Guava Jam Thumbprint Cookies (Printable Version)

Buttery cookies filled with sweet-tart guava jam, offering tropical flavors and contrasting textures in every bite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Filling

07 - 1/2 cup guava jam

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
05 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them between your palms. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
07 - Using your thumb or the back of a rounded teaspoon, make an indentation in the center of each dough ball.
08 - Fill each indentation with approximately 1/2 teaspoon of guava jam.
09 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're legitimately simple enough to make on a Tuesday evening without stress, yet impressive enough to bring somewhere and have people ask for seconds.
  • That sweet-tart guava jam against the soft, buttery cookie is pure comfort, and you can swap the jam flavor whenever you feel like a change.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the cookies cool on the baking sheet first; moving them too early means they'll crack or fall apart because they're still too tender.
  • The jam can get really hot during baking, so if you accidentally bite into a cookie right away, you might burn your mouth, which I've definitely done more than once.
03 -
  • For extra texture and a tropical twist, sprinkle a tiny pinch of shredded coconut over the jam before baking so it gets slightly toasted.
  • If your butter isn't soft enough, your dough will be hard to work with, so take it out of the fridge about thirty minutes before you start, or cut it into small pieces so it softens faster.
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