Description

These thumbprint heart cookies are an easy, charming Valentine’s Day treat made with simple pantry staples. They feature a tender cookie base with a gooey jam center shaped into adorable hearts.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, sifted
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup (110g) jam or preserves (raspberry, strawberry, apricot, cherry, or lemon curd)
Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
Optional: ½ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Beat softened butter and granulated sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Mix in vanilla extract, salt, and almond extract if using.
Gradually add sifted all-purpose flour, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
Scoop dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and place evenly spaced on the baking sheet.
Use your thumb or the back of a small spoon to press a deep well into the center of each ball, then shape the indent into a heart using your fingertip or a toothpick.
Fill each heart indentation with about ½ teaspoon of jam. Do not overfill.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until edges start to turn golden and jam looks set but not bubbling.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cool, dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Notes

If dough is too soft, chill for 15 minutes before shaping to prevent spreading. Use a toothpick or small cookie cutter to perfect the heart shape. If jam is too runny, heat it briefly to thicken before filling. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Dough can be frozen before baking.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 120
Sugar: 8
Sodium: 40
Fat: 6
Saturated Fat: 3.5
Carbohydrates: 16
Fiber: 0.5
Protein: 1

Keywords: thumbprint cookies, heart cookies, Valentine’s Day cookies, jam cookies, easy cookies, homemade treats, kid-friendly baking