Pinterest Image Cookies – Easy 50-Minute Treat

I started making these Pinterest Image cookies on a rainy Tuesday when my daughter begged for something pretty to photograph for her baking club. I wanted a cookie that looked fancy but came together with one bowl and zero stress. These jam thumbprints did exactly that.

The dough is a soft, buttery shortbread base with a hint of vanilla and almond. You roll little balls, press a well in the center, and fill it with bright raspberry jam. The jam bubbles and turns glossy in the oven, which is the moment everyone crowds the kitchen.

You do not need a stand mixer or fancy piping skills. If you can roll a meatball, you can make these. I have made them with kids, with cold butter, and with gluten-free flour, and they still turn out lovely every time.

About the Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour

Spoon flour into the cup and level it off so you do not pack in too much. A 1-to-1 gluten-free blend swaps in cup for cup here.

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Salt balances the sweet jam and keeps the cookies from tasting flat. If you only have table salt, use a scant 1/2 teaspoon.

1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened

Real butter gives the shortbread its tender crumb. For a dairy-free version, use a stick-style vegan butter, not the tub kind.

2/3 cup (80g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting

Powdered sugar keeps the dough soft and melt-in-your-mouth. Sift it first if it looks lumpy from the pantry.

1 large egg yolk, room temperature

The yolk adds richness and helps bind the dough. Save the white for brushing on nuts or sealing pastries.

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pure vanilla tastes warmer than imitation. Almond extract fans can use 1 teaspoon vanilla plus 1/2 teaspoon almond.

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

This is the secret that makes people ask what is in them. Skip it and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if you prefer.

3/4 cup (240g) thick raspberry jam

Seedless or seeded both work, but thick jam holds its shape. Apricot, cherry, or lemon curd are delicious swaps.

Tips & Tricks

• Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling. Warm dough spreads in the oven and flattens the wells you pressed.
• Press the wells with the back of a 1/2-teaspoon measure or a rounded spoon handle. Go about halfway down, not all the way through.
• Do not overfill the jam. A level 1/2 teaspoon per cookie is plenty; too much bubbles over the sides and burns.
• Rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking if your oven runs hot on one side. Even color is the goal.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Cream Butter and Sugar

Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, then beat in the egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract for 30 seconds.

2. Mix the Dry Team

Whisk the flour and salt together in a separate bowl. Add it to the butter mixture in two additions on low speed, stopping as soon as the flour disappears. The dough should look soft and slightly tacky.

3. Chill the Dough

Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This firms the butter so the cookies hold their shape instead of spreading.

4. Heat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Position one rack in the center of the oven for even browning.

5. Roll and Press

Scoop 1-tablespoon portions and roll them into smooth balls. Space them 2 inches apart on the sheets, then press a deep well into each center with your thumb or a rounded 1/2-teaspoon measure.

6. Fill with Jam

Spoon a level 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam into each well. Wipe any drips off the dough with a damp fingertip so the edges stay clean while baking.

7. Bake Until Golden

Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes at 350°F (175°C). They are done when the edges are light golden brown and the jam is bubbling at the center. The cookies will still feel soft on top.

8. Cool and Dust

Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar once they are just warm, about 10 minutes later.

Delicious Variations

Chocolate Cherry

Swap the raspberry jam for cherry preserves and add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder to the flour.

Lemon Sunshine

Use lemon curd instead of jam and add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the dough.

Nutty Thumbprints

Roll the dough balls in finely chopped pecans or almonds before pressing the wells.

How to Store Pinterest Image

Frequently Asked Questions

Grab your favorite jam, preheat that oven, and make a batch this week. Snap a photo before they disappear, because these Pinterest Image cookies are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. Here's to small steps, big impact.

Pinterest Image

Pinterest Image cookies are buttery, jam-filled thumbprints that look stunning on any board and taste even better with coffee or tea.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

15 minPrep time35 minCook time24Servings142 kcalCalories

Print RecipePin Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (80g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup (240g) thick raspberry jam

📋 Instructions

1. 1Cream Butter and Sugar — Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, then beat in the egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract for 30 seconds.
2. 2Mix the Dry Team — Whisk the flour and salt together in a separate bowl. Add it to the butter mixture in two additions on low speed, stopping as soon as the flour disappears. The dough should look soft and slightly tacky.
3. 3Chill the Dough — Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This firms the butter so the cookies hold their shape instead of spreading.
4. 4Heat the Oven — Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Position one rack in the center of the oven for even browning.
5. 5Roll and Press — Scoop 1-tablespoon portions and roll them into smooth balls. Space them 2 inches apart on the sheets, then press a deep well into each center with your thumb or a rounded 1/2-teaspoon measure.
6. 6Fill with Jam — Spoon a level 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam into each well. Wipe any drips off the dough with a damp fingertip so the edges stay clean while baking.
7. 7Bake Until Golden — Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes at 350°F (175°C). They are done when the edges are light golden brown and the jam is bubbling at the center. The cookies will still feel soft on top.
8. 8Cool and Dust — Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar once they are just warm, about 10 minutes later.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: If your jam is thin, whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch before filling the wells so it sets instead of running.

Servings: 24

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Nutrition (per serving): 142 kcal · 2g protein · 18g carbs · 7g fat

Written by Maya Vasquez

Maya writes about sustainable living and zero-waste swaps for everyday families. She focuses on small, budget-friendly changes that actually stick, tested in her own chaotic kitchen.