Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies with Cranberry Jam Recipe
These Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies with Cranberry Jam are a delightful holiday treat featuring a spiced gingerbread cookie base filled with sweet-tart cranberry jam. Perfectly soft with a slight crisp on the edges, these festive cookies combine warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves with the richness of molasses. They are simple to make and ideal for gifting or enjoying with a warm drink during the colder months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional Ingredients
- Cranberry jam (for filling)
- Additional granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat Your Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure your cookies do not stick and bake evenly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt until evenly mixed. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar together until the mixture becomes creamy and fluffy, which usually takes about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Add Molasses and Egg: Mix in the molasses, followed by the egg and vanilla extract. Continue beating or stirring until everything is fully incorporated and smooth.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix to maintain a tender texture in the cookies.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes. Chilling helps to firm up the dough, making it easier to handle and shape.
- Form Cookies: Once chilled, scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into a smooth ball. Then roll the balls in additional granulated sugar to add a light crunch and sparkle to the finished cookies.
- Make Thumbprints: Place the sugared dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Using your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon, gently create an indentation in the center of each dough ball without pressing all the way through.
- Fill with Jam: Spoon a small amount of cranberry jam into each indentation, filling it just enough to hold without spilling over during baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set but still soft.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes to firm up further. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Be sure not to overfill the thumbprints with jam to prevent it from overflowing during baking.
- For a softer cookie, reduce baking time to around 12 minutes; for a crispier edge, extend closer to 15 minutes.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- You can substitute cranberry jam with raspberry or cherry jam for a different fruity twist.
- For extra festive flair, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over the cooled cookies before serving.
Keywords: gingerbread cookies, thumbprint cookies, cranberry jam, holiday cookies, spiced cookies, Christmas cookies, ginger molasses cookies
