I love thumbprint cookies. The soft and buttery cookie base (inspired by an Amish recipe) is filled with another one of my favorite fruit combos, strawberry and rhubarb! If you prefer, you can omit the strawberries from the jam filling and use only rhubarb (more notes on this below the recipe card). Speaking of strawberry and rhubarb, you might like to check out some more of my recipes featuring strawberry and rhubarb, my family enjoys strawberry shortcake, rhubarb oatmeal bars, strawberry rhubarb crisp and rhubarb pie with crumb topping. Be sure to scroll below the recipe card for photos and simplified instructions (the recipe card caters to beginner bakers).
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Strawberry Rhubarb Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Base:
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (scant) *see note
- 3/4Â cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 11 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg beaten
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam:
- 1 cup chopped rhubarb
- 1/2 cup sliced strawberries packed *see note
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch scant
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk add sparingly
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then add butter and mix in until a coarse crumb forms. Add beaten egg and vanilla extract, mixing with a spoon until a ball of dough forms with no streaks of flour remaining.
- Using parchment paper, roll the dough into a log about half a dollar size in diameter, then chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour until the dough is chilled through.
- Slice the chilled dough into 1/4-1/2-inch slices and place onto parchment lined or greased cookie sheets. Press your thumb or the back of a rounded measuring spoon into the center of the cookies to create an indent for the filling. Be careful not to indent the cookies too deeply or the bottoms will cave once filled with jam and baked.
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam:
- Place chopped rhubarb and sliced strawberries into a medium sized saucepan. Stir in sugar and cornstarch, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened and clear, stirring occasionally to keep from burning. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Fill each indented cookie with jam, then bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden on the bottoms (check frequently to prevent them from burning and drying out). Allow the cookies to cool.
Glaze:
- Place confectioner's sugar in a small bowl and add vanilla. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Add just enough milk to form a glaze that drizzles slowly from the spoon/whisk. Place into a ziplock bag and cut a little plastic off of one end with a scissors to create a small hole, then drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies. You can also use a spoon for drizzling, but I find it easier and more uniform to use a bag. Enjoy!
Notes
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Ingredients needed for these strawberry rhubarb filled thumbprint cookies: vanilla extract, chopped rhubarb, sliced strawberries, sugar, egg, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cornstarch, confectioner’s sugar and butter.
Can I leave the strawberries out of the jam to make these cookies Rhubarb Thumbprint cookies?
Yes, you can. I would recommend adding two tablespoons of water to the base similar to the recipe for jam filling used in my oatmeal rhubarb bars. Feel free to adjust the amount of cornstarch added, or to add more water if the jam is too thick.
Shortbread cookie dough: Combine the dry ingredients of the shortbread cookie dough, then mix in butter to form a loose crumb. Add beaten egg and vanilla, then mix until a ball of dough can be formed that is free from streaks of flour. Roll the dough into two logs, wrapped in parchment paper, then chill in the refrigerator for around an hour.
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam: Place chopped rhubarb and sliced strawberries into a medium sized saucepan. Stir in sugar and cornstarch, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened and clear, stirring occasionally to keep from burning. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
When the cookie dough has chilled: Slice the logs of cookie dough into coins around 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Place the cookies onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, then indent the centers of the cookies with your thumb or the back of a rounded measuring spoon. You will want to indent the cookies deep enough to hold plenty of jam, but not too deep or the bottoms will collapse once baked. Fill each indented cookie with the strawberry rhubarb jam. Bake the filled cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden on the bottoms.
For the glaze: Combine confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract and milk until the glaze drizzles slowly from a whisk or the back of a spoon. Add milk sparingly until the right texture is reached (you may need more or less).
Final touches: Allow the baked cookies to cool, then drizzle the glaze over top. Serve and enjoy! Keep these cookies refrigerated due to the fruit filling. They keep well for around 5 days (give or take). I do not recommend freezing them because of the cornstarch in the jam filling, which tends to separate in the freezer.
Feel free to pin this recipe for later (pin icon in the recipe card) and be sure to tag me on Instagram with your own creation of this recipe. Thank you for supporting our blog! -Marilyn Peight.
These are my all time favorite cookies now. The shortbread is just soft enough and the filling has so much flavor!
Thank you so much for your kind comments. 🙂