Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies feature a classic sugar cookie dough rolled in sliced almonds with a dollop of cherry preserves in the center.
The other day I was thinking about the thumbprint cookies my Grandma used to make every Christmas. They were rolled in chopped walnuts and had a dollop of jelly in the center.
While I have never made those particular cookies myself, I always enjoyed them but wanted to try a different version. I thought about using the cherry preserves that I currently have in my fridge (cherries are my favorite fruit), but thought that it would pair better with almonds. I decided to make Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies a reality.
How to make Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
These cookies start with a classic sugar cookie dough, which is what I use for Sprinkle Covered Sugar Cookies and Candy Cane Sugar Cookies.
Start by turning on the oven and preparing two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Note that while you can chill the dough for these cookies before baking, I tested making them with and without chilling, and there wasn't a significant difference to the chewiness or spreading of the cookies. So if you want to bake your cookies directly after making the dough, feel free.
I like to use my stand mixer to make this cookie dough, but you could use a hand mixer or cream the butter and sugar by hand if you prefer.
Start by stirring the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl, and set it aside. Next, cream together some softened butter with your sugar. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and mix again until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined and no pockets of flour remain.
Scoop the dough into approximately 1 ½ Tablespoon portions and roll into balls (you should have around 24). Spread the sliced almonds onto a medium plate and roll the dough balls in the almonds firmly, so the almonds stick to the dough, one at a time.
Using your thumb or a round measuring spoon, make a dimple in the center of each almond-coated dough ball. Note that if you're planning to chill the dough before baking, now is the time to do it.
Fill the dimples with approximately ½ to 1 teaspoon of cherry preserves. Make sure the preserves aren't heaping out of the dimple, or it will overflow during baking. Place the cookie dough on the prepared baking sheets, at least 1 ½ inches apart (depending on the size of your baking sheets, you might not be able to fit them all on two sheets).
Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to brown, but the rest of the cookie still looks soft (you will likely have to add a couple of minutes if you chilled the cookie dough). The cookies will firm up on the baking sheets after removing them from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookie Storage
Store the cookies in airtight containers at room temperature, or in the freezer for extended storage.
Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt - this recipe was developed to use table salt. If using Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, use ¾ teaspoon of it.
- Unsalted butter softened - or you can use use a dairy-free butter alternative to make these cookies dairy-free.
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar - I like to use a little bit of light brown sugar in my sugar cookies to help keep them moist and chewy.
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract - I find almond extract to be very strong (at least the brand I have), and if you use too much, it can be overpowering. I recommend starting with a small amount and adding a little more if you think you need to, or if you like to have a very pronounced almond flavor.
- Sliced almonds - these might be blanched (with the skin removed), or with the little bits of skin at the edges intact, though your store may have only one or the other. It doesn't matter which you use, but I personally find the ones with skin more visually appealing.
- Cherry preserves - You can find this in the jam aisle. Some have large chunks of cherries in them, others not so much. If you already have a favorite brand, use that.
Want more Christmas cookie recipes?
Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies Nutrition Notes
The nutrition information in the recipe below is for one cookie if you use the recipe to make 24 cookies. Making your cookies significantly larger or smaller than this will cause the nutrition information to vary accordingly.
To make these cookies dairy-free, replace the butter with a dairy-free butter alternative.
Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or hand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 16 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened (or use a dairy-free butter alternative to make these cookies dairy-free)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼-½ teaspoon almond extract see note
- 1 ½ cups sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup cherry preserves
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F, with the racks at the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
- Stir together 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Cream the softened butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and ¼ cup light brown sugar together using a stand mixer, or by hand. Add 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and ¼-½ teaspoon almond extract. Mix until well combined. Stir in the flour mixture at low speed until dough forms.
- Spread 1 ½ cups sliced almonds over a medium plate. Scoop roughly 1 ½ Tablespoon portions of dough and form into balls. Roll the dough balls into the sliced almonds until mostly covered (note that due to the shape of the almonds, there will be some spots that may be a little bare - no worries, just try to get the dough as fully covered as you can).
- Place the almond-coated dough balls on a cookie sheet and use a 1 teaspoon measuring spoon, or the end of your thumb to make an indent in the center of the balls. Ensure that the cookie dough portions are spaced at least 1 ½ inches apart after forming the indents. (Note that if you prefer to chill your cookie dough before baking, now is the time to do it, but I tested this recipe with chilling and without, and it didn't make a significant difference.)
- Use a small spoon to scoop ½ to 1 teaspoon of cherry preserves into the indents of each of the cookies. Make sure that the preserves just fill the indent, and are not heaping out.
- Bake both sheets at the same time until the edges are just starting to brown about 12-13 minutes for unchilled cookie dough, or 14-15 minutes for chilled cookie dough. I recommend switching the positions of the pans and rotating them halfway through baking time. Don't overbake.
- Remove sheets from oven, and let cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
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