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A thumbprint cookie recipe featuring a cardamom-spiced orange cookie dough base, and a homemade orange curd filling. One of my favorite recipes with orange curd!
Why Make This Thumbprint Cookie Recipe?
Thumbprint cookies have long been one of my favorites. Known for their signature dented, jam-filled centers, these classic cookies make a colorful addition to tea parties, bake sales, and holiday celebrations. Growing up, I remember enjoying the jam-filled kind, both homemade and when they appeared on one of those supermarket cookie platters ubiquitous at church socials and high school graduation parties.
More often than not, thumbprint cookie recipes call for a jam or jelly filling (usually strawberry, apricot, or raspberry) scooped into a standard sugar cookie base. In this thumbprint cookie recipe, the cookie dough contains ground cardamom and cinnamon, plus orange oil, zest, and juice. For the filling, I’ve opted for a sunny homemade orange curd for a spiced citrus twist on a classic cookie.
Thumbprint Cookie Recipe Ingredients
To make this thumbprint cookie recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- All Purpose Flour – All purpose flour (or plain flour, if you’re in the UK) forms the cookie dough base.
- Spices – You’ll need ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt.
- Unsalted Butter – Before getting started, soften the butter so it blends easily with the other ingredients.
- Granulated Sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar to make the thumbprint cookie dough, plus more for coating the balls. While you can substitute caster sugar in many of my cookie recipes, I recommend sticking with granulated for this one—the larger granules are crucial for developing the crunchy coating.
- Egg – You’ll need one large egg, at room temperature, to help the cookies rise.
- Vanilla Extract – Nielsen-Massey makes my go-to vanilla extract, but any good-tasting extract will work.
- Orange – To give the cookie dough its signature orange flavoring, you’ll need orange zest (zested on a Microplane, not a box grater) and freshly squeezed orange juice, plus natural orange oil.
- Orange Curd – Instead of traditional jam or jelly, you’ll fill each thumbprint with a dollop of homemade orange curd.
Creating and Filling the Thumbprints
I tested this recipe two ways. First, I filled the cookies with orange curd before baking. They looked like this:
For my next round of testing, I baked the empty, thumbprint-dented cookies and allowed them to cool before adding the orange curd filling. That test looked like this:
While both methods work, the thumbprint cookies filled after baking look much more visually appealing. I also think the unbaked curd tastes much better—it’s smooth and creamy, whereas baked curd takes on a dry, slightly gummy texture.
To make the thumbprints, use your thumb (duh!) to create a deep indentation in the top of each cookie dough ball:
As they bake, the indentations will “fill in,” losing some of their depth. After baking, use a 1/2 teaspoon (from a set of standard measuring spoons) to re-indent the top of each cookie, working back and forth with a twisting motion to create a deep, smooth dip in the middle.
Two things to keep in mind: First, allow the cookies to cool completely before filling. If they’re still warm, the orange curd will melt. And second, don’t press too hard when re-indenting the cookies. If you apply too much force, the cookies will crack.
Special Tools for Making Thumbprint Cookies
To make these thumbprint cookies, I reccommend a few special tools. First, you’ll need a hand mixer or stand mixer to mix the cookie dough, and a Microplane to zest the orange. (Do not use a box grater; the pieces of zest will be too big.) You’ll also need a small (1-inch) melon baller or cookie scoop to portion the balls of cookie dough, and a round metal 1/2 teaspoon (from a standard set of metal measuring spoons) for re-shaping the thumbprint indentations after baking. I also recommend a half sheet rimmed baking tray for baking the cookies.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
These orange curd thumbprint cookies taste best on the day they are made. Store leftover cookies in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Due to the egg-based orange curd filling, these are not suitable for room temperature storage.
To Freeze: Freeze baked, un-filled thumbprint cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Fill thawed cookies with orange curd just prior to serving.
Other cookie recipes you might enjoy:
Apricot and Rosemary Shortbread
Chocolate Passionfruit Cookies
Birthday Cake Macaroons
Slice and Bake Rainbow Heart Cookies
Earl Grey Cookies
Lavender Lemon Cookies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
PrintOrange Thumbprint Cookies
A thumbprint cookie recipe featuring a cardamom-spiced orange cookie dough base, and a homemade orange curd filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 13-14 minutes
- Total Time: About 1 hour
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
256 grams all-purpose flour (2 cups)
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
170 grams unsalted butter, softened (6 ounces; 12 tablespoons)
100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest, packed, plus more to garnish
1/8 teaspoon orange oil
30 milliliters orange juice (2 tablespoons)
Filling:
50 grams (1/4 cup) homemade orange curd
Assembly:
50 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
In a small bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip butter on high speed until smooth and creamy.
Add the granulated sugar and mix until creamy and well combined.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange oil, and mix until well combined.
Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, until a firm dough forms.
With a melon baller or cookie scoop, divide dough into 24 portions. Use your hands to roll each portion into a smooth ball.
Arrange on prepared tray. Refrigerate 30 minutes. (If your tray doesn’t fit in the refrigerator, you can refrigerate the balls on a parchment-lined plate.) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° F / 176° C.
Roll each ball in granulated sugar.
With your thumb, create a deep indentation in the top of each ball.
Bake in preheated oven for 13-14 minutes, or until very lightly golden brown around the edges. Do not overbake.
Working quickly but carefully, use a 1/2 teaspoon to re-indent the top of each cookie. (Use a twisting motion and don’t press too hard, or the cookies will crack.)
Cool on tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Fill each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon of orange curd. Garnish with orange zest, if desired.
Serve immediately. Store leftover orange curd thumbprint cookies in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
