Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies
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Simple butter cookies filled with cranberry orange jam and drizzled with a sweet glaze. These Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies use seasonal cranberries and just feel like Christmas!
If you are looking for more Christmas cookies, check out my Gingerbread Florentines, Tree Sugar Cookies, or my Simple Christmas Shortbread!
I love making organic cookies that are full of holiday cheer but not just decorated with red and green. These Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies fit the bill. They embody the spirit of the holidays, using seasonal flavors combined with nostalgic organic cookies.
I use my Cranberry Orange Jam, which is a wonderful balance of tart cranberries and sweet orange. This gives these thumbprint cookies a wonderful sweet and tart jam filled center. The base of these Christmas cookies is pure organic butter, resulting in the best texture and most true butter cookie flavor!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Buttery & Sweet: These Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies are buttery and sweet! These are filled with fresh cranberry orange jam and a drizzle of glaze for buttery, sweet, and slightly tart Christmas cookies that everyone will love!
Seasonal: These Christmas cookies use fresh cranberries that are seasonal fruit that you can only get around the holidays!
Festive: These Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies are festive without being overly festive. That's why I love thumbprint cookies, they taste like the holidays and look like the holidays, but they're so easy!
Holiday Cookie Box Inspiration
If you’re making boxes of Christmas cookies, try mixing some up with these thumbprint cookies along with some of my other favorite holiday cookies that pair amazing with them!
- Tree Sugar Cookies
- Simple Christmas Shortbread
- Homemade Vanilla Oreos
- Brown Sugar Shortbreads
- Gingerbread Florentines
Ingredients
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter, you can use your favorite. Just be sure the butter is softened before beginning the recipe.
- Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar as it's less processed than granulated white sugar resulting in a more natural sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a high quality vanilla extract, not imitation.
- Egg: Use a large egg.
- All Purpose Flour: My favorite is Cairnspring Mills.
- Jam: I use my Cranberry Orange Jam, which is where these organic cookies get their flavor from!
- Powdered Sugar: You'll need organic powdered sugar for the icing. This part is optional, if you like a less sweet cookie, feel free to leave it off.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer (because I'm lazy and like hands free!) but a hand mixer also works.
- Baking Sheets: You'll need two half sheet pans to bake these organic cookies.
- Parchment Paper: I always use nontoxic parchment paper to as I think cookies bake best with it.
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined, then set a timer for 5 minutes and mix until the mixture is light in color and fluffy.
Add the egg, and mix until combined. Add the flour, and mix on low until combined into a smooth dough.
Step 3
Using your hands, form the dough into 30 balls and place on the prepared cookie sheets. Press your thumb into the center to create an indent. Fill with the cranberry orange jam. Refrigerate the cookie sheets for 30 minutes.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 5
Bake for 19 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom. Let cool completely on the cookie sheets.
Step 6
To make the glaze: In medium mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and water. Drizzle over the tops of the cookies.
FAQ's
I use my homemade Cranberry Orange Jam for this recipe. But you could use any cranberry jam that you like, and it will work just the same!
No, you do not have to add glaze onto the cookies if you don’t want to. If you prefer a less sweet cookie, then you can skip the glaze completely!
These Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies are a butter cookie, so they are best stored in a cool dry place for up to 3 days. If you want them to last longer, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Craving More?
Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
Dough
- 226 grams salted butter (softened)
- 170 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 383 grams all purpose flour
Filling
- 170 grams Cranberry Orange Jam
Glaze
- 142 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined, then set a timer for 5 minutes and mix until the mixture is light in color and fluffy.
- Add the egg, and mix until combined. Add the flour, and mix on low until combined into a smooth dough.
- Using your hands, form the dough into 30 balls and place on the prepared cookie sheets. Press your thumb into the center to create an indent. Fill with the cranberry orange jam. Refrigerate the cookie sheets for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 19 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom. Let cool completely on the cookie sheets.
- To make the glaze: In medium mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and water. Drizzle over the tops of the cookies.
- Store in a cool dry place for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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Love!