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Double chocolate thumbprint cookies on a tray.
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Double Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

These Double Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are everything you want in a holiday cookie! They're soft, fudgy, and filled with a rich, creamy chocolate ganache center. Plus, they're easy to make, fun to decorate, and guaranteed to disappear fast from your Christmas cookie tray!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword double chocolate thumbprint cookies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 30 cookies
Calories 148kcal
Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

Chocolate cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp. fine salt
  • 1 tsp. espresso powder
  • Christmas sprinkles, optional for decorating

Chocolate filling

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cream butter and sugars: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. (Check out my post on How to Cream Butter and Sugar for all my tips and tricks.)
    1 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
    Side-by-side image of creaming the butter and sugar together.
  • Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
    1 large egg, 2 tsp. vanilla extract
    Adding the rest of the wet ingredients to the beaten butter and sugar.
  • Combine dry ingredients: Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder together in a separate bowl.
    2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp. fine salt, 1 tsp. espresso powder
    Side-by-side of whisking the dry ingredients together.
  • Make dough: Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until combined. The dough should be soft but sturdy enough to roll.
    Side-by-side image of adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients to make the cookie dough.
  • Shape: Scoop into approximately 30g portions and roll into smooth balls. Roll in granulated sugar and then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (or something you can fit in your fridge). Using a rounded teaspoon measure or the end of a handle, press an indentation into the center of each ball, taking care not to press all the way through.
    Side-by-side image of scooping the dough then using a measuring spoon to make an indentation in the cookie dough.
  • Chill: Refrigerate shaped cookies for at least 45 minutes.
  • Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for ~10-12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. Immediately after baking, gently press the indentations again if they've puffed up at all.
    Side-by-side of chocolate thumbprint cookie dough on parchment lined baking tray then baking the cookies for 10-12 minutes.
  • Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for ~10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Make ganache: (You’ll only need 4 oz. chocolate and 4 oz. heavy cream, not the full 6 oz) Place finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream until steaming, but not boiling. Pour over chocolate and let sit for 2-3 minutes. Stir gently until smooth, then stir in softened butter.
    Batch chocolate ganache
    Side-by-side image of pouring the hot heavy cream over the chopped chocolate to make the ganache.
  • Fill: Spoon or pipe ganache into the centers of the cooled cookies. Sprinkle with festive sprinkles. Allow the ganache to set before serving and enjoy!
    Christmas sprinkles
    Side-by-side image of letting the filled and decorated cookies set then placing them on a serving tray.

Notes

  • Don’t rush creaming the butter and sugar: This step is important for getting soft, chewy cookies with the perfect texture! Beat the softened butter and sugars together for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture looks light, fluffy, and slightly pale. Properly creaming incorporates air into the dough, which helps create a tender cookie. If you need a refresher, check out my post on How To Cream Butter and Sugar for a step-by-step guide and all my tips and tricks!
  • Chill the dough: Don’t skip this step! Once you've shaped the cookies, let them chill in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes. This helps the cookies to hold their shape while baking.
  • Let cookies cool before filling: Make sure to let the cookies cool all the way before adding the chocolate filling! If they’re even a little warm, the chocolate ganache will melt right off.
  • Storage: Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. If your kitchen is particularly warm, refrigerate them to keep the ganache firm.
  • Freezing: If you're freezing the cookies, I'd recommend freezing the baked cookies without the ganache and filling them after thawing. This will give you the best texture and appearance, although freezing them fully assembled should also work.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg