• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Catherine Zhang
  • Recipes
  • Ebook
  • About
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Chocolate » Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

    Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

    December 29, 2021 by Catherine Zhang Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Melt-in-your-mouth chocolate shortbread cookies filled with a creamy chocolate ganache for the perfect chocolate thumbprint cookie!

    Jump to:
    • What are thumbprint cookies?
    • Tips to creating the perfect cookie
    • Ingredients
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Let's Get Baking
    • Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
    Chocolate ganache filled chocolate shortbread thumbprint cookies

    What are thumbprint cookies?

    Thumbprint cookies are a classic cookie made from a simple sugar cookie base, filled with jam. These are a simple, yet delicious treat that goes perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee.

    These thumbprint cookies are a little different from the classic. The cookies are closer to a shortbread, with a butterier flavour and shorter texture, and the centre is filled with a soft set milk chocolate ganache. This all comes together to create a sweet and buttery chocolate cookie!

    Tips to creating the perfect cookie

    There are a couple of tips that will help you create the best cookie, whether that be creating the perfect heart shape or cookie texture, follow these tips!

    Roll the cookie dough firmly between your palms until smooth

    It is important to roll the balls until smooth before placing them on the baking sheet and pressing thumbprints into them. This helps to prevent cracks from forming as you press in the thumbprints, creating a perfect heart shape.

    Fix up the heart

    While the name suggests to use your thumbprint for the cookies, I would recommend using your index or pinky fingers when forming the heart shape as a thumbprint is a little too large for the cookie. While two fingerprints create a heart, they won't be the perfect shape. Feel free to go in with your fingers and fix up the shape of the heart.

    Chill your cookie dough

    Chilling your cookie dough after shaping them will prevent them from spreading in the oven and losing their round shape and heart indent. Chilling the dough creates a much neater cookie, however, if you are in a rush feel free to skip this step!

    Cool the cookies before filling with chocolate ganache

    Make sure the cookies are at room temperature before filling them with the ganache. When the cookie is hot it will cause the ganache to melt more as it sits in the cavity, increasing the possibility of the chocolate ganache melting over the sides of the cavity and ruining the heart shape. If the ganache has cooled the ganache will sit much nicer in the cavity, and make it a lot easier to work with!

    Chocolate ganache filled chocolate shortbread thumbprint cookies

    Ingredients

    • Unsalted butter: These cookies have a higher butter percentage for a shorter texture! Make sure the butter is at room temperature to make the creaming process easier.
    • Icing sugar: Icing sugar helps to give the cookies a melt-in-your mouth texture due to the finer grind.
    • Egg yolk: An extra egg yolk gives the cookies a richer flavour

    • Plain flour: Flour forms the structure of the cookie!
    • Cornstarch: Cornstarch acts as a softener in the cookies to further create that melt-in-your mouth texture. It also helps prevent the cookie from spreading too much as it absorbs excess liquid
    • Cocoa powder: Cocoa powder gives the cookies chocolate flavour! Both regular and dutch cocoa powder will work great here.
    Chocolate ganache filled chocolate shortbread thumbprint cookies

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I keep my thumbprint cookies from spreading?

    The easiest way to prevent these cookies from spreading too much is by chilling them after you have formed the cookie shape. This gives the butter time to come together.

    Do I fill thumbprint cookies before or after baking?

    With these chocolate thumbprint cookies, you would fill them after baking, as the chocolate would melt during the baking process.

    If you wanted to use jam instead of chocolate ganache, I would fill them before baking.

    Why are my thumbprint cookies cracking when I add my thumbprint?

    The cookies will crack if they haven't been rolled properly. Make sure the ball of cookie dough is completely smooth before pressing on your fingerprint. If there are cracks in the cookie dough ball before pressing on the heart shape it'll only accentuate those features.

    How long do these last?

    These will last for 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature, or 4 days in the fridge.

    Can I change the filling? Or use a different kind of chocolate?

    Yes! I used milk chocolate in mine as it is a little sweeter and compliments the cookie. However, feel free to change it to semi-sweet, dark, or even white chocolate. Keep in mind that the texture of the ganache will differ when using different kinds of chocolate. A white chocolate ganache will be a lot softer, and a dark chocolate ganache will be a lot firmer.

    If you don't feel like filling these with chocolate you can fill the cavity with jam just before baking for a classic jam-filled cookie.

    Chocolate ganache filled chocolate shortbread thumbprint cookies

    Let's Get Baking

    It's not quite the end of holiday cookie baking season! If you are a shortbread or chocolate lover you'll adore these.

    If you make these make sure leave a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how it went. Also tag me on instagram @catherine.justdessertsau and hashtag #cattycakes so I can see and share your creations.

    Follow me on facebook, pinterest, youtube and tiktok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy baking!

    Print

    Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

    Chocolate ganache filled chocolate shortbread thumbprint cookies
    Print Recipe

    Melt-in-your-mouth chocolate shortbread cookies filled with a creamy chocolate ganache for the perfect chocolate thumbprint cookie!

    • Author: Catherine Zhang
    • Prep Time: 30 minutes
    • Cook Time: 12 minutes
    • Total Time: 42 minutes
    • Yield: 12 cookies 1x
    • Category: Cookie
    • Method: Easy
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Cookie

    • 115g (½ cup) Unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 60g (½ cup) Icing/powdered sugar
    • 1 Egg yolk
    • 140g (¾ cup 2 tbsp) Plain flour
    • 15g (2 tbsp) Cornstarch
    • 15g (2 tbsp) Cocoa powder

    Chocolate Ganache

    • 70g (2.5oz) Milk or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
    • 50g (3 tbsp 1 tsp) Thickened or heavy cream

    Instructions

    Cookie

    1. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F
    2. Cream butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy
    3. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract, beat until well combined
    4. Mix in cocoa powder, flour and cornstarch, stir until just combined
    5. Roll into 12 balls and create a heart shape in the centre of each ball using two fingerprints joined at the bottom
    6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until set
    7. Cool to room temperature before filling with ganache

    Chocolate Ganache

    1. Heat the cream in a small saucepan or microwave until steaming
    2. Place the chopped chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and pour over the steaming cream
    3. Cover with a plate and let sit for 2-3 mins, before stirring until melted
    4. Fill the cavities of the cooled chocolate cookies with ganache
    5. Place in the fridge for 1 hour to set before enjoying!

    Keywords: cookie, thumbprint, chocolate, ganache, biscuit

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo, tag me @catherine.justdessertsau and hashtag #cattycakes

    I cannot wait to see what you make!

    Related Recipes

    Chocolate cheesecake with strawberries, dark chocolate ganache, cocoa whipped cream and an Oreo base
    Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes
    Smores marshmallow and chocolate chunk cookies
    Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
    Heart shaped thumbprint cookies filled with fresh homemade cherry jam
    Cherry Thumbprint Cookies

    « Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
    Mango Cake »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    About me!

    Hi, I'm Catherine!

    My name is Catherine, a food blogger and dessert lover. If I look familiar you may have seen me on NETFLIX's Zumbo’s Just Desserts S2!

    As an Australian-Chinese pastry chef and recipe developer I share recipes and tips on desserts inspired by amazing flavours, fresh produce and of course my Asian background.

    Learn more about me! →

    Keep updated with all my latest recipes

    Be the first to know about exciting new updates and recipes!

    Click here to subscribe

    Popular Recipes

    • Baked Mochi Donuts (aka Pon De Ring)
    • Souffle Castella Cake
    • Cherry Thumbprint Cookies

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy Policy

    Cookie Policy

    Contact

    FAQ

    Copyright © 2020 Catherine Zhang