These rich, festive chocolate thumbprint cookies have a soft chocolate cookie base filled with silky chocolate ganache and can be topped with holiday sprinkles. An easy thumbprint cookie recipe that’s ideal for gifting and holiday dessert tables.
Love thumbprint cookies? Classic raspberry thumbprint cookies are always a hit. You can swap in any jam or use lemon curd for a bright twist. For a different texture, try turtle thumbprint cookies or chocolate cream thumbprints that are rolled in nuts instead of sugar.
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies (Double Chocolate & Festive!)
If you want a decadent holiday treat, these chocolate thumbprint cookies strike the right balance between easy and impressive. A soft, fudgy chocolate cookie is filled with a smooth chocolate ganache and finished with sprinkles or nonpareils for a festive look.
They’re perfect for a cookie exchange, gifting tins, or filling a holiday dessert tray—simple to make and sure to please.
Why You’ll Love These Thumbprint Chocolate Cookies
- Double chocolate: chocolate cookie plus chocolate ganache filling.
- Holiday-ready: sprinkles and nonpareils add instant festive color.
- Soft, fudgy texture: a brownie-like bite in cookie form.
Ingredients You’ll Need
NOTE: Full ingredient amounts and the printable recipe card appear in the recipe section below.
Jump
- All-purpose flour
- Dutch-process cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Egg yolk (no whites)
- Vanilla extract
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Heavy cream
- Sprinkles or nonpareils (optional)
Step 1: Make the Chocolate Cookie Dough
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with granulated and brown sugar until light and smooth.
- Add the yolk and vanilla: Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Combine wet and dry: Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined—do not overmix.
Step 2: Shape and Chill the Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Divide the dough: Turn the dough onto parchment and press into a roughly 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cut into 24 even pieces.
- Roll and press: Roll each piece into a ball, optionally coat in granulated sugar, and place on a lined tray. Press the center about one-third of the way down with the back of a ½ teaspoon while the dough is still warm from your hands to reduce cracking. Avoid pressing too far or the cookies will spread more.
- Chill: Arrange the cookies close together (not touching) on the tray and freeze for 20–30 minutes until firm to the touch.
Step 3: Bake and Re-Indent
- Preheat the oven: Set oven to 350°F (175°C) while the cookies chill. Line half sheet pans with silicone mats or parchment.
- Space and bake: Transfer chilled cookies 2–3 inches apart (about 12 per tray). Bake 9–11 minutes until puffed and matte in the center.
- Re-press centers: While still warm, gently press centers again with the back of a 1 teaspoon. Let cookies rest 5 minutes on the tray, then cool completely on a wire rack. Keep remaining dough or baked cookies chilled while you bake each pan.
Step 4: Make and Fill with Ganache
- Make the ganache: Warm the heavy cream until just boiling (about 30 seconds in the microwave). Pour over chocolate chips, let sit 1 minute, then whisk until smooth.
- Fill the cookies: Transfer ganache to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped and fill each indentation. Aim to have the ganache level with or slightly below the rim so cookies store neatly.
- Decorate and set: Add sprinkles immediately if desired, then chill cookies in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes or until the ganache sets.
Did you Make This?
Please leave a review and rating if you try the recipe—your feedback helps support small food creators and improves future recipes.
Storing and Freezing
- TO STORE: Keep cookies in an airtight container or on a plate tightly wrapped for up to 2 days at room temperature (because of the cream in the ganache) or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze in a single layer on a sheet pan for 1 hour until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or bring to room temperature before serving.
Festive Decorating Ideas
- Red & green sprinkles for a classic Christmas look.
- Crushed peppermint for a candy-cane finish.
- Gold or silver sanding sugar for a sparkling coating.
- White nonpareils for a snow-kissed appearance.
Recipe Notes
Tips for Perfect Thumbprint Chocolate Cookies
- Even pieces: Divide the dough evenly so cookies bake uniformly. Flatten into a disk and cut 24 pieces before rolling.
- Minimize cracking: Make the indentation immediately after rolling while the dough is warm from your hands.
- Don’t overbake: Cookies should remain soft and slightly fudgy.
- Press shallow indents: Press about one-third of the way down; deeper indents encourage spread.
- Add sprinkles right away: Apply sprinkles immediately after filling so they stick to the ganache.
FAQs
Cracking happens when the dough cools or dries before you indent it. To reduce cracking, roll and indent while the dough is still warm from your hands. A few small cracks are normal and do not affect flavor.
Yes. Add sprinkles immediately after filling with ganache so they adhere. Alternatively, roll the dough in sprinkles instead of sugar before baking.
No. Rolling in sugar adds a pleasant crunch and sweetness, but it’s optional. If you skip it, keep a little sugar on your thumb or spoon to prevent sticking when creating indents.
This is normal. Gently press the centers again with a spoon or the back of a teaspoon while the cookies are still warm to create the indentation for the ganache.
More You’ll Love
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
- ⅓ cup (33 g) dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
- ⅓ cup (68 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (68 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- 1 egg yolk (no whites)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Coating and Topping
- ⅓ cup (68 g) granulated sugar, for rolling (optional)
- ½ cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream
- Nonpareils or sprinkles, optional
Equipment
- Kitchen scale (recommended)
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
- Half sheet pans
- Silicone baking mats or parchment paper
Instructions
- Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix until incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Turn the dough onto parchment and flatten into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cut into 24 even pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball, coat in granulated sugar if using, and place on a lined tray. Immediately press the center one-third of the way down with the back of a ½ teaspoon while the dough is still warm from your hands to reduce cracking. Do not press too far.
- Place cookies on the pan close together (not touching) and freeze for 20–30 minutes until firm.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange chilled cookies 2–3 inches apart on prepared pans and bake 9–11 minutes until puffed and matte in the center. Re-press centers gently with the back of a 1 teaspoon while still warm. Let rest 5 minutes on the tray, then cool completely on a wire rack.
- Warm heavy cream until just boiling. Pour over chocolate chips, let sit 1 minute, then whisk until smooth to make ganache.
- Pipe ganache into each cookie indentation, keeping the filling level with or slightly below the rim. Add sprinkles immediately, if desired, and chill until set, about 15 minutes.
Notes
- TO STORE: Airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze on a sheet pan until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
|
Calories: 122kcal
|
Carbohydrates: 15g
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates only.
Sharing this recipe with a link is encouraged. Content and photographs are copyright protected.