Tulo

Bonne Maman Jam Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

A dozen buttery thumbprint cookies on a wire rack, each filled with a different colored Bonne Maman jam, from deep purple blueberry to bright orange marmalade and pale lemon curd.
Photo by Gilmer Diaz Estela on Pexels

A single buttery shortbread-style dough holds up to a dozen different jam fillings without any of them bleeding into the crumb, so the two dozen mini jars from a Bonne Maman advent calendar can each get their own cookie instead of sitting half-used in the fridge.

Prep
40 min
Cook
14 min
Total
54 min
Servings
24

Ingredients

Servings24
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 8 jars (1 oz each) Bonne Maman mini jam jars, assorted flavors (from the advent calendar)

Nutrition per serving

Calories
155
Protein
2g
Carbs
19g
Fat
8g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1Beat the softened butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  2. 2Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until smooth.
  3. 3Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms.
  4. 4Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes, this keeps the cookies from spreading and makes them easier to shape.
  5. 5Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
  6. 6Roll the dough into 24 balls, about 1 tablespoon each, and space them 2 inches apart on the sheets.
  7. 7Press your thumb or the back of a rounded teaspoon into the center of each ball to make a deep well, going about three-quarters of the way down without breaking through the bottom.
  8. 8Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each well, using a different Bonne Maman flavor for each cookie or grouping by color.
  9. 9Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are just set and lightly golden; the centers will still look soft.
  10. 10Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before the jam fully sets.

Tips & variations

  • A 24-jar advent calendar lines up almost exactly with one batch, so this is a practical way to work through the whole calendar without any jars going stale in the door of the fridge.
  • Thicker preserves like wild blueberry or four fruits hold their shape better during baking than thinner ones like apricot; if a jam looks runny, stir in a little extra of the same jam reduced briefly in a small pan first.
  • Roll the dough balls in a little extra granulated sugar before pressing the wells for a slight crackle on the surface.
  • The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept chilled, or rolled into balls and frozen for up to 2 months; bake from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, with parchment between layers so the jam centers don't stick. They also freeze well for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Using a small offset spatula or a chopstick to widen the thumbprint well slightly makes it easier to spoon in jam neatly without dripping down the sides.
  • Keeping a damp cloth nearby to wipe the spoon between different jam flavors stops colors from muddying together.

FAQ

Can I use the jam from a Bonne Maman advent calendar for baking, or is it meant to be eaten straight from the jar?

The mini jars are the same preserves sold in full-size jars, just portioned smaller, so they bake exactly the same way as regular Bonne Maman jam.

What if some of the advent calendar jars are honey or caramel instead of jam?

Honey and caramel spreads work in the same thumbprint wells, but they stay softer after baking than fruit preserves, so fill those cookies last and let them cool longer before stacking.

Why did the jam sink into the cookie instead of staying on top?

This usually means the well was pressed too shallow or the dough ball was too small; use a rounded teaspoon of dough per cookie and press the indent about three-quarters of the way through.

Can I make these cookies with just one jam flavor instead of an assortment?

Yes, a single flavor works fine; the recipe was written around an advent calendar's variety, but any 1/2 cup of jam total will fill all 24 cookies.