These festive sugar-coated thumbprint cookies are the perfect Christmas cookie, thanks to their red color and shimmery appearance. And, after being filled with a cream cheese filling, they’re just as delicious as they are beautiful.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Except for Brenna of course. You see, kitty cats don’t care if you’ve been up all day baking Christmas cookies for Christmas Cookies Week. When the clock hits three o’clock in the wee hours of the morning, it’s time to play. And playing by one’s self if just no fun. So Brenna almost always insists on mommy and daddy waking up to join in the fun. Honestly, having mice in the house might be an improvement. Maybe we’d finally get some sleep.
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red No-Taste Gel Food Coloring
- 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar, Decorative Sanding Sugar, or Sprinkles
Filling:
- 4-oz. Cream Cheese, Softened
- 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Directions:
Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk; mix for 30 seconds.
- Add the vanilla and food coloring; mix for 30 seconds.
- Add the cocoa; mix until just incorporated.
- Add the flour, one cup at a time; mix until just incorporated after adding each cup of flour.
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to measure out dough and then roll each scoop of dough into a ball using the palms of your hands.
- Place the granulated sugar, decorative sanding sugar, or sprinkles in a small bowl. Roll each ball of dough in the sugar or sprinkles to coat and then place each ball of dough onto a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Use your thumb or the back of a small spoon to make a well in each ball of dough.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
Filling:
- Place all of the ingredients into a medium-sized bowl; mix for 2 minutes on medium speed.
- When the cookies come out of the oven, use a small spoon to fill the well of each cookie with the filling.
- Bake for 12 additional minutes, or until the filling is set.
Suggestions:
- I prefer to use gel food coloring when baking. You can use liquid if you choose, however, the dough may be a bit sticky because you will need to use a larger amount.
- I used white shimmer sugar to roll these cookies in, which was rather crunchy. You can use whatever type of sugar you prefer.
- If the indentations in your thumbprint cookies become less prominent after baking, use the back of a spoon to create new ones before filling the cookies.
- This recipe will yield approximately 22 cookies.
- Store these cookies between layers of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container. I suggest storing these in a refrigerator due to the cream cheese.
Improvements:
- Make two batches of these cookies. One with red food coloring and one with green food coloring.
- Roll the cookie dough balls in red sanding sugar.
- Drizzle with melted milk or dark chocolate.
- CLICK HERE to find a list of all of our past cookie recipes, as well as smaller lists of holiday-grouped or cookie-type-specific recipes. Remember, cookies aren’t just for Christmas. They’re an all-year-round treat.
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red No-Taste Gel Food Coloring
- 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar, Decorative Sanding Sugar, or Sprinkles
- 4-oz. Cream Cheese, Softened
- 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk; mix for 30 seconds.
- Add the vanilla and food coloring; mix for 30 seconds.
- Add the cocoa; mix until just incorporated.
- Add the flour, one cup at a time; mix until just incorporated after adding each cup of flour.
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to measure out dough and then roll each scoop of dough into a ball using the palms of your hands.
- Place the granulated sugar, decorative sanding sugar, or sprinkles in a small bowl. Roll each ball of dough in the sugar or sprinkles to coat and then place each ball of dough onto a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Use your thumb or the back of a small spoon to make a well in each ball of dough.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Place all of the ingredients into a medium-sized bowl; mix for 2 minutes on medium speed.
- When the cookies come out of the oven, use a small spoon to fill the well of each cookie with the filling.
- Bake for 12 additional minutes, or until the filling is set.
PIN THIS RECIPE
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MORE GREAT CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPES
Cinnamon Chip Holiday Spice Cake Mix Cookies
Sadie’s Double Pecan Butter Cookies
TASTE OF HOME FEATURED RECIPE
This “Cream Cheese Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies” recipe has been featured in Taste of Home. CLICK HERE to see the recipe. This recipe was featured in “How to Make Red Velvet Cookies for Your Holiday Cookie Plate.”
Christmas is a time for family, friends, and delicious holiday cookies. From classic butter cookies to iced gingerbread cookies, this list of ultimate Christmas cookie recipes has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for festive colors, unique seasonal ingredients, or just a cookie that’s super easy to make, these Christmas cookie recipes will help you find the perfect cookie for the season. CLICK HERE for the recipes.
Thank you to Ellen of Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting #ChristmasCookies Week. And a huge thank you to our sponsors Adams Extract and Millican Pecan for supporting the bloggers and events like Christmas Cookies Week.
Check out today’s cookie recipes:
- Brown Sugar Christmas Cookies by Intelligent Domestications
- Browned Butter Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting by Daily Dish Recipes
- Chewy Hazelnut Oatmeal Cookies by Food Above Gold
- Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti by Sweet Beginnings
- Cinnamon Pecan Snowball Cookies by The Spiffy Cookie
- Cream Cheese Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Dark Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Eggnog Crackle Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Eggnog Snickerdoodle Cookies by Cheese Curd In Paradise
- French Toast Snickerdoodles by Love and Confections
- Gluten Free Hungarian Rugelach by Frugal & Fit
- Iced Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies by Family Around the Table
- Iced Molasses Cookies by Palatable Pastime
- Kipplens AKA: Pecan Snow Balls by Hardly A Goddess
- Lemon Sponge Tassies by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Oatmeal Pecan Cookies by Creative Southern Home
- Pecan Sandies by Everyday Eileen
- Peppermint Madeleines by Books n’ Cooks
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Biscotti by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
- Raspberry Shortbread Cookies by Blogghetti
- Salted Chocolate Pecan Cookies by Cookaholic Wife
- Speculoos (Belgian Spice Cookies) by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- White Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread Cookies by Red Cottage Chronicles
