Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are delicious treats for chocolate lovers! Easy fudgy chocolate cookies with a dark chocolate ganache center.
If you’re in the mood for a chocolaty treat, you can’t go wrong with this rich double chocolate Cookie Recipe. Similar to a Hershey Kiss Cookie, it has a dark chocolate soft and buttery cookie with a chocolate center, except instead of a chocolate candy, there is a melty pool of silky chocolate ganache! For more easy cookies with a sweet center, be sure to check out Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies and Turtle Cookies.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
This recipe turns classic thumbprint cookies into the ultimate chocolate lovers treat! Thumbprint cookies get their name because of the thumbprint-sized indent at the center of the round cookie. That divot is the perfect size to add a tasty filling. Usually, the filling is fruit-flavored, but these Fudgy Chocolate Thumbprint cookies are filled with Chocolate Ganache.
The cookie base is a simple yet rich chocolate cookie dough that is extra buttery so it practically melts in your mouth. The homemade chocolate ganache is super easy and my go-to recipe whenever I need a thick, chocolaty filling! It’s perfect for these cookies because it gets firm enough to stay inside the cookie but it is still chewy and soft when you bite into it.
Ingredients
- Butter: Before starting the cookie dough recipe, make sure to give the unsalted butter 20-30 minutes to soften at room temperature. Softened butter is easier to cream with the granulated sugar into a light, fluffy mixture which is what gives you chewy, buttery cookies.
- Sugar: You only need 2/3 cup sugar for this cookie recipe. This is less sugar than you’ll find in many cookie recipes. This is so the base cookie recipe isn’t overly sweet. Using white sugar instead of brown sugar makes the perfect, light, crumbly texture for the cookies.
- Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is the best option for soft cookies that are slightly chewy but still sturdy enough to hold the filling without crumbling.
- Cocoa powder: To give the cookie dough the perfect amount of chocolate flavor, add ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to the blend. This combined with the chocolate filling, makes the perfect double chocolate cookies.
- Ganache filling: To make the creamy ganache filling, use equal parts semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream. Add the two ingredients to a medium bowl and use the microwave to melt the chocolate. The heavy whipping cream thins the ganache into a silky, smooth mixture. But it firms up wonderfully as the chocolate dries into a thick, rich mixture.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Baking Sheet: You’ll need at least one regular baking sheet, but it’s easier to use two if you have them so you don’t have to bake in batches.
- Parchment Paper: Parchment not only keeps your cookies from sticking to the pan but it helps the bottoms bake more evenly.
How to Make
Time needed: 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar
Add softened butter and granulated sugar to your stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to cream on high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 10 seconds until well combined.
- Combine with the Dry Ingredients
Sift the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and kosher salt into a separate bowl. Then add the flour mixture to the stand mixer with the electric mixer set to its lowest speed setting. Mix until the dry ingredients are just combined.
- Chill the Dough
Cover the mixing bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You can also scoop the cookies on lined baking trays then chill on the trays.
- Prep for Baking
Preheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape the Cookies
Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls of dough. After you roll dough into balls, place them on the prepared baking sheets. Use the bottom of a spoon to gently press an indent into the dough balls about 1/2-inch deep.
- Baking the Cookies
Put the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Let the chocolate thumbprint cookies cool for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Make the Ganache
Add chocolate chips and heavy cream to a microwave-safe bowl. Then microwave for 30 seconds. Let the mixture sit for 15 seconds, then microwave for another 30 seconds. Let sit for 1 minute, and then stir until the chocolate ganache is smooth.
- Fill the Cookies
Use a small spoon to pour the ganache into the imprints on the cooled cookies. Let the chocolate filling harden for 20-30 minutes before serving and storing.
Can this be made ahead of time?
You can make them a couple of days in advance or on the day of the event. Just make sure to prep them a few hours ahead of when you plan to serve them. Otherwise, the chocolate filling won’t have time to set before you serve the Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies.
Nutritional Facts
Tips for Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Fill after Baking
For these Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies, you’ll need to wait to add the filling until after the baking time. Otherwise, the chocolate ganache will melt during the baking time. However, if you substitute the chocolate filling for jam or preserves, then you can spoon the fruit filling in before the baking time.
Shaping the Cookies
When adding the “thumbprint” to the center of the cookie dough pieces, press down gently with the back of your spoon. If you press too hard, you can crack the cookie dough around the indent. If the dough still cracks, simply use your fingers to quickly smooth out the dough before baking.
How to Store
Serve: After baking, make sure to let the cookies chill before adding the chocolate filling, and let the ganache harden before serving.
Store: To keep the Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies fresh, cover them in plastic wrap or put them in an airtight container. Kept sealed, the cookies can stay good at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze: You can also put the cookies in a freezer bag or another freezer-safe airtight container to keep them frozen for up to 1 month. To stop the cookies from freezing together, you can place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper between the cookie layers.
Frequent Questions
As the cookie dough rises, the indent at the center of the cookies may shrink. If the imprints become too shallow, you can carefully press down at the center while the cookies are still warm. Fresh out of the oven, the cookie will still be moldable so you can reshape them a little before the cookies cool.
Typically, you’d bake thumbprint cookies until they’re just browning around the edges, but it’s harder to tell when chocolate cookies are done. You can tell the chocolate shortbread is done baking when the dough no longer appears wet. They should appear dry and set.
Thumbprint Cookies get their name from their shape. After rolling out the dough balls, you’ll add an imprint to the center of each one about the size of a thumbprint. The dent at the center is perfect for holding the filling and is how the cookies get their name.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Chocolate Shortbread:
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Ganache Filling:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- To your stand mixer add the butter and sugar and cream on high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in vanilla extract and beat for 10 seconds until well combined.
- Sift together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder and salt, add to the stand mixer on the lowest speed setting until just combined.
- Add the dough to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll 1″ balls of dough and place on baking sheets.
- Using the bottom of a wooden spoon, gently press an indent into the cookies about 1/2″ deep.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until they look dry and set.
- Let cool 5 minutes before removing from the baking sheets.
To Finish:
- Add the chocolate chips and heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave for 30 seconds.
- Let sit for 15 seconds, microwave a second time for 30 seconds.
- Let sit for 1 minute. then stir well until smooth.
- With a small spoon pour the ganache into the cooled cookies.
- Let the ganache harden for 20-30 minutes before eating if you want the ganache to thicken.
Nutrition
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Variations
Jam Filling: If you want to make these more classic thumbprints, add some raspberry or Strawberry Jam before baking. Add 1 teaspoon of jam to the indent on the cookie dough balls before baking. After they are baked, top the jam with a little spoonful of ganache or drizzle it over the whole cookie.
Caramel filling: Another tasty idea is to swap out the chocolate filling for caramel sauce. Prepare the chocolate cookies according to the original recipe instructions. Use sugar, butter, and milk to make a rich Homemade Caramel Sauce and add it to the center of the cooled cookies. You can sprinkle sea salt over the top for salted caramel cookies.
Vanilla chocolate-filled cookies: Instead of the double chocolate flavor, you could leave the actual cookie dough vanilla but still add the creamy chocolate ganache to the center. For this version, simply leave out the unsweetened cocoa powder and instead use 2 ⅓ cups flour in the cookie dough. Bake the cookie recipe until they’re starting to brown around the edges. Add the chocolate filling to the vanilla thumbprint cookies, and let it set before serving.
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