Eggless Thumbprint Cookies

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These classic thumbprint cookies are everything you want in a homemade cookie: buttery, tender, and filled with your favorite jam. And the best part? They are completely egg-free! No hard-to-find ingredients. Just simple pantry staples to create a favorite cookie for holidays, cookie trays, or anytime you are craving a sweet homemade treat.

eggless thumb print cookies on a cooling rack

Quick Look: Eggless Thumbprint Cookies

Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes (including the 30 minutes in the freezer)
Ingredients: Flour, cornstarch, salt, butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, milk, jam
Equipment Needed: Stand mixer with paddle attachment, baking tray, parchment paper
Top Tip: Roll each dough ball in sugar before indenting – it helps prevent cracking and gives the cookies a beautiful, cohesive finish

These are sometimes called jam thumbprint cookies or kolache cookies, and they’ve been a classic for a reason – a buttery shortbread-style cookie with a sweet, jam filled center is hard to beat. I make a batch of these anytime I want something that looks a little more special than a drop cookie, without a whole lot of effort!

I tested this recipe several different ways – not chilling the dough at all, chilling it in the refrigerator, and chilling it in the freezer – and the freezer was the clear winner. You really don’t want the dough to spread in this recipe, because unlike a lot of cookies, the jam goes in before baking, not after.

For this batch of eggless jam thumbprint cookies, I used an assortment of apricot and raspberry jam, but strawberry and blackberry are delicious too. Feel free to use whatever you flavor you love, but make sure it is seedless jam.

Note from Lexi: Why This Recipe Works

I’ve been creating eggless desserts for years and it’s my true joy to be your trusted source for egg-free recipes! This recipe is perfect for anyone with an egg allergy or if you don’t eat eggs.
You might expect a cookie recipe to need eggs for structure, but this one is built more like a shortbread than a traditional cookie. My secret weapons? Simple ingredients like cornstarch, milk, and flour. These help give the cookie its structure and moisture it needs. I tweaked the flour-to-cornstarch ratio quite a bit to land on the right combination that holds together beautifully, no egg needed at all.
– Lexi Battershell with Our Slice of Home

Ingredients and Substitutions

All-purpose flour: For the perfect light, fluffy texture.
Cornstarch: It is used to help bind the cookies together and help make them a bit more tender.
Salt: To enhance the flavor and balance the sugar.
Unsalted butter: If you use salted butter, omit the extra salt in the recipe. Make sure your butter is softened so it creams together nicely!
White granulated sugar: You’ll use this in the dough and to roll the dough balls in prior to baking.
Brown sugar: Helps to add a rich flavor.
Vanilla extract: Adds the best flavor.
Whole milk: Add it at room temperature so it doesn’t harden the butter. You can use 2% milk or a dairy-free option such as oat, almond, or soy milk.
Jam: Your favorite flavor(s) – I like using a mix for a colorful tray.

How to Make Eggless Thumbprint Cookies

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.

creamed butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl

Step 2: In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Cream together.

Step 3: Pour in the room temperature milk and vanilla. Mix until combined. Then pour in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined – don’t overmix!

eggless sugar cookie dough balls on a baking sheet

Step 4: Line a cookie tray with parchment paper. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a smooth ball. Roll the dough ball in white granulated sugar, then place it on the baking tray. Space them about 1 inch apart.

eggless thumbprint cookies with an indent on them on a baking sheet

Step 5: Press down slowly on the top of each ball. You can press down with either the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon or your thumb. Press about halfway down the cookie and press slowly to prevent cracking. I personally prefer the rounded back of a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon since it makes the cookies look more cohesive. Now FREEZE (yes, freezer not fridge) the dough without the jam for 30 minutes.

eggless thumbprint cookies on a baking sheet

Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the tray from the freezer and fill each indent with jam – you don’t want the jam higher than the sides of the cookie. Bake 13-17 minutes, until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown. Let cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

FAQ

Can I use different flavors of jam?

Yes! Any jam or preserves you like will work here. I like using a mix of raspberry, and apricot for a colorful batch.

Why did my cookies crack when I pressed in the indent?

This usually happens when the dough is too dry or you are pressing too fast and hard. Some tips: Press gently and slowly. Add a splash of milk if the dough is too dry. Rolling the dough balls in sugar before pressing helps prevent cracking. If you do get small cracks (which absolutely happens!), just smooth them out gently with your fingers.

Do I really need to freeze the dough before baking?

Yes, don’t skip this step. I tested this recipe without chilling, with a fridge chill, and with a freezer chill – the freezer was the clear winner. You don’t want the dough to spread in this recipe, since the jam goes in before baking, not after.

Can I make these dairy-free?

Yes – use a solid, dairy-free butter block (not a spreadable tub) and swap the whole milk for almond, oat, or soy milk.

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes, simply replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.

Equipment Needed

Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Mixing bowl
Cookie tray
Parchment paper
1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon
Cooling rack

Allergy Friendly Swaps

Dairy-free option: use a vegan butter (firm sticks, not the spreadable kind) and a dairy-free milk (almond, oat, or soy).
Gluten-free option: replace the flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.

How to Store

FRIDGE: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Yes, I recommend storing these in the fridge because they have jam in them that usually requires refrigeration.

FREEZER: Place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Separate layers with parchment paper. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

eggless jam thumbprint cookies piled on a plate

Top Tips

Roll each dough ball in sugar before indenting – this helps prevent cracking and gives the cookies a beautiful, cohesive finish.
Press the indents slowly, and smooth out any small cracks with your fingers as you go.
Don’t skip the freezer step – it keeps the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.

More Eggless Holiday Cookies

Looking for more eggless cookies to add to your holiday baking list? Try these easy, delicious cookie recipes that are perfect for sharing!

You can grab these super delicious eggless cut out sugar cookies to decorate. If you love peppermint flavor then these eggless peppermint cookies are just perfect. I also have the best classic cookie recipes such as these Eggless Snickerdoodle Cookies or these Eggless Molasses Cookies.

If you made this recipe, I’d be so grateful if you left a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a quick comment sharing how it turned out. And if you haven’t already, follow along here:

– Lexi with Our Slice of Home