Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies – Christmas Version

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are the cookie I reach for when I want something easy, cute, and guaranteed to make people smile. Maybe you have a cookie exchange on the calendar, or your kids want to help bake for Santa, or you just want a chocolatey treat with your coffee. These are soft, buttery, and filled with glossy chocolate that sets just enough to stay neat on a holiday tray. I have a simple method that keeps the cookies from cracking and the chocolate smooth every time. We’ll also talk about festive versions so you can make them look as merry as they taste.

Why These Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Are A Christmas Must-Try

Here’s what I love about them. The dough is simple, the shaping is fun, and the filling feels fancy without any fuss. They hold their shape on the tray, travel well, and get along with other classic Christmas treats like frosted cut-outs and butter cookies. If you have a mixed cookie spread, these add that rich chocolate bite that everyone craves during the holidays.

If you like building a cookie platter with variety, pair these with a batch of decorated Christmas sugar cookies for color contrast. You’ll get the best of both worlds: crisp edges and soft centers, plus velvety chocolate middles that look like tiny ornaments.

For me, the real win is the texture combo. The cookie is tender and slightly crumbly in the best way, and the center is smooth, creamy, and chocolate-forward. They also stay fresh for days, which makes them a giftable favorite.

Bottom line: they look impressive, taste like a bakery treat, and the process is very doable at home.

Ingredients You’ll Need

These are pantry-friendly and flexible. You do not need anything fancy.

• Unsalted butter, room temp for creaming
• Granulated sugar for the dough, plus a little extra for rolling if you like a light crunch
• Egg yolk for richness and binding
• Vanilla extract for warmth
• All purpose flour
• Unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate cookie base
• Salt for balance
• Milk or dark chocolate for the center
• Heavy cream to make a quick ganache
• Optional finishing: peppermint bits, crushed candy canes, holiday sprinkles, flaky salt

Want a festive partner cookie that leans cozy? Check out these white chocolate maple cookies. They pair beautifully with anything chocolate on a dessert board.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Making The Dough to Baking

Make the dough

Beat softened butter with sugar until creamy and pale. You want it fluffy but not whipped full of air. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, and salt, then add to the wet ingredients. Stir gently until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels sticky, chill it for 15 minutes so it is easier to roll.

Shape and bake

Scoop small balls of dough, about one tablespoon each. Roll smooth between your palms. If you like, roll them in a bit of sugar for sparkle. Place on a lined baking sheet with space between each. Use your thumb or the back of a small measuring spoon to press an indent in the center of each ball.

Bake at 350 F for 9 to 11 minutes. The cookies should look set around the edges but still soft. If the indents puff up a little while baking, press them again gently right out of the oven using the same measuring spoon. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely before filling.

Preparing the Ganache (or Filling) for Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Ganache sounds fancy, but it is just warm cream poured over chopped chocolate. Heat the cream to steaming, not boiling. Pour it over finely chopped chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. Stir gently until smooth and shiny. If it looks grainy, place the bowl over a small pot of warm water and stir to melt fully.

Want a flavored twist without extra steps? Stir in a little peppermint extract or a splash of almond extract. Taste as you go so it does not overpower the chocolate. If the ganache feels too thick, add a small drizzle of warm cream. If it is too thin, let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken before filling.

Assembling & Decorating: Filling the Indent and Adding Finishing Touches

Fill and garnish

Spoon or pipe the ganache into each cooled cookie indent. It should sit slightly below the rim if you want a neat finish. While the ganache is still soft, top with festive sprinkles, crushed peppermint, tiny gold stars, or a pinch of flaky salt. Let the cookies sit at room temp until the centers set. If you need to speed it up, pop the tray in the fridge for 10 minutes.

For an extra pop of color on your tray, add a few elegant candies like these orange chocolate truffles. The citrus note brightens the rich chocolate in the thumbprints.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

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• Author: By Jessie
• Total Time: 41 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies

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Description

These soft, buttery Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are filled with smooth chocolate ganache and decorated for the holidays, making them a festive treat perfect for cookie exchanges and family gatherings.

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Ingredients

Cookie Dough

• 1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature (For creaming)
• 1 cup Granulated sugar (Plus a little extra for rolling if desired)
• 1 large Egg yolk (For richness and binding)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (For warmth)
• 2 cups All-purpose flour (For the cookie base)
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder (For a chocolate cookie base)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt (For balance)

Ganache Filling

• 1 cup Milk or dark chocolate (Chopped for melting)
• 1/2 cup Heavy cream (For making ganache)

Optional Toppings

• 1 cup Peppermint bits or crushed candy canes (For decoration)
• 1/2 cup Holiday sprinkles (For decoration)
• 1 pinch Flaky salt (For garnish)

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Instructions

Make the Dough

1. Beat softened butter with granulated sugar until creamy and pale.
2. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt, then add to the wet ingredients.
4. Stir gently until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels sticky, chill it for 15 minutes.

Shape and Bake

1. Scoop small balls of dough, about one tablespoon each, and roll smooth between palms.
2. Place on a lined baking sheet with space between each. Press an indent in the center of each ball.
3. Bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes. The cookies should look set around the edges but still soft.
4. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely before filling.

Prepare the Ganache

1. Heat the heavy cream to steaming, then pour it over the chopped chocolate.
2. Let it sit for 1 minute, then stir gently until smooth and shiny.
3. If looking grainy, place the bowl over a warm water bath to melt fully.

Fill and Garnish

1. Spoon or pipe the ganache into each cooled cookie indent, slightly below the rim.
2. While the ganache is still soft, top with festive sprinkles or crushed peppermint.
3. Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the centers set, or chill for 10 minutes to speed this up.

Notes

These cookies can be decorated in various festive ways, such as dipping in white chocolate or adding cherry extracts. Store filled cookies in an airtight tin at cool room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 11 minutes
• Category: Dessert, Snack
• Cuisine: American, Holiday

Holiday & Christmas Versions: sprinkles, festive nonpareils, peppermint/cherry flavour

Here is where you make them sparkle. For a classic holiday look, dip the edges of the cookie in white chocolate and then in red and green nonpareils. Or press a few mini chocolate chips around the center for a playful look. Peppermint fans can mix crushed candy cane into the ganache. Cherry lovers can add a drop of cherry extract and top each cookie with a tiny piece of maraschino cherry drained well.

If you love variety, pair this recipe with a nostalgic batch of German butter cookies. Together they give you buttery crunch and chocolate cream on one plate. For readers planning a big cookie-day marathon, consider adding a crowd pleaser like this copycat Crumbl chocolate chip cookie for size and wow factor.

I like to label my tray sections so guests can pick their favorite. One corner can be peppermint, one cherry, and one plain with flaky salt. That way, every bite looks intentional and festive, and you can proudly call them Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie, the 2025 Christmas Versions when you bring them to the party.

Dietary Adjustments: dairy-free ganache, gluten-free cookie base, lower sugar versions

Dairy free: Use a dairy free butter and a pourable dairy free cream, then pair with a quality dairy free chocolate. Coconut cream works in a pinch but gives a faint coconut flavor.

Gluten free: Swap in a measure for measure gluten free flour blend that includes xanthan gum. Chill the dough 20 minutes to help it hold shape.

Lower sugar: Use 70 to 72 percent dark chocolate in the center and reduce the dough sugar slightly. Since cocoa powder can be a bit bitter, do not cut sugar too drastically. You can also roll the dough balls in finely chopped nuts instead of sugar for crunch without extra sweetness.

Serving Suggestions & Presentation Ideas

Show them off. These cookies shine when plated with a few colorful friends. If you want to lean into cozy fall flavors on a December table, a tray of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies adds warm spice beside the chocolate gloss.

• Arrange by flavor: peppermint row, cherry row, salted row for clarity and color.
• Gift in tins with parchment layers so the ganache stays pretty.
• Add a sprig of rosemary or a cinnamon stick to the platter for aroma.
• Dust a little powdered sugar on the plate for a snow effect, not on the cookies.

Storage, Freezing & Make-Ahead Tips

Your timing game plan

Dough: make up to 2 days ahead and keep chilled. Warm it on the counter for 10 minutes before scooping so it is easy to roll.

Baked cookies without filling: freeze in a flat layer, then into a bag for up to 2 months. Thaw uncovered at room temperature, then fill with ganache fresh for best shine.

Filled cookies: store in an airtight tin at cool room temperature for 3 to 4 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Bring to room temp before serving so the chocolate softens slightly.

I often prep the plain cookies, freeze, and then finish the tray the morning of the party. That is my favorite way to manage a big batch of Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies without any last-minute stress.

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Overbaking makes the cookies dry and the indent crumbly. Pull them when edges look set and the centers still look soft. If indents puff while baking, press them again right away. Cool completely before filling or the chocolate will melt out of place. And always measure flour correctly by fluffing, spooning, and leveling so the dough stays tender.

Dough spreads too much or cracks: what to check

Quick fixes

If the cookies spread, the butter may have been too soft or the dough too warm. Chill the scooped balls for 15 minutes before baking. If the edges crack a lot when you press the indent, the dough may be too cold or dry. Let it warm a minute or knead it gently to soften. If cracks still appear, moisten your thumb or spoon with a touch of water and press slowly for a smoother indent.

Ganache too runny or sets too hard

Runny ganache usually means too much cream or too-hot cream that split the chocolate. Add a few more pieces of chopped chocolate and stir until smooth, or let it cool and thicken before filling. If it sets too hard, warm a splash of cream and stir in to loosen. Use a higher cocoa percentage for a firmer set and a lower percentage for softer centers.

Can I use jam instead of ganache?

Absolutely. Bake the cookies first, then spoon in a thick jam like raspberry, cherry, or apricot once cooled. For a neat look, warm the jam slightly so it spreads easily. This is a simple way to create a fruity version that still feels festive, and it fits right in with your Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Christmas plan.

Can I make these ahead for a holiday cookie tray?

Yes. Bake the cookies and freeze without filling. Fill the day you need them for the best texture and shine. If you must fill ahead, chill the tray and box them with parchment between layers. They travel well and make your cookie assortment look polished and colorful.

Nutrition Insights

These are a treat, and a small one goes a long way. You get a mix of carbs, fat, and a bit of protein from the egg yolk and chocolate. To lighten them slightly, make the cookies smaller, use darker chocolate, and skip the extra sugar roll. Pair with coffee or tea and enjoy mindfully. When I plan a cookie spread, I balance richer items like these with lighter choices so everyone finds their sweet spot.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies – Common Questions

Your Cozy Holiday Cookie Win

If you want something simple that still looks like a showpiece, these cookies deliver. The buttery base, smooth chocolate center, and festive toppings make this Christmas Versions of Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie a reliable holiday hit. Keep the steps easy, lean into the garnish, and enjoy the process. I hope you bake a batch, share them with people you love, and come back to tell me which version you liked most. Happy baking and happy nibbling on your new favorite Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie recipe.

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