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    Home » Sourdough Recipes » Sourdough Discard Ideas

    Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies [with jam]

    Published: Nov 25, 2022 by The Pantry Mama This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies - Pinterest Image

    These simple homemade sourdough thumbprint cookies are a great way to use up your sourdough discard or extra sourdough starter. You can ferment them a little before you bake them to get the health benefits or bake them right away - the choice is yours!

    As a must-have holiday cookie, they make a delightful Christmas gift.

    But they are also an easy way to fill up the cookie jar - you might even like to bake them with the kids! It's a great recipe to get them involved in all things sourdough!

    If you are a cookie monster, you might also like these sourdough cookie recipes - sourdough chocolate chip cookies, sourdough snickerdoodles, sourdough gingerbread cookies or cut out and decorate sourdough sugar cookies.

    What Are Thumbprint Cookies?

    Thumbprint cookies are a cake-like cookie that have a small indent in the centre - this is the "thumbprint", however it's much easier to make the indentation with a small teaspoon.

    Depending on where you live, they might also be called "jam drops". In Australia, they are a very popular biscuit and a great way to use up much loved homemade strawberry jam.

    In Sweden they are called "Hallongrotta" which translates to "raspberry caves".

    They are popular during the holiday season because they are easy cookies to bake.

    Can I Ferment Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies?

    You can leave the cookies in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. I recommend shaping the cookies and leaving in the fridge on the baking tray as the dough gets very hard in the fridge and will difficult to shape.

    You can bake the cookies straight from the fridge. I don't cover them with plastic wrap if leaving them in the fridge as they tend to form condensation.

    You can ferment the cookies whether you use sourdough discard or active sourdough starter. It doesn't really matter which you use, just make sure that you're using a sourdough starter that is 100% hydration, that is it has been fed with equal amounts of flour and water by weight.

    Sometimes when making sourdough bread, I'll feed my sourdough starter a bit extra so that I have enough to make these cookies.

    How To Make Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies

    These are really easy cookies to prepare and bake. I find it easier to use an electric hand mixer (electric mixer) to cream the butter and sugar together, however you could also use a stand mixer to do this.

    1. Prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
    2. If you are going to bake the cookies straight after forming them, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). If you are going to ferment them, do not preheat the oven.
    3. Cream the softened butter and sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
    4. Now add the egg and egg yolk, vanilla extract and sourdough starter to the butter and sugar mixture and mix on moderate speed until well combined.
    5. Next add the all purpose flour, baking powder and pinch of salt to the wet ingredients and bring together into a dough (you can use a wooden spoon or your hands if you prefer - I find this step easier to do by hand as the stiff dough will bog the hand mixer).
    6. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to scoop out balls of dough. Roll the dough balls a little and place them onto the prepared baking trays. I find the balls are perfect around 15g each, but you can go up to 20g.
    7. Use a small spoon (half teaspoon is perfect) to make a small indent in the centre of each cookie. This is the "thumbprint" but a spoon is much easier.
    8. ** if you want to ferment the cookies, place the cookies into the fridge at this point. You can leave them up to 24 hours in the fridge)** (see notes for further information).
    9. Use a small spoon to place a little jam into the center of each cookie. You don't want to overfill them or they will make a mess in the oven.
    10. Place the sourdough thumbprint cookies into an oven at 350F (180C) for around 15 to 18 minutes or until they are just golden and the jam is bubbling. It's better if they are placed on the top rack of the oven.
    11. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to firm up.
    Process photos of making sourdough thumbprint cookies - creaming the butter and sugar and then adding the eggs, sourdough starter and vanilla.
    Process photos of making sourdough thumbprint cookies - adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and pulling together into a dough. Pushing indents into the dough balls and filling the center of the cookies with jam.

    Ingredient Notes & Flavor Variations

    • If you are using salted butter, leave out the pinch of salt. Butter must be soft, NOT melted, or it won't cream properly with the sugar. Butter kept at room temperature is best for making these cookies.
    • If you'd prefer not to use white sugar, you can use brown sugar or even coconut sugar but it will change the color and texture of the sourdough thumbprint cookies.
    • I love making these sourdough thumbprint cookies with strawberry jam but I've also made them using apricot, blueberry, raspberry and whatever other jam flavors we have on hand at the time. Use whatever you have and your family will love.
    • If you'd prefer a neater jam filling, you can add the jam to a piping bag, but I like to keep things super simple!
    • You can add other things to the cookie dough to give it extra flavor if you'd like - crushed macadamia nuts or chopped pecans, warm spices like cinnamon or ginger, lemon or orange zest are all lovely additions to these simple cookies.

    How to Store + Freeze

    These cookies will last around a week in an airtight container. It's better to store them in glass than plastic as they will go soft much quicker in a plastic container.

    You can freeze unbaked cookies and bake them when you need freshly baked cookies. Add the jam in the centre before you freeze them. Store frozen, unbaked cookies in a zip loc bag.

    Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies - Pinterest Image

    Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies

    Sweet sourdough cookies with a jammy centre - perfect to fill the cookie jar with or gift at Christmas time. Use whatever jam you prefer - strawberry is my favorite!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 18 mins
    Total Time 48 mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 40 Cookies
    Calories 86 kcal

    Equipment

    • 2 Cookie Sheets Lined with parchment paper

    Ingredients
      

    • 125 g Unsalted Butter softened at room temperature
    • 200 g Fine Sugar caster sugar or fine granulated sugar
    • 1 Egg + Egg Yolk
    • 100 g Sourdough Starter or sourdough starter discard
    • 5 g Vanilla Extract
    • 350 g All Purpose Flour
    • 6 g Baking Powder (1 tsp)
    • pinch Salt see notes
    • 100 g Strawberry Jam or any flavor you prefer

    Instructions
     

    • If you are going to bake the cookies straight after forming them, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). If you are going to ferment them, do not preheat the oven.
    • Cream the softened butter and sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
    • Now add the egg and egg yolk, vanilla extract and sourdough starter to the butter and sugar mixture and mix on moderate speed until well combined.
    • Next add the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt to the wet ingredients and bring together into a dough (you can use a wooden spoon or your hands if you prefer - I find this step easier to do by hand as the stiff dough will bog the hand mixer).
    • Use a teaspoon to scoop out balls of dough. Roll the balls a little and place them onto the prepared baking trays. I find the balls are perfect around 15g each, but you can go up to 20g.
    • Use a small spoon (half teaspoon is perfect) to make a small indent in the centre of each cookie. This is the "thumbprint" but a spoon is much easier.
    • ** if you want to ferment the cookies, place the cookies into the fridge at this point. You can leave them up to 24 hours in the fridge)** (see notes for further information).
    • Use a small spoon to place a little jam into the indent in each cookie. You don't want to overfill them or they will make a mess in the oven.
    • Place the sourdough thumbprint cookies into an oven at 350F (180C) for around 15 to 18 minutes or until they are just golden and the jam is bubbling.
    • Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to firm up.

    Notes

    BUTTER
    If you are using salted butter, leave out the pinch of salt. Butter must be soft, NOT melted, or it won't cream properly with the sugar.
     
    FERMENTING THE COOKIES
    You can leave the cookies in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. I recommend shaping the cookies and leaving in the fridge on the baking tray as the dough gets very hard in the fridge and will difficult to shape. You can bake the cookies straight from the fridge. I don't cover them if leaving them in the fridge as they tend to form condensation.
     
    JAM
    I love making these sourdough thumbprint cookies with strawberry jam but I've also made them using apricot, blueberry, raspberry and whatever other jam flavors we have on hand at the time. Use whatever you have and your family will love.
    If you don't have jam, you could also pop a glace cherry in each cookie or even a little pie fruit or puree.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 20gCalories: 86kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 30mgPotassium: 14mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 91IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 0.5mg
    Keyword Sourdough Discard
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nidia

      January 07, 2023 at 4:31 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! Only is maybe you could add cup measurements also 🙂

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kate! I’m the face behind The Pantry Mama and I want to help you bake delicious sourdough bread, no matter what your schedule. 
    When I’m not baking sourdough, I love to hang out with my three boys on our farm, tend to my jungle of indoor plants and drink good coffee.

    More about me →

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