These Valentine’s-themed thumbprint shortbread cookies are filled with strawberry jam in a heart-shaped indentation and finished with chocolate. While they’re perfect for Valentine’s Day, they can be made any time of year and are especially delightful for a tea party with children. The recipe for these shortbread cookies with strawberry jam and chocolate was inspired by a favorite Amish cookbook compiled by an extended Amish family from the community I grew up in. Scroll down past the recipe card for step-by-step photos and instructions on creating the cute heart shape in these jam-filled thumbprint cookies.
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Amish chocolate covered strawberry cookies (thumbprint)
marilynpeight
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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baking sheets
-
mixing bowl
-
piping bag (or zip-top bag)
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parchment paper
Ingredients
- 11 tablespoons butter salted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour *see note
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling and topping:
- 1/2-3/4 cup chocolate morsels
- strawberry jam
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whisk in the egg until smooth.
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Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add to the butter mixture along with the vanilla extract. Mix until a cohesive dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball and place it on parchment paper.
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Using the parchment paper, form the dough into a log about the diameter of a half dollar (see note), cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once chilled, slice the log into disks about 1 inch apart and arrange the disks on parchment-lined baking sheets.
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Flatten each disk slightly, then press outward to the left and right with your finger to make a heart-shaped indentation (see photos for guidance).
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Fill each heart indent with a small spoonful of strawberry jam. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden and the bottoms are slightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack.
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Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring frequently. Once the cookies are fully cool, drizzle or pipe the melted chocolate over them as desired.
Notes
Chilling the dough firms the butter so the cookies spread less while baking.
Equipment:
- Baking sheets — sturdy, heavy-duty pans help cookies bake evenly.
- Mixing bowl — stainless steel or another durable bowl works well.
- Piping bag or zip-top bag — useful for piping melted chocolate.
- Parchment paper — recommended for lining baking sheets to keep cookie bottoms dry.
Ingredients needed for these chocolate-covered strawberry cookies: butter, vanilla extract, strawberry jam, chocolate, all-purpose flour, egg, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar.
Note:
If you prefer a different flavor or don’t have strawberry jam, you can substitute any jam you like — grape, raspberry, peach, and more all work well.
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar until well combined, then whisk in the egg.
Step 1 continued: Add the dry ingredients and vanilla, then mix until the dough is somewhat stiff and can be shaped into a ball.
Note:
Depending on the egg size, you may need a little extra flour. If the dough won’t shape easily, add flour sparingly until the dough holds together.
Step 2: Shape the dough into a log, wrap in parchment, and chill for 30 minutes. After chilling, slice into disks about 1 inch apart and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Note:
Chilling the dough solidifies the butter so the cookies don’t spread excessively during baking.
Step 3: Flatten each disk slightly with your palm or the bottom of a round dish. Create the heart shape by pressing outward to the right and left with your finger, as shown in the photos. The final look should resemble the example, but feel free to experiment with size and shape.
Cookies will spread slightly in the oven, so make the heart indentation a little larger if you want more room for jam.
Step 4: Fill the heart-shaped indents with jam and bake until the cookies are golden.
Step 5: Let the cookies cool completely, then melt the chocolate and decorate. Drizzle, pipe, or fully coat the cookies with chocolate according to your preference.
Note:
Decorating is optional — a simple chocolate drizzle tastes great, and you can add hearts or messages if you feel creative. Either way, these cookies are delicious.
Pin this recipe for later and leave a rating if you enjoyed it. You can also share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!
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