Festive Christmas thumbprint cookies {with sprinkles}

Christmas Thumbprint Sprinkle Cookies

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year! These fun thumbprint cookies combine all my favorite things; Christmas, cookies, & sprinkles!

These cute cookies are great for kids, serving on the dessert table at a party, or including as part of fun food Christmas gift.

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Red & Green Christmas Cookies

These cookies are great because they have the look of thumbprint cookies without all the extra work. Those are actually candy melts in the center. These cute cookies are easy enough that the kids can help make them…and eat them of course!

Christmas thumbprint cookie ingredients

Cookie Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Christmas sprinkles
• Green food coloring
• Red candy melts

I picked up the cute sprinkles I used at Target around Christmas time. You can sometimes find the red candy melts at Target or the grocery store but I generally get mine at Michaels in the baking section.

You’ll want to use larger sprinkles. DO NOT use the small round type known as nonpareils. These type are too small and will melt and burn upon baking.

How to make Christmas thumbprint cookies

1 – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2 – In a medium-sized bowl combine the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, and salt.

3 – In a large bowl or stand mixer cream the butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy.

4 – Add in the egg yolks and vanilla, and green food coloring and mix until well combined.

Your dough will lighten once you add the dry ingredients and lighten again upon baking so make sure it’s a nice darker shade of green.

You could also reverse these and use red dough with green candy melts but it’s hard to get a red cookie, they usually end up looking more pink.

5 – Add the dry ingredients in parts and mix until combined. (Add more green food coloring if needed).

6 – Roll dough into a 1 inch balls.

Pour sprinkles into a shallow plate or bowl and roll the dough in the sprinkles coating the middle area but leaving the top and bottom bare.

Again, do no use nonpareil type sprinkles. I used Christmas themed jimmies and Christmas shaped ones on mine.

Place upright on a baking sheet (covered with parchment paper or silicone baking mat).

7 – Press 2 red candy melts together and then press them gently into the top of the cookie in the center.

8 – Bake for about 20 minutes until starting to brown.

9 – Allow to cool for a few minutes on the pan before removing to a cooling rack to completely cool.

Dough hard to work with?

If your dough seems too sticky you may have not added enough flour, your butter may have been extra soft, or it could just be an extra warm day!

Try refrigerating the dough for 15-30 minutes and then try again.

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Yield: 30 cookies

Christmas thumbprint cookies

Print

Festive Christmas thumbprint cookies decorated with sprinkles and a candy melt center.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Christmas Sprinkles
• Green food coloring
• 1 bag red candy melts

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl or stand mixer cream the butter and sugar together until it's light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, and green food coloring and mix until well combined. Color will lighten upon adding dry ingredients and baking.
5. Add the dry ingredients in parts and mix until combined. (Add more green food coloring if needed)
6. Roll dough into a 1 inch ball.
7. Pour sprinkles into a shallow plate or bowl.
8. Roll the dough in the sprinkles coating the middle area but leaving the top and bottom bare.
9. Place upright on a baking sheet (covered with parchment paper or silicone baking mat).
10. Press 2 red candy melts together and then press them gently into the top of the cookie in the center.
11. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until beginning to brown.
12. Allow to cool a few minutes on the pan before transferring to a rack.

Notes

Don't use small round sprinkles. They will melt and burn upon baking.

Nutrition Information

Yield

30

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 116Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 35mgSodium 109mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 0gSugar 5gProtein 2g

Nutrition is a rough estimate. Will vary based on exact products and quantities used.

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