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Home » Recipes » Desserts

Thumbprint Cookies with Icing

By Erin · October 22, 2020 · Updated January 4, 2023 · 25 Comments

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cookies filled with red and green icing
cookies filled with colorful icing

These Thumbprint Cookies with Icing are topped with walnuts, filled with buttercream icing and are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie round up! 

thumbprint cookies filled with red and green icing

I feel like thumbprint cookies are a classic holiday cookie, don’t you? These walnut thumbprint cookies are a fun spin on the traditional recipe and they’re filled with ICING instead of jelly or jam.

…I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the latter, but in most cases, I think people prefer icing over jam. Plus, the red and green make these walnut thumbprints look even more festive.

If you can believe it, my mom used to make ten (!!!) different kinds of cookies, including buckeyes, cut out sugar cookies and these thumbprint cookies with icing. I don’t think this is her exact recipe, but it’s the same concept: thumbprint cookies rolled in crushed walnuts and filled with colorful buttercream icing.

If you're really in the holiday spirit, be sure to try my chewy coconut cookies and my chai thumbprint cookies -- both are delicious!

ingredients with text overlay

Ingredient notes:

*Note that, though many of my recipes tend to be healthier, a handful of holiday cookie recipes are not, including these 🙂 I haven't tried making them "healthy" and instead prefer them as-is; however, if you want to try making substitutions, go for it!

Flour - I've only tested this recipe using all purpose flour; if you want to make these gluten free, I imagine a gluten free 1:1 baking flour would work.

Sugar - Can sub cane sugar instead of brown sugar

Egg - Can use flax egg instead (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 2.5 tablespoon water)

Step-by-step method

Step 1: Grind walnuts. Place the walnuts in your food processor and pulse until they're small and crumb-like, approximately 20 seconds.

Step 2: Create cookie dough. In one bowl, stir the flour, baking soda and salt together. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg and vanilla. Last, combine the wet and dry ingredients, then stir in HALF of the crushed walnuts.

cookie dough in a glass bowl

Step 3: Roll the dough. Once your dough is prepared, use your hands to form the dough into golf ball-sized balls, and then roll them in the crushed walnuts and place them directly onto a baking sheet.

cookie dough rolled in walnuts

Step 4: Bake. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them from the oven, and use your thumb to press a thumbprint into the middle of each cookie, then bake the cookies for 5 minutes longer.

cookies on a baking sheet

Step 5: Add icing. Once the cookies have cooled, you'll fill them with icing, either by piping the icing or spooning it into the cookies (shown below).

spooning icing into cookies

Recipe notes

  • Make sure use HALF of the walnuts in the actual cookie dough, and save the other half for rolling.
  • I used a spoon and scooped icing into the center, but you can pipe the icing if you prefer—whatever you’re more comfortable with!
  • To make these vegan: use 1 flax egg and vegan butter

Do I have to use food coloring?

Nope! I almost never use food coloring, but it does help to make these cooking a little more festive.

How should I store these?

Store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze: wait for cookies to cool, then place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.

I love these thumbprint cookies with icing so much and I think you will too. They’re a fun take on a classic cookie and filled with BUTTERCREAM. After all, who doesn’t love buttercream?

cookies on a table

More cookie recipes

  • Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • No Bake Breakfast Cookies
  • Flourless Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

thumbprint cookies filled with red and green icing

Thumbprint Cookies with Icing

These thumbprint cookies are topped with walnuts, filled with buttercream icing and make for an awesome addition to your holiday cookie collection.
5 from 16 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Author: Erin

Ingredients

for the cookies:

  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup walnuts divided

for the buttercream:

  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • 2 tablespoon milk of choice
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • A few drops red and/or green food coloring optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Place walnuts in your food processor and pulse for about 20 seconds; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together, then add egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Next, combine wet and dry ingredients. Be patient with this step -- this could take 30-60 seconds until the dough comes together. If the dough is still too dry, add 1 tablespoon milk.
  • Stir HALF of the crushed walnuts (½ cup) into the dough. Roll dough into balls then roll the balls into the remaining crushed walnuts and place them 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet.
  • Bake cookies for 10 minutes; then, remove them from the oven, wait 1-2 minutes for them to slightly cool, and carefully use your thumb to press a thumbprint into the center of each cookie. Place cookies back into the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and onto a cooling rack.
  • While cookies are cooling, make the buttercream. Whisk butter and milk together, then add the powdered sugar and stir until smooth. If you choose to add food coloring, do so as this time. Wait until the cookies have cooled before adding the buttercream.
  • You may pipe the icing or simply use a spoon to scoop it into the center of each cookie.
  • Enjoy!

Video

Notes

*Calories are per cookie and are an estimation 
*Storage: store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3 days; or, place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months (or longer!) 
*To make vegan: use a flax egg and vegan butter
*When creating the thumbprint, make sure to press your thumb down into the cookie really well so there's enough room for the icing.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 328IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Leave a comment below and tag @thealmondeater on Instagram!

UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in December 2018. It was updated with new text in October 2020.

« Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Paleo, Whole30)
Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl »

About Erin

Erin is the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind the healthy food blog, The Almond Eater. She's been blogging since 2014 and loves to create food for many different diets, including vegan, gluten free and/or Whole30 recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Betsy says

    December 08, 2022 at 8:56 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious

    Reply
  2. Carol Jones says

    December 31, 2021 at 12:00 am

    5 stars
    Directions were easy to follow, and make the most amazing cookies! Thank you so very much!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      December 31, 2021 at 9:16 am

      Thanks Carol -- I'm so glad you liked them!

      Reply
  3. Lee says

    December 11, 2021 at 1:48 pm

    I’m going to freeze these and add the icing when I’m thaw them for use.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      December 11, 2021 at 3:17 pm

      That's a great idea!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 30, 2021 at 10:19 pm

        I’m so disappointed! The dough was perfect and I loved not using egg whites! But they spread and are so flat. I’m so bummed! The dough was perfect!

  4. Cheryl says

    December 04, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply
  5. mary novak says

    September 29, 2021 at 2:53 pm

    I've seen similar recipes. I haven't tried this yet though. In all the other recipes, they roll the dough balls in egg whites first before putting them in nuts. Is there any difference in the taste of the cookie if you don't do this as in your recipe?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      September 29, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      You can roll them in egg whites if you prefer! I've made them several times without the egg whites and the nuts still stick to the dough though, so it's not 100% necessary.

      Reply
  6. Ruth Ann Lowman says

    December 10, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    Got a similar recipe from my mother-in-law about 57 years ago. They were called clothespin cookies ( just take the rounded end of a clothespin and press in the middle). And each little ball was dunked in whipped egg whites and then walnuts or pecans. I always added almond to the buttercream! These are my family favorites!

    Reply
  7. Janet says

    December 02, 2020 at 5:43 pm

    5 stars
    I got a similar recipe from a friend over 50 years ago. Only thing she did different was in her buttercream, she would use leftover juice from a can of peaches or pears.

    Reply
  8. Carol says

    February 26, 2020 at 1:58 pm

    I am making these cookies for a wedding, can they be frozen??

    Reply
    • Erin says

      February 26, 2020 at 2:50 pm

      Yes they can!

      Reply
  9. Kellie West says

    December 24, 2019 at 7:28 pm

    5 stars
    These are now my favorite cookie. Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
  10. Linda Welling says

    December 14, 2019 at 5:20 pm

    My cookies came out flat. I bought all new ingredients just to be sure. Don't know what could have happened. I use to make these all the time and they turned out perfect. Think I'm losing my touch.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      December 15, 2019 at 1:24 pm

      I'm so sorry that happened! I just remade these recently and they turned out fine. Did you bake them for 10 minutes, THEN press down the thumbprint part? I imagine if you press the thumbprint down before baking they could turn out somewhat flat.

      Reply
  11. Darlene says

    December 12, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    I use pecans instead of walnut they are my favorite

    Reply
  12. Hannah says

    June 02, 2019 at 7:28 pm

    Just made these. They're cute and tasty but too sweet for me. I'd at least half the sugar in the dough.

    Reply
  13. Nancy says

    January 12, 2019 at 10:15 am

    5 stars
    My mom used to make these when I was growing up every Christmas. Now I have found the exact recipe at last. I made them for my boyfriend and loves them too. Thank You so much for this recipe.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      January 12, 2019 at 1:00 pm

      Aren't they just the best?!

      Reply
  14. Kelly | Foodtasia says

    December 04, 2018 at 9:24 pm

    These are so pretty and look so delicious!

    Reply
  15. Jean says

    December 04, 2018 at 4:39 pm

    Definitely love this version of these cookies. Might even try them with pistachios. How would you recommend storing them?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      December 05, 2018 at 9:06 am

      I'd store them in a container-- in the fridge or on the counter is fine! Should keep for 3 days.

      Reply
  16. GiGi Eats says

    December 04, 2018 at 4:15 pm

    You said buttercream. I started drooling!! YES PLEASE!!

    Reply
  17. Debbie Carr says

    December 04, 2018 at 6:53 am

    These look AMAZING!!! I love the colours too.
    I'm going to make these at the weekend! SAVED!
    Debs @ https://tiger-mint.com

    Reply

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