Jam Thumbprint Cookies Recipe for Valentines Day

We love a basic biscuit recipe in this house, my kids just like my husband are biscuit obsessed!  So it’s always good to find biscuit recipes that are simple to make and thus avoid me buying biscuits from the supermarket which are invariably wrapped in plastic.  these biscuits are for treat time and mine love them after school or nursery with a glass of milk.  This recipe for jam thumbprint cookies is also good for having keen little bakers who love to help you.  I have made these with my daughter and at 3 even she can roll a mean biscuit dough ball!

Valentine’s Twist

I have adapted this recipe to incorporate a Valentine’s Day theme.  You can make these cookies anytime of year especially at Christmas.  All you would need to do is just the one thumb or finger print in the raw cookie dough.  Now as you can see from the photos in this recipe.  I do two thumbprints to make the heart shape.

Useful Information for the bake

If you’re doing just the one thumbprint I advise filling the biscuit with jam before it bakes.  Slightly overfill the thumbprint indentation until it’s just over level with the indent, as the jam does shrink in cooking.

If you’re doing the heart shape in the dough then be aware they don’t always come out perfect hearts when baked, so if you like a very controlled bake and want it to be more perfect either fill the heart indent with the jam once they are baked, or patch them up with some fresh jam where the jam has slightly shrunk back.

You can use the end of a wooden spoon or a heart stamper to make the marks in the dough instead of thumbprints.   I also find that preschoolers struggle to do heart shaped cookies but are good at stamping one thumb in for normal jam thumbprint cookies.

Optional – If you find the dough a little sticky to roll, simply roll your balls in white sugar and it will help hold the balls together and give you a little crunch to the cookie.

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 7, 425F, 200 celsius
2. Line the tray with parchment paper
3. Mix flour and salt in a large bowl.
4. Rub in butter/margarine using fingertips.
5. Stir in caster sugar and then make a well in the centre.
6. Whisk the egg lightly and stir in with a wooden spoon, mix in the milk.
7. On a floured board, knead the mixture and divide into 12 pieces.
8. Shape each one into a round bun and place on the prepared baking tray.
9. Make a hollow in the centre by gently pushing your thumb shapes into the centre and then put the jam in the middle.
10. Bake for 10-12 mins, until well risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack.