Raspberry Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 113 g (4 ounces)cream cheese, softened
• 113 g (8 tablespoons; 1 stick)salted butter, at room temperature
• 138 g (1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons)sugar
• 148 g (1 cup + 3 tablespoons)plain flour
• 160 g (1/2 cup)raspberry jam or preserves

Instructions

1. 1

   Beat butter and cheese

   Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.

2. 2

   Add sugar and flour

   Beat in the sugar. Add the flour a little at a time on low speed, mixing only until it is incorporated.

3. 3

   Chill the dough

   Cover the bowl with cling film and chill the dough for at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours.

4. 4

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a baking tray with baking parchment or a non-stick baking mat.

5. 5

   Shape and fill

   Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and roll each portion into a ball. Arrange the balls on the baking tray, press a shallow hollow into the centre of each with your thumb, and add 1/2 teaspoon of jam to each hollow.

6. 6

   Bake the cookies

   Bake for 11–12 minutes, until the edges turn golden. The cookies will still be very soft when they come out of the oven.

7. 7

   Cool on the tray

   Leave the cookies on the baking tray for a full 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack and leave them to cool completely.

What are raspberry cream cheese thumbprint cookies?

Thumbprint cookies are small biscuits with a hollow in the middle, traditionally made by pressing a thumb into each portion of dough before baking. They are a familiar style of American home baking, often filled with jam.

Cream cheese enriches this version's dough, giving it a tender, crumbly texture. Raspberry jam brings a tart, fruity note that cuts through the buttery sweetness.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1345 calories, 17g protein, 175g carbs, 69g fat.

The flour and sugar provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter and cream cheese contribute much of the fat; the cream cheese also supplies some protein. The jam adds sugars and a little fruit, so serve a cookie alongside fresh fruit or a protein-rich snack if you want a more balanced plate.

The dough's key ingredients

Cream cheese: Use it softened so it can blend smoothly with the butter. Together, they make a soft dough with a delicate texture.

Salted butter: Bring it to room temperature so it beats evenly with the cream cheese. Since the butter is salted, no extra salt is specified in the recipe.

Raspberry jam: A smooth jam or preserves is easy to spoon into the hollows. The recipe also works with apricot jam.

Why the dough needs chilling

Chilling for at least 45 minutes firms the dough, making it easier to roll into neat rounds and press without it sticking as readily. You can leave it in the fridge for up to 2 hours, as directed.

Keep the dough covered while it chills so the surface does not dry out. If it feels very firm after a longer chill, let it stand briefly until it is workable.

Shaping and filling

Even portions: Scoop about 1 tablespoon for each cookie and roll the dough into a round. Similar-sized rounds help them bake at the same pace.

Shallow hollows: Press gently in the centre of each round, leaving enough dough around the edge to hold its shape. Fill each hollow with 1/2 teaspoon of jam rather than piling it high.

How to judge doneness

The recipe uses golden edges as the cue to take the cookies out, after 11–12 minutes. Their centres will still feel very soft at this point, so do not wait for the whole cookie to become firm in the oven.

The 10-minute rest on the baking tray matters: the warm cookies are delicate and need time to firm up before you move them to a rack.

Serving ideas

Let the cookies cool completely before serving so the crumb sets and the jam is no longer hot. They make a simple afternoon treat alongside tea or coffee.

For a varied batch, use raspberry jam in some cookies and apricot jam in the rest, as suggested in the recipe.

Recipe notes & tips

• Soften the cream cheese and bring the butter to room temperature before mixing.
• Scrape down the mixing bowl if the butter and cream cheese cling to its sides.
• Add the flour gradually on low speed to avoid overmixing the dough.
• Use a small spoon to portion the dough evenly at about 1 tablespoon each.
• Measure 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each hollow to keep the filling contained.
• Allow the full 10 minutes of tray cooling before lifting the cookies.

Variations

• Apricot filling: Use apricot jam or preserves instead of raspberry.
• Mixed batch: Fill some hollows with raspberry jam and the rest with apricot.
• Preserves: Choose raspberry preserves for a fruitier, less smooth centre.
• Smaller cookies: Use smaller scoops and check them early, as baking time may change.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Butter too cold: It will not beat smoothly with the cream cheese; let it reach room temperature first.
• Skipping the chill: Soft dough is harder to roll and shape; chill it for at least 45 minutes.
• Overmixing the flour: This can make the cookies less tender; stop as soon as the flour is incorporated.
• Overfilling the hollows: Too much jam can spill over; use 1/2 teaspoon per cookie.
• Baking until firm: The cookies are meant to come out very soft; use golden edges as the cue.
• Moving them too soon: Warm cookies can break; leave them on the tray for the full 10 minutes.

How to store

Once completely cool, store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If stacking them, place baking parchment between the layers to protect the jam centres.

Frequently asked questions