Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate thumbprint cookies with maraschino cherries in the center are the perfect Christmas recipe to make with kids. They have quick and easy prep!

If you are looking for fun baking project for kids this Holiday season, these Christmas thumbprint cookies are the thing. Why? Because the maraschino cherries turn them into cute Rudolph’s nose cookies.

How to make thumbprint cookies with maraschino cherries

Ingredients:

• Flour – All-Purpose (US)/Plain (UK)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Sugar
• Unsalted butter
• Maraschino cherries

Tools & utensils:

• Baking sheet
• Baking parchment paper or silicone mat
• Bowl & whisk – or sieve
• Measuring cups – or a food scale

To make these Rudolph nose cookies I used my shortcrust pastry recipe and added cocoa powder to it. I also slightly reduced the amount of flour.

Now, usually you would chill this pastry but because we will not be rolling it out but forming it into small balls, it does not need any chilling. Just make sure your butter is cold.

Place each bowl onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Leave enough space in between each ball. Now using your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon make dents for the cherries.

Now place one maraschino cherry in each dent and they are ready to go into the oven!

Baking these thumbprint cookies will take about 15 minutes but keep an eye on them when making them for the first time.

Serving suggestions:

• Milk – A glass of milk
• Hot chocolate – Why not make hot cocoa in a slow cooker to go along with these sweet treats?
• Alcohol-free mulled wine

Frequently asked questions:

Why are my thumbprint cookies falling apart?

To avoid this issue, make sure you chill the dough. 30 minutes is the minimum, but it can be longer. Also, check your oven temperature. Baking the cookies at a very high temperature can be also behind this problem.

What is the origin of these cookies?

They originated in Sweden where they are called Hallongrotta – “raspberry cave” because they are filled with raspberry jam.

In America, you can use any filling from salted caramel, to lemon curd, …

Useful tips:

• This recipe yields 16-19 chocolate maraschino cherry cookies. The number will depend on the size of the balls. I prefer making them smaller and getting more out of the dough rather than making them large.
• The cookies will be soft to touch when you take them out from the oven. However, as they cool down, they will harden.
• To make the dents, use either the back of a dessert spoon or your thumb.
• Use unsalted butter. This way, you can easily know how much salt they contain.
• This recipe calls for superfine sugar (icing sugar in the UK) – it is sugar with fine crystals – almost like table salt. It is not the same as powdered sugar.

Note: This is an old post that has been updated recently.

If you like this recipe, you might also like our lemon curd thumbprint cookies. Kids may enjoy Rudolph celery snacks.

What else can I bake during Christmas?

Raspberry Linzer cookies and hazelnut butter cookies are delicious options. Plus, they make great edible holiday gifts as well.

Watch how to make these chocolate thumbprint cookies

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5 from 10 votes

Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate thumbprint cookies with maraschino cherries in the center are the perfect Christmas recipe to make with kids. They have quick and easy prep!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 16 – 19 Cookies

Calories: 94

Author: Julia

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour , heaped (160 grams), see note 1
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25 grams)
• ¼ cup sugar (50 grams), see note 2
• 1 stick unsalted butter , chilled (110 grams)
• 6 ounces maraschino cherries (170 grams)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• In a mixing bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder and sugar until well combined. To this add butter cut into small cubes.
• Work the butter into the flour mix using your hands or dough blender. Once you have distributed the butter evenly, turn the mixture into dough by pressing it together.
• Take a small piece of the dough and form a ball. Place it onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment paper. Repeat until you use up all the dough.
• With your thumb or the back of a dessert spoon, make dents in each ball. Place a cherry into each dent and transfer into the oven.
• Bake at 350 Fahrenheit/180 Celsius for about 15 minutes.
• When ready, take out and cool before serving.
• Enjoy!

Notes

1. All-purpose flour (US) = Plain flour (UK).
2. For best results use superfine sugar (US)/caster sugar (UK). This is sugar with fine crystals, similar to table salt. It is not powdered sugar.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate cookies, Thumbprint Cookies

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies

Amount per Serving

Calories

94

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

5

g

8

%

Saturated Fat

 

3

g

19

%

Trans Fat

 

0.2

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

0.2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Cholesterol

 

13

mg

4

%

Sodium

 

1

mg

0

%

Potassium

 

28

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

12

g

4

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

6

g

7

%

Protein

 

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

 

153

IU

3

%

Calcium

 

9

mg

1

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing from you when you’ve made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @happyfoodstube or leave me a comment below.

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