Guava Jam Thumbprint Cookies (Printable)

Buttery cookies with sweet-tart guava centers. Soft, golden, and delightfully tropical.

# What You 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 Steps:

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 balls 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • They look fancy enough to bring to a gathering, but honest enough that nobody expects you to have stressed over them.
  • The guava jam keeps them moist for days, so you can actually enjoy them without them going stale by day two.
  • You can make the whole batch in under an hour from start to finish, including oven time.
02 -
  • Don't fill the cookies until right before they go in the oven, because if the jam sits in the indents too long, it soaks into the dough and makes them fall apart when you try to move them later.
  • Your thumb is actually the best tool for making the indent, not any fancy gadget, because you can feel how much pressure you're using and adjust so you don't crack through the bottom of the dough.
03 -
  • If your butter isn't softened enough, just leave it on the counter for fifteen minutes instead of fighting with it in the mixer, because overworking cold butter makes dense cookies.
  • Raspberry or apricot jam works beautifully if you can't find guava, and a tiny pinch of coconut on top before baking adds a nice textural surprise that people always ask about.
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