Name: Coconut Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 30
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash); 6 ounces sweetened flaked coconut; Jam of your choice (approximately 1/4 cup)

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Coconut jam thumbprint cookies are a buttery shortbread cookie; coated in shredded coconut, filled with jam and baked to create an addicting cookie. You'll want to add these to all your cookie trays!

We've officially entered my favorite time of the year, holiday baking season! I must admit that I tend to get a little carried away with the amount of cookies I make every year. I just can't help myself!!

Over the next several weeks, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite holiday cookie recipes. Some of the recipes have been altered by me over the years, but several of them are recipes I have gotten from others. Santa Surprises, Shortbread Peppermint Bark and Brown Butter Peppermint Blossoms will be coming soon.

Coconut jam thumbprints on a cooling rack with a jam filled spoon

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First up are coconut jam thumbprint cookies. This is a slightly adapted version from Ina Garten's Jam Thumbprint Cookies. The cookies are my mom and my favorite and Big E is quite fond of them too. The cookie has a buttery shortbread base, which is dipped in an egg wash and shredded coconut. Then you make an indentation or thumbprint and fill it with your favorite jam. They bake up perfectly to be a soft shortbread cookie that isn't overly sweet, but is amazingly addictive.

LET'S MAKE THE COOKIES!

Start by sifting the all purpose flour into a bowl. This ensures that no lumps are in your flour and gives the cookie the best texture. Could you skip this step? I suppose you could, but I've been making this recipe for at least 14 years now and I always sift the flour.

I always use kosher salt and I find it is too coarse to be sifted with the flour. It all just ends up at the bottom of the sifter! I sift the flour, then add the salt and give it a quick whisk to distribute the salt through the flour.

Next, cream the butter and sugar using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand held mixer. You just want to cream the two together until combined, which takes about 1-2 minutes. Then add the vanilla extract. Finally, slowly add in the flour mixture until the dough just starts to come together. Gather the dough in a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, flatten the dough to a 1 inch disk and chill for about 30 minutes.

PUTTING THE COCONUT JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES TOGETHER

After the dough has chilled, portion the dough into 30 cookies, using a 1 ½ inch cookie scoop (this is the one I have). Then roll each portion into a ball.

Dip each cookie dough ball into an egg wash and then shredded coconut. Place the dipped and coated dough onto a prepared baking sheet. The cookies do not spread much so they can be placed fairly close together.

Coconut and egg wash in bowls with shortbread cookie dough balls

Dough balls rolled in coconut on a baking mat

Next, using your (clean) thumb, the end of a spatula or a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, create an indentation in the middle of each dough ball. If you find that the cookie splits a little bit you can just press the dough back together.

Thumb pressing indent into coconut jam thumbprint

Finally, fill each indentation with your favorite flavor of jam. Come to think of it, they would probably taste amazing with Nutella or salted caramel in the thumbprint too! If you choose to use one of these alternatives, I would bake the cookies without the filling and add it when the cookies have come out of the oven.

Overhead shot of an unbaked coconut jam thumbprint

Bake the coconut jam thumbprints for about 20 minutes until the cookies and coconut are light to golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 2 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Baked coconut jam thumbprints on a baking mat

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

The butter is a key ingredient in this recipe so use real butter and make sure it is at room temperature before starting.
Chill the dough for 30 minutes. This allows the butter to firm back up and solidify, which helps to prevent the cookies from spreading.
Use a fresh bag of coconut. An old bag in the back of your pantry isn't going to yield as nice of a texture or flavor. Did you know that an open bag of coconut should be stored in the refrigerator??
When making the thumbprint, it's better to have it deep rather than wide.
Do not over bake them. The cookie will still be light in color on top, but be golden on the underside. The coconut will have toasted to a golden color as well.

CAN I FREEZE COCONUT JAM THUMBPRINT COOKIES?

Yes! This recipe freezes beautifully!! Bake the cookies and allow them to cool completely. Then place in an airtight container or zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Pinterest graphic for coconut jam thumbprints

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If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

Yield: 30 cookies