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–+ servings
Chocolate thumbprint cookies filled with chocolate ganache and sprinkled with finely chopped chocolate.
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5 from 7 votes

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

These chewy chocolate thumbprint cookies, a classic Christmas favorite, feature a rich dark chocolate cookie filled with ganache and topped with extra chocolate. These bakery-style cookies will melt in your mouth with chocolate goodness!

Equipment

  • one-tablespoon cookie scoop

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour *See notes below for measuring*
  • ½ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • ⅔ cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon ground espresso optional
  • finely chopped chocolate bar for topping
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cream the butter and sugar. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Mix in the wet ingredients. Then mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
  • Mix in the dry ingredients. Mix in the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder until just combined.
  • Scoop the cookie dough. Scoop the cookie dough into one tablespoon-sized portions, then roll them between your hands to make them round. Place them on a parchment-lined baking tray with some room in between each.
  • Indent the centers of the cookies. Indent the centers with the round back of a teaspoon or by sticking your thumb straight down into the center. Chill the tray of thumbprint cookies in the freezer for 2-3 hours, or until frozen solid. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
  • Bake the cookies. Bake the frozen chocolate thumbprints spaced 1 ½-2 inches apart for 7-9 minutes. Right out of the oven, use a small round cookie cutter to scoot the edges of the cookies to make them perfectly round. Then reindent the centers (they will puff up some while baking). Let the tray cool on a wire cooling rack while you make the ganache.
  • Make the chocolate ganache. Heat the cream and espresso (if using) in a pot or the microwave then pour it over the chocolate chips. Let them sit for 1-2 minutes, then stir to emulsify the ganache. It should be smooth and silky with no chocolate chunks!
  • Fill the thumbprints. Fill the center of the cookies with the chocolate ganache. Sprinkle finely chopped chocolate on the edges if desired and enjoy!
  • Store the baked cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag for 2-3 days at room temperature. You can store the frozen cookie dough balls in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Notes

*Measure your flour properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Do not fill the cookies while they are warm or the ganache will melt and spill out of the centers!
Underbake the cookies: You should remove them from the oven when the edges are just set but the centers are still underbaked. This keeps them soft and chewy!