Thumbprint Jam cookie disaster. Can anyone help?

[Mickey Fliers]

Anyone have a foolproof recipe for Jam Thumbprint cookies? I have tried 2 different recipes today and they have both been a fail. Both times, the cookies fell flat and did not hold the indent for the jam.

What am I doing wrong? My DH loves these (not me).

 

[BroganMc]

I rolled mine into balls to bake then poked the thumbprints as soon as they came out of the oven.

 

[Hannathy]

You don't put the thumbprint in until after they come out of the oven. and like the PP said you shape them into balls.

Were your baking sheets cool before you put the dough on? Make sure they are cool.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

This recipe is the one I use, It always works great. But keep a good eye on them, the bottoms will burn quickly.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
1 large egg
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped from pod, or 1/8 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup raspberry, cherry or strawberry jam
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.


Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.


In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated.


Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep. Fill each indentation with about 3/4 teaspoon jam.


Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. (For even color, rotate the pans from top to bottom about halfway through baking.) Cool cookies on the baking sheets. Serve.


Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

 

[Imzadi]

I just use a yellow cake mix cookie dough from my Cookies from Cake Mix thread, with almond extract added. Cake mixes are formulated to be almost foolproof. Sounds like your oven may be too low and your dough is just heating and not hot enough to rise.

Oven temps can be off by 25 degrees in either direction from what they are calibrated at.

Or your butter is not cold enough. There is another recent thread, in the past couple days, where someone else had her cookies not rise. There was a whole bunch of theories as to why it happened. Scroll back a few pages.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Here is my recipe. We just made them and they were fine, actually very yummy. You do have to chill the dough before making the cookies otherwise the butter gets too soft and they won't hold their shape. For me the best indents come from the bottom of my teaspoon measuring spoon & Polaner is my favorite brand for the raspberry

www.food.com/recipe/raspberry-shortbread-cookies-37547

 

[Tanbellisima]

QUOTE=Mickey Fliers;39296225]Anyone have a foolproof recipe for Jam Thumbprint cookies? I have tried 2 different recipes today and they have both been a fail. Both times, the cookies fell flat and did not hold the indent for the jam.

What am I doing wrong? My DH loves these (not me).[/QUOTE]


If you want to try and doctor your dough you can add more flour and some sugar for taste. You can also add some oatbran a teaspoon at a time to thicken the dough. But it will only need a little so take it slow if you use oatbran. Depending on where you live and if you use margarine or butter etc makes the dough looser because of the altitude and humidty in the air and water content in your baked goods. Never fear, you can always add more flour to thicken it up.
These cookies are good crispy too (IMO) so you can try to use all butter in the recipe which will help too. Other fats make the dough softer usually.

Good luck and Merry Christmas!

 

[SpecialK]

I just use my spritz recipe for these. My mother always used a buttered cork to make the indents and I do, too. No burning your fingers and it makes the perfect indent.

 

[Darcy03231]

Here's my recipe and they always come out great! (it was my grandma's recipe).

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup fruit preserves, any flavor

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F

2. In a medium bowl cream together butter, sugar and egg yolks. Mix in flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. If dough is a little soft, refrigerate for 15-20 mins. Place balls 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Use your finger or an instrument of similar size to make a well in the center of each cookie. Fill the hold with 1/2 teaspoon of preserves.

3. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

According to the recipe it should make 36 cookies. I find I get about 26-28 out of a batch - so I usually double the recipe.