Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Close up of thumbprint chocolate cookies with ganache centers topped with holiday nonpareils.

These chocolate thumbprint cookies feature a soft, fudgy chocolate cookie filled with rich chocolate ganache and topped with festive sprinkles. Easy to make and perfect for holiday gifting or dessert trays.

Author Amber Brady

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 30

Total Time 1 10

Yields cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon & level)
⅓ cup (33 g) dutch-process cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup (113 g) butter, (1 stick) room temperature
⅓ cup (68 g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (68 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
1 egg yolk, (no whites)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Coating and Topping Ingredients

⅓ cup (68 g) granulated sugar, for rolling (optional)
½ cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream
nonpareils/sprinkles, optional

Instructions

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Stir together and set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars. Add the egg yolk and vanilla. Mix until incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
Empty dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Flatten into a rectangular disk about 1-inch thick. Use a knife or bench scrape to divide the dough into 24 pieces. (*See image in post.)
Roll each piece of dough into a ball with your hands, coat it in granulated sugar, then place it onto a parchment or silicone lined tray. Immediately press the center one-third of the way down with the back of a ½ teaspoon while still warm from your hands, to reduce cracking. (Don't press too far down or the cookies will spread more.)
Repeat with all dough balls, placing cookies close together on the same pan, as long as they are not touching. CHILL the pan of chocolate thumbprint cookies for 20-30 minutes in the freezer until cold and firm to the touch.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, while the cookies chill. Line half sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
Place the chilled cookies 2 to 3-inches apart (12 per tray) onto the prepared pans. Bake at 350˚F for 9-11 minutes until cookies are puffed up and matte in the center. Then use the back of a 1 teaspoon to gently re-press the centers slightly while still warm. Allow the cookies to rest for 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (NOTE: Keep extra cookies chilled while you bake each pan.)
Warm the heavy cream for about 30 seconds in the microwave, until just boiling. Pour the cream over the bowl of chocolate chips and let it sit for for 1 minute. Then whisk together until smooth.
Place the ganache in a piping bag or plastic zip-top bag, cut off the tip/corner and fill each cookie well with ganache. (TIP: Don't heap the ganache, try to make it level with the cookie or slightly under the rim. This makes it easier to store the cookies.) Sprinkle with nonpareils/sprinkles if desired. Chill the cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes or until the chocolate ganache is set.

Notes

TO STORE: Store cookies in an airtight container or on a plate covered tightly with plastic wrap for up to 2 days at room temperature (due to the cream in the ganache) or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
TO FREEZE: Freeze cookies in a single layer on a sheet pan for 1 hour until firm. Then transfer frozen cookies to a freezer-safe container, separating any layers with parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, separate cookies into single layers, covered or in an airtight container, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter until room temperature before consuming.

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