Pinterest Image Cookies – Easy 50-Minute Treat

I started calling these Pinterest Image cookies because every single time I pull a tray out of the oven, my phone comes out too. They are that pretty.

The name stuck after my daughter asked why I always photograph them before anyone gets to eat. Fair question. The answer is simple: jam centers glow like little stained-glass windows, and powdered sugar makes them look like it snowed in my kitchen.

The best part is they are genuinely easy. One bowl, no chilling required, and a thumbprint is the only decorating skill you need. If you can press your thumb into dough, you can make these.

About the Ingredients

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

Spoon flour into the cup and level it off, or your cookies will turn out dry and crumbly. Swap in white whole wheat flour for a slightly nuttier version.

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

This gives the cookies a soft, tender lift rather than a crispy snap. Check the date on your can, since older baking powder loses its power.

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Fine sea salt dissolves evenly into the dough. If you only have table salt, use a scant 1/4 teaspoon since it tastes saltier.

3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened

Let it sit on the counter for about an hour until it dents easily with your finger. Salted butter works too, just skip the added salt.

2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar

Regular white sugar keeps the cookies pale and pretty. Coconut sugar will work but will darken the dough noticeably.

1 large egg, room temperature

A room-temperature egg blends smoothly and prevents the batter from curdling. Quick trick: rest it in warm water for five minutes.

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Real vanilla makes a real difference in a simple cookie like this. Almond extract swapped in at 1 teaspoon gives a lovely bakery flavor.

1/3 cup (110g) raspberry or apricot jam

Seedless jam gives the cleanest, glossiest centers. Stir it well first so it spoon easily and does not clump.

1/3 cup (40g) powdered sugar, for dusting

Dust after the cookies cool completely or it melts into a sticky glaze. A fine-mesh sieve gives the prettiest, most even snowfall.

Tips & Tricks

• Do not overmix the dough. Stop as soon as the flour disappears, or the cookies turn tough instead of tender.
• Press your thumb in right after baking, not before. The indent stays deeper and holds more jam this way.
• Fill the centers while the cookies are still slightly warm so the jam settles and looks glossy.
• Cool on the pan for five minutes first. Moving them too soon makes them crumble at the edges.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the oven

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This gives the cookies a gentle, even bake without scorching the bottoms.

2. Cream butter and sugar

Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. You want it lighter in color, which means air is trapped inside and the cookies will be tender.

3. Add egg and vanilla

Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl so nothing streaks.

4. Mix the dry team

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Adding them dry and pre-mixed prevents salty pockets in the dough.

5. Bring it together

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low just until no flour streaks remain, about 20 seconds. The dough should look soft and slightly tacky.

6. Roll and bake

Roll 1-inch balls and space them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are barely golden and the tops look matte, not wet.

7. Press and fill

Press a deep well into each warm cookie with your thumb or the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measure. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each center.

8. Cool and dust

Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack. Once fully cool, dust generously with powdered sugar through a fine sieve.

Delicious Variations

Chocolate Cherry

Swap 1/4 cup of the flour for cocoa powder and use cherry jam in the centers.

Lemon Blueberry

Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the dough and fill with blueberry jam for a bright, summery bite.

Nutty Almond

Roll the dough balls in finely chopped almonds before baking and use almond extract in place of vanilla.

How to Store Pinterest Image

Frequently Asked Questions

I would love to see your tray of these little beauties. Bake a batch this week, snap a photo before anyone steals one, and tell me which jam you chose. Here's to small steps, big impact.

Pinterest Image

Pinterest Image cookies are buttery, jam-filled thumbprints dusted in powdered sugar, an easy 50-minute bake that looks stunning on any dessert table.

★★★★½ 4.8 (213 ratings)

15 minPrep time13 minCook time24Servings112 kcalCalories

Print RecipePin Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (110g) raspberry or apricot jam
• 1/3 cup (40g) powdered sugar, for dusting

📋 Instructions

1. 1Heat the oven — Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This gives the cookies a gentle, even bake without scorching the bottoms.
2. 2Cream butter and sugar — Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. You want it lighter in color, which means air is trapped inside and the cookies will be tender.
3. 3Add egg and vanilla — Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl so nothing streaks.
4. 4Mix the dry team — Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Adding them dry and pre-mixed prevents salty pockets in the dough.
5. 5Bring it together — Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low just until no flour streaks remain, about 20 seconds. The dough should look soft and slightly tacky.
6. 6Roll and bake — Roll 1-inch balls and space them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are barely golden and the tops look matte, not wet.
7. 7Press and fill — Press a deep well into each warm cookie with your thumb or the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measure. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each center.
8. 8Cool and dust — Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack. Once fully cool, dust generously with powdered sugar through a fine sieve.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: If your jam is very thick, warm it for 10 seconds so it slides off the spoon cleanly into each well.

Servings: 24

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Nutrition (per serving): 112 kcal · 1g protein · 15g carbs · 5g 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.