Get ready for your new favorite holiday treat! I was inspired by the classic flavors of a Black Forest cake, with its rich chocolate and bright cherry combination, when I came up with these Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies. Though plain thumbprint cookies are always a hit at exchanges, I wanted a unique angle that felt a bit more decadent but was still approachable for a weeknight bake. These little gems feature a soft, fudgy chocolate base filled to the brim with a glossy, decadent sauce made of dark chocolate and cherry preserves.
What I love most is that they look incredibly professional, like something you’d pick up at a fancy bakery, but they are surprisingly simple to make. You can whip this up in under an hour! Whether you are looking for the best chocolate cherry thumbprint cookie recipe to impress your in-laws or need a cozy treat for a movie marathon, this recipe delivers big flavor with minimal stress. It’s perfectly refreshing and yet totally crave-worthy.
Table of Contents
Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookies:
- 1½ cups 188g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ cup 50g unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder (for that deep, dark color)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup 113g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup 100g light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup 100g granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Cherry Ganache:
- 4 oz 113g dark chocolate bar, finely chopped
- â…“ cup 80ml heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons cherry preserves or jam
Optional:
- Freeze-dried raspberries or red sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Combine & Chill: With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined (don’t overmix!). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and **refrigerate for at least 30 minutes**.
- Shape & Indent: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 1-tablespoon dough balls and roll them smooth. Space them 2 inches apart. Use your thumb or a rounded teaspoon to press a deep indentation into the center of each ball.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be set and tops slightly dry but soft. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Make Ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Simmer the heavy cream (don’t boil!) and pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then whisk gently until smooth. Stir in the cherry preserves.
- Fill & Serve: Spoon the ganache into the cooled cookie indentations. Top with sprinkles if desired. Let set for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients for Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies
Here is everything you need to get started. I’ve kept the list straightforward because I know how annoying it is to hunt for obscure ingredients when you want to bake.
- 1½ cups (188g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (This is key for achieving that dark, fudgy color!)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100g) granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Cherry Ganache:
- 4 oz (113g) dark chocolate bar, finely chopped
- â…“ cup (80ml) heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons cherry preserves or jam
- Optional: Freeze-dried raspberries or red sprinkles for garnish
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies
Here are the steps to baking these beauties. Don’t worry if you haven’t made thumbprints before; the dough is very forgiving!
1. Prepare the Dry Mix
First, you add your dry ingredients to a bowl. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking powder until everything is evenly distributed. Set this aside. The Dutch process cocoa powder is totally worth finding, as it reduces acidity, giving you a mellower, darker chocolate flavor that packs a punch without the bitterness of natural cocoa.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on high speed to cream together the ½ cup softened butter, ½ cup packed brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated white sugar. You’ll want to do this for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture looks light, fluffy, and pale. This step incorporates air, which is the secret to that tender, chewy texture we all love.
3. Incorporate Wet Ingredients
Next, beat in the one large egg and one teaspoon vanilla extract on medium speed. Continue mixing until the mixture looks smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything combines evenly; the egg adds essential structure while the vanilla brings out those deep chocolate notes.
4. Combine and Chill the Dough
With your mixer on low speed, gradually add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until no dry streaks remain. You want to avoid overmixing, as this can cause the cookies to turn out tough. The dough will be thick and rich in texture. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours). I know waiting is hard, but this chilling step is essential! It firms up the butter, preventing your Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies from spreading into flat pancakes in the oven.
5. Shape and Indent
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out portions of the chilled dough using a 1-tablespoon scoop and roll them between your palms into smooth balls. Space them about 2 inches apart. Now for the fun part: use your thumb or the back of a rounded ½ teaspoon to press gently but firmly into the center of each ball. Make the indentation deep enough to hold plenty of that delicious ganache later!
6. Bake to Perfection
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. You’re looking for edges that are set and tops that look slightly dry but soft. They might look slightly underdone, but that is precisely what you want for a fudgy texture. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. If the centers puff up, gently press them down again while they are warm.
7. Whip Up the Ganache
While the cookies are incredible, get ready to make the glossy filling. Place the 4 oz chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the â…“ cup of heavy cream until it just begins to simmer, with tiny bubbles forming (don’t let it boil over). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute. Then, gently whisk from the center outward until it’s silky smooth. Stir in the three tablespoons of cherry preserves.
8. Fill and Serve
Using a small spoon, carefully fill each cooled thumbprint with the ganache. It should dome slightly on top. If you’re feeling fancy, sprinkle on some freeze-dried raspberries while the ganache is still soft. Let them sit in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, and voila!
Tips for the Best Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookie Recipe
I’ve made these easy chocolate cherry thumbprint cookies for dozens of holiday parties, and I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way to ensure they come out perfectly every time.
- Preventing Cracks: If you find your dough cracking when you make the indentation, try rolling the ball in your palms for an extra few seconds to warm the outside slightly. You can also gently pinch any large cracks back together before baking.
- The Cocoa Matters: My personal preference is Dutch process cocoa for its Oreo-like color and flavor, but you can also use natural cocoa powder if that’s what you have on hand. Please note that the cookies will be lighter in color and have a slightly tangier chocolate flavor.
- Ganache Variations: If you prefer a smoother filling, you can puree the cherry preserves before adding them to the ganache. Or, swap the preserves entirely! This base recipe works beautifully as chocolate thumbprint cookies with cherry filling, but raspberry or strawberry jam is a totally crave-worthy alternative.
- Make-Ahead Magic: As a bonus, it’s one of those recipes you can prep in advance. You can make the dough and chill it for up to 3 days before baking. You can also freeze the baked, unfilled cookies for up to a month. Just thaw and fill with fresh ganache when you’re ready to serve.
What to Serve With Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies
These cookies are rich, so they pair best with beverages or sides that cut through the sweetness or complement the chocolate.
- Espresso or Dark Roast Coffee: The bitterness of a good coffee balances the sweet ganache perfectly. It’s my go-to pairing for an afternoon pick-me-up.
- Sparkling Wine or Prosecco: If you are serving these as Christmas thumbprint cookies or for a New Year’s Eve party, the bubbles in a dry sparkling wine cleanse the palate between bites.
- Cold Milk: Sometimes you just can’t beat the classics. A tall glass of cold milk with these fudgy cookies is pure nostalgia.
- Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: Turn this into a plated dessert by serving a warm cookie alongside a scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the secret to a tender thumbprint cookie?
The secret is the butter-to-sugar ratio and the mixing technique. Creaming the butter and sugar incorporates air, while avoiding overmixing the flour ensures the gluten doesn’t overdevelop. This keeps the texture soft rather than tough or bread-like.
Why are my thumbprint cookies cracking when I put them in the thumbprint?
Cracking usually happens if the dough is too cold or dry. If they crack significantly, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly. Rolling the ball until it is completely smooth before pressing down also helps maintain the structure.
What is the filling in thumbprint cookies?
Traditionally, holiday thumbprint cookies are filled with fruit jams or preserves. However, for this chocolate cherry ganache cookies recipe, we use a rich mixture of heavy cream, dark chocolate, and cherry preserves to create a luxurious, truffle-like center.
Final Thoughts
I hope you have as much fun making these Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies as you will eating them! They are the perfect addition to any cookie swap and a guaranteed way to spread some cheer. The combination of the fudgy cookie base with that zippy, bright cherry ganache is absolutely addictive.
I’d love to hear how yours turned out! Did you stick with cherry or try a different fruit preserve? Please drop a comment below and let me know. Happy baking!
