it down with a fork before using.
- Use two teaspoons one with jam and the other to slide a tiny amount of jam into the hole.
- Don’t over fill the holes with jam. The jam should just come to the top of the indent.
Chill before baking
It is important to chill the dough before baking to create a firm dough. If the dough is soft when baked it will spread out too much and become flat.
Serving Size
One cookie is a serving size.
Calories Per Serve
Each jam thumbprint cookie is about 83 calories.
Variations
Jam drops with coconut – mix in ½ cup fine desiccated coconut. You can add this when you are mixing in the flour.
Jam drop biscuits with custard powder – Use 250 grams (9 ounces) flour and 50 grams (a little less than 2 ounces) custard powder instead of 300 grams (10.5 ounces)plain flour.
Storage
Store the jam drop cookies in single layers with baking paper in between, in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Yes, these can be frozen.
Unbaked : These cookies can be frozen with or without the jam in. Using a tray that will fit into your freezer, arrange the cookies in a single layer and freeze until solid.
Then transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer bag or container and arrange the cookies in layers with baking paper in between.
When needed take out as many as you want. Fill with jam if you froze them without it. They can be baked from frozen however, they will take a little longer to cook.
Baked: Allow to cookies to cool completely then freeze as you would the unbaked cookies.
When you want some cookies, remove them from the freezer and thaw on the bench for 30 minutes or until they come to room temperature.
Both the unbaked and baked cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
If you do make this recipe for jam drop cookies. Please come back and leave a comment below because I would love to know how it went!
Recipe
Jam Drop Cookies
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Kitchen scales
- Measuring spoons
- Electric hand mixer
- Sieve or flour sifter
- Mixing spoon
- 2 x baking trays
Ingredients
- 180 grams (6.4 ounces) butter room temperature
- 150 grams (¾ cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300 grams (10.5 ounces) self-raising flour or plain (all purpose) flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder
Filling
- Jam any flavour
Instructions
- Line 2 baking trays with baking (parchment) paper.
- If you are using plain flour and baking powder sift or mix well to combine. Put aside.
- Place the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Use and electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy. (See notes below for hand mixing tips).
- Add the egg and vanilla mix until combined.
- Add the flour and use a wooden spoon or clean hands to work the flour into the butter mixture.
- Divide the mixture evenly into 40 pieces and roll into balls.
- Place on the prepared trays spacing them about 5 cm (2 inches) apart. Use your finger to make a hollow in the centre of each ball about halfway down.
- Use a teaspoon to drop a small amount of jam into each hollow.
- Place the trays in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
- About 10 - 15 minutes before baking preheat oven to 170°C (340°F).
- Bake the cookies for about 10 – 15 minutes or until they become lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and leave on the trays for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If you don’t have an electric mixer you can mix the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon. To make hand mixing easier make sure that the butter is very soft. It should be so soft that you can easily spread it with knife.
- If you live in a hot climate getting the butter this soft is as easy as leaving it out at room temperature for a short time. However, if the conditions are cooler the butter won’t always get this soft at room temperature.
- To soften the butter place, it near something warm or use the microwave to soften it, but don’t let it melt. If you happen to melt the butter into a liquid, put it back in the fridge for short time until it just starts to firm up again without getting too hard.
- If you can use a smooth jam rather than a jam made with chunky pieces of fruit, a smooth jam will fill the holes better.
- If all you have is a chunky jam break it down with a fork before using.
- Use two teaspoons one with jam and the other to slide a tiny amount of jam into the hole.
- Don’t over fill the holes with jam. The jam should just come to the top of the indent.
- It is important to chill the dough before baking to create a firm dough. If the dough is soft when baked it will spread out too much and become flat.
Harriet says
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