Let me tell you, these chocolate thumbprint Christmas cookies have become such a staple around here that December doesn’t quite feel real until I’ve baked at least three batches. Honestly, I blame my Nana: she used to let me squish the indents with whatever finger was least chocolatey (which, let’s be serious, was never my thumb). A proper Christmas memory always seems to happen between bites and spilled cocoa powder on the floor. And to this day, the smell of butter and cocoa drifting through the house is a little like a friendly nudge from the holidays themselves—plus, my niece once told me they taste “like chocolate wearing a Christmas jumper.” Take that as you will.

So, Why Bother Making These?

I make this recipe for almost every get-together in December—sometimes even when it’s just me and too many podcasts. My family basically hovers near the oven as soon as they catch a whiff, and last year my brother tried to sneak one before they cooled and ended up with molten chocolate all over his jumper. (Serves him right, honestly!) I also love them because the dough is super forgiving—if you accidentally overmix it a little or the shapes are, uh, rustic, they’re still excellent. I once thought I’d ruined a batch by making the wells too deep, but nope, still delicious. And if your chocolate’s a little lumpy? Turns out no one cares.

All the Stuff You’ll Need (Substitution Ideas Included)

1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened (I’ve used salted in a pinch and just skipped extra salt)
2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar—sometimes I swap half with light brown sugar for more chewiness
1 large egg (My friend swears by using just the yolk, but I’m lazy and just chuck in the whole thing)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract—try almond if you’re feeling fancy
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (gluten-free works reasonably well, though it’s a tad crumblier)
1/4 cup (20g-ish) unsweetened cocoa powder—Dutch-process gives it more oomph, but any cocoa will do, heck, I’ve even mixed in a spoonful of drinking chocolate before. It wasn’t the worst idea I’ve had.
1/4 tsp table salt or a good pinch, really
For the filling: 1/2 cup (90g) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks, and 1 tbsp butter or cream (When desperate, I’ve even melted down a bar of milk chocolate. Works. Tastes richer, actually.)

How I Actually Make Them (With a Bit of Fumbling)

Warm up your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment. Or, if you forget, just grease them and cross your fingers.
Cream the butter & sugar with a hand mixer or, honestly, a wooden spoon if your whisk is in the dishwasher (mine usually is). Give it a few minutes till it looks fluffy—I usually get impatient after about 2.5.
Mix in your egg and vanilla. Give it a good beat. Don’t panic if it looks a bit split; the flour honestly fixes everything here.
Sift in the flour, cocoa, and salt. Sometimes I skip the sifting and just stir longer. Combine into a dough—it’ll be soft, but not sticky. If your dough is too sticky, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes (or just add a spoonful more flour, on second thought that works, too).
Scoop out little balls—about a tablespoon each or roll them between your palms if you’re feeling nostalgic. Space them out; they don’t spread much. This is where I sneak a taste (maybe more than once…)
Make the thumbprints: press your thumb (or the back of a spoon if you’ve got rings on or are short on thumbs) into the middle of each dough ball. If they crack along the edges, just smush them back together. No stress.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until set but still looking almost a little underdone in the middle. They firm up as they cool—do not ask me how many times I’ve burned my mouth ignoring this fact.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter together. Microwave on low in bursts, stirring between. Or, old school—set a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (just make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Basically, you want a gooey pool of chocolate.
Spoon chocolate filling into the thumbprints once they’re cool enough to handle. If it spills a little, well, that’s called rustic charm. Let set before stacking—or eat them too soon and accept your fate.

Things I’ve Learned (Mostly the Hard Way)

Baking on a hot day? Chill the dough first, otherwise you end up with cookies that look like someone sat on them.
If you drop too much filling in, don’t try to scrape it out, just act like you meant for them to be double chocolate.
Icing sugar dusting makes them look Instagrammable, but you will get it everywhere.

Variations and a Few… Experiments

Swap the chocolate filling for raspberry jam—my partner swears by this, but personally, I think the jam makes the cookies go a bit soggy after day one.
Peanut butter instead of chocolate? I tried it at 2am. It was… not my proudest bake. Maybe with a pinch of salt it’d be better.
Sprinkle with sea salt flakes before baking for proper grown-up vibes.
Add crushed candy canes to the filling if you want it to taste unmistakably like Christmas.

Do You Actually Need Fancy Tools?

I mostly use an electric hand mixer, but you can definitely do this with just a bowl and wooden spoon (makes for a solid arm workout—so that’s Christmas calories sorted, right?). If you don’t have a baking sheet, just use the back of a roasting tin, lined. No fancy piping for the filling: an ordinary teaspoon works. King Arthur Baking has a good guide on these basics (they make me feel less bad about my baking shortcuts, to be honest).

Chocolate Thumbprint Christmas Cookies Recipe

How Do You Store These? (Spoiler: You Won’t Get the Chance)

Airtight container, room temp, up to 4-5 days. But honestly, in my house, they’re usually gone the same evening—unless you hide a tin at the back of the pantry. I think they taste even richer on day two, but that’s a rare event. If you’re buried under a pile of cookies (jealous) check out this freezing guide, which I wish I’d found sooner.

How We Like to Eat ‘Em

Honestly? Straight form the tray, when they’re just cool enough not to cause second-degree burns. At Christmas, we sometimes group up and dunk them in hot mulled wine—don’t judge! Or, pile them into a big tin and take to a neighbor’s (be prepared to get asked for the recipe). A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side if you wanna be extra fancy.

Things I Learned the Hard Way (So You Don’t Have To)

Do not try to rush cooling. The filling needs to be set or you’ll have a gooey mess. I tried waving a fan at them once—ended up with cold tops and warm bottoms, weirdly enough.
If using cheaper cocoa powder, sift it or you’ll get dry cocoa lumps. I just convinced myself they’re “flavour pockets” when I couldn’t be bothered.
Don’t skip lining the tray. The cookies stick like a stubborn toddler if you do.

That’s All Grand, But…FAQ Time!

Can I make these ahead of time? – Absolutely, the dough chills really well. Sometimes I make it the night before. Just let it warm up so you can actually scoop it.
Do they freeze? – Oh, for sure! Unfilled is best (just freeze the cookies, thaw, then add the chocolate after). But cookie emergencies allow for anything.
Can I use gluten-free flour? – Yes, and the difference is minor, honestly. It’s a tad more crumbly, but not dealbreaker territory.
Do I have to use chocolate in the middle? – Nope, jam’s good, caramel’s good, but chocolate is classic for a reason.
Do you really use your thumb? – Err, sometimes I just use a teaspoon. One time I used the back of a wooden spoon. Anything works if you try hard enough!

There it is—my chocolate thumbprint Christmas cookies recipe, just the way we make ‘em. If you decide to try it, let me know how they turn out, and if you stumble on a killer variation, I’m totally up for giving it a whirl next year. (On second thought, probably sooner—these cookies don’t usually last as long as my willpower does.)

Chocolate Thumbprint Christmas Cookies Recipe You’ll Love