Easy Strawberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Easy Strawberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies start with a cake mix and end with a spoonful of strawberry jam for the ultimate sweet treat. A drizzle of white chocolate is totally optional but gives these strawberry jam filled cookies an extra special touch.
Table of Contents
Starting with a cake mix allows you to keep the ingredient count to 5 items which is unbelievable when making such a fabulous dessert. This is a super easy version of the classic thumbprint cookies.
These awesome strawberry cookies are also super soft and tender! The texture of the cookie is the perfect base for the strawberry jam.
Adding a spoonful of berry preserves to the center of each cookie is a simple step that is not only easy to do but also irresistible. Just like these Yellow Cake Mix Thumbprint Cookies.
Perhaps the best part is that this recipe is also versatile. You can change up the cake mix flavor and the jam to satisfy what it is that you like and enjoy. See this fun Red White and Blue Thumbprint Cookie recipe for another fun idea!
These strawberry jam shortbread cookies are the perfect festive cookie for a cookie exchange during the holiday season or for a Valentine’s Day treat!
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Tips & tricks to achieve the most delicious cookies of your life!
What goes into this Recipe
- Vanilla Cake Mix: A French vanilla or white mix could also be used. It is a wonderful base for a soft cookie.
- Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Paste: Helps to enhance the vanilla flavor of this awesome recipe.
- Strawberry Jam: Use a good quality or homemade strawberry jam for a perfectly sweet addition to these strawberry jam cookies.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions/Variations
- Cake Mix: Change the cake mix to a different flavor. Using a chocolate or strawberry mix would both be delicious. These Pomegranate Truffle Cookies are wonderful chocolate thumbprint cookies.
- Jam: Don’t have delicious strawberry jam? Try using raspberry, blueberry or peach jam. Any kind of fruity jam that you love will be absolutely delicious.
- Other Fillings Ideas: Try adding lemon with a little bit of lemon zest or lime curd in place of the jam. Nutella would also be a wonderful substitution for the strawberry jam.
- Toppings: While drizzling white chocolate looks and tastes great, regular chocolate would be tasty too. You could also go with a simple dusting of powdered sugar {icing sugar} after baking {like these Lemon Curd Cookies} or roll the delicious cookies in granulated sugar before baking {like these Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies}.
How to make Strawberry Jam Cookies
- Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix using an electric mixer {or by hand} until you have a thick dough. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop mounds of dough into your hand and roll into smooth 1-inch balls. Place each cookie dough ball onto a silicone mat {or parchment paper} lined baking sheet.
- Bake cookies in a 350 degree oven for 9-11 minutes. Remove from the oven once they are set around the edges. Note: The middle of the cookie might appear slightly under-baked.
- Once you remove them from the oven use a tart shaper {or the end of a wooden spoon} to make an indentation in the center of the cookies. This tart shaper works great for these Lemon Bar Cookie Cups too!
- Continue until all of the cookies have the indentation which can also be made with your thumb.
- Add a heaping teaspoon of strawberry jam into each indentation and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Once they are cool you can leave them as they are or melt white chocolate and drizzle it over the top.
Expert Tips
- Use a cookie scoop so that all of the cookies are the same size. This not only helps them look professional but it also helps them bake evenly.
- Make the indentation and add the jam within a few minutes of removing the cookies from the oven. A tart shaper works really well for the job.
- Allow the baked cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet. This will allow the jam to soften in the indentation and the final product will set up just right.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cooled if you decide to add the melted chocolate. If you add the melted chocolate while they are still warm then the chocolate will not set up correctly.
Storage and Freezing
Store: Store Strawberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature in a single layer. If you need to stack the jam cookies be sure to add a layer of parchment {or wax} paper between the cookies. They will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
They can also be stored in the refrigerator in the same way for a little longer. The refrigerator will allow the cookies to stay fresh for 4-5 days.
Freeze: These strawberry jam cookies can easily be frozen with or without the jam for up to 3 months. My favorite way to freeze cookies is to lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them for a couple of hours.
Once the cookies are frozen, place the cookies into zipper bags or freezer safe containers. Freezing the cookies this way allows you to remove a few or all of the cookies at a time. It also keeps the cookies from sticking together.
Recipe FAQs
Any kind of jam can be used in place of the strawberry jam. Use what you have on hand (raspberry jam is delicious!) or what you love to create a jam filled cookie that is perfect for your taste.
Lemon or lime curd can also be used. This Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookie is awesome!
For best results, I love to use a tart shaper but the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb are great tools for the job as well.
This tool works great for cookie cups too. These Boston Cream Pie Cookie Cups use it and are wonderful.
Yes, you can make the cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to bake. You can also freeze the shaped cookie dough and bake them later. Just adjust the baking time accordingly.
Stored properly, these cookies can stay fresh for several days. The airtight container helps maintain their texture and flavor.
Do you love easy strawberry cookies? Try these amazing recipes…
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Easy Strawberry Jam Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix {13.25 ounces}
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract {or vanilla paste}
- 1 cup strawberry jam
Toppings
- ¼ cup white chocolate melting wafers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Combine the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract {or paste} in a medium bowl. Mix using a hand mixer {or by hand} until everything is totally combined and you have a thick and slightly sticky dough.
- Use a medium cookie scoop and scoop mounds of dough into your hand. If the dough is too sticky, flour your hands and roll the dough into a smooth ball. Place the cookie dough mounds onto a silicone mat {or parchment} lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and make an indentation in the middle of each cookie using your thumb or a tart shaper. Then take about a teaspoon of strawberry jam and fill the middle of each cookie while the cookies are still warm.
- Once the cookies are cool, melt the white chocolate wafers in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir. If it needs more time add 15 seconds and stir again. Once the white chocolate is totally melted add it to a piping bag {or zipper bag} and drizzle over the top of the cookie. Allow the chocolate to set up and serve. Store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use a cookie scoop so that all of the cookies are the same size. This not only helps the cookies look professional but it also helps them bake evenly.
- Make the indentation and add the jam within a few minutes of removing the cookies from the oven. This tart shaper works really well for the job.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet. This will allow the jam to soften in the indentation and the cookies will set up just right.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cooled if you decide to add the melted chocolate. If you add the melted chocolate while the cookies are still warm then the chocolate will not set up correctly.
-
- Cake Mix: Change the cake mix to a different flavor. Using a chocolate or strawberry cake mix would both be delicious.
-
- Jam: Try using raspberry, blueberry or peach jam. Any kind of jam that you love will be absolutely delicious.
-
- Other Fillings Ideas: Try adding lemon or lime curd in place of the jam. Nutella would also be a wonderful substitution for the strawberry jam.
-
- Toppings: While drizzling white chocolate looks and tastes great, regular chocolate would be tasty too. You could also go with a simple dusting of powdered sugar after baking or roll the cookies in granulated sugar before baking.
