Walnut Thumbprint Cookies with Frosting are a delicious sugar cookie rolled in chopped nuts and topped with a sweet confectioners icing, for the perfect holiday dessert recipe!
Frosted Thumbprints
Walnut Thumbprint Cookies with Frosting are my FAVORITE holiday cookie recipe, right up there along with Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cut Out Cookies! These frosted thumbprints are a somewhat dense but moist sugar cookie rolled in finely chopped walnuts. The texture of the cookie is almost reminiscent of shortbread, as it has no leavener.
They have the perfect balance of richness from the abundant walnuts and sweetness from the icing. Every year my mom threatens to not make cookies for the holidays. We all know it is an empty threat though, because she would never dream of celebrating Christmas without the traditional cookie recipe from my grandmother that all her kids love.
Traditional Cookie Recipe
One of my favorite parts of this traditional thumbprint recipe is that it doesn’t waste any ingredients. The sugar cookie dough calls for egg yolks and the egg whites are reserved for rolling the dough in before coating it in chopped walnuts. This helps the walnuts adhere to the cookie really well.
Yet another great aspect to this recipe is that it makes a small batch. The final cookie recipe results in about one dozen cookies. This is great if you are wanting to try out a new recipe or just want to make a small batch of cookies for you and your small family.
If you love the walnut thumbprint cookies with frosting as much as our family does, then go ahead and triple the recipe! We rarely ever make less than a triple batch at the holidays for our family of 20.
How to make Walnut Thumbprints
To get started making these walnut thumbprint cookies, you will need make the cookie dough with the following ingredients,
- 1/4 cup shortening (butter flavored)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sifted* all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Do I have to sift the flour?
IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe calls for sifted flour. If you don’t have a sifter, or just don’t ever take the time to sift flour (I feel you!) be sure to remove 3 Tablespoons of flour from the one cup measured flour. If you don’t do this, you will have too much flour in the dough and they will be heavy and too dense.
One cup of sifted flour is about 4 ounces, whereas one cup of unsifted flour is 5 ounces. That is a substantial difference in measurements.
How to make thumbprints
Add the egg white that wasn’t used in the dough to a small bowl. Whisk it just until it is frothy. In a separate bowl add the finely chopped nuts. When it comes to chopping nuts, I highly recommend using a nut chopper. I’ve tried making these with the chopped walnuts straight from the bag and they are far too big and overpowering for these small cookies.
Roll the dough into one inch balls and dip them in the egg whites and then the chopped nuts. Place them on a lined baking sheet. I like to use pre-cut parchment because it is just plain easier.
Press your thump into the center of the cookie gently, until it goes about halfway down. Don’t press too far or it will crack the sides of the cookie. Bake the walnut thumbprints at 350F for 10-12 minutes, or just until they are golden brown on the edges.
As soon as the cookies are removed from the oven, carefully press down the centers of the cookies to make a deeper thumbprint. A teaspoon works well if you don’t want to burn your hands, but for those of us with weathered thumbs, they do the trick as well.
Frosting Thumbprint Cookies
To make the frosting, you will need to add 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to a medium bowl. Add enough cream or milk until it reaches a smooth consistency. You don’t want the frosting to run off the sides of the thumbprint cookie, so err on the side of thicker to be safe. The frosting will also thin out a little depending on how much dye you add to it.
Divide the frosting between small bowls and color it with your choice of food dye. Add about one tablespoon of frosting to each cooled cookie.
Frosting or Jam for Thumbprint Cookies
Most thumbprint recipes I see often call for jam. This is a good traditional option, but my family has always made our walnut thumbprints with frosting. You can’t really go wrong with either, seeing they are both a sweet center that balance the nuts well. You can certainly use jam in this recipe if that is what you prefer.
While we love a buttercream on cut out cookies, for these thumbprints we opt for a sweet confectioners icing, colored for whatever holiday you are celebrating. We always make these for Christmas, so we go with green and red….or should I say pink. I never can get a true red out of my frosting, but I also don’t sweat it, because they still taste just as delicious!
Christmas Cookies that Freeze Well
If you make lots of Christmas cookies, you know how great it is to find a cookie recipe that freezes well. These Walnut Thumbprint Cookies are freezer friendly which is just one more reason we love them so much.
You can make them well in advance and toss them in your freezer to enjoy during the holidays with less stress. Freeze them with or without the frosting. Either way, they will thaw nicely and be a delicious holiday treat!
Or if you are like my Mom, you can just make them a week in advance and store them in the coldest bedroom in the house to preserve their freshness a bit.
More amazing Christmas treat recipes!
If you are looking for more traditional holiday cookies that taste amazing, be sure to check out these Best Christmas Cookie Recipes! Everything from classic cut-outs, to another family favorite, Coconut Straw Hat Cookies. And let’s not forget my Mom’s favorite, Kolaczki cookies! Here are even more delicious treats for Christmas!
Walnut Thumbprint Cookies with Frosting
Ingredients
Thumbprint Cookies
- 1/4 cup shortening butter flavored
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sifted all purpose flour*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg separated
- 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Confectioners Sugar Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- whipping cream
- food dye
Instructions
Thumbprint Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix the shortening, butter, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Mix the sifted flour and salt into the mixture.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites until just frothy. Add chopped walnuts to a separate bowl.
- Roll the dough into one inch balls. Dip the doughballs into the egg whites and then roll them in the chopped nuts until they are well coated.
- Arrange the walnut cookies on a lined cookie sheet. Indent the middle of each cookie gently with your thumb, pressing about half way down. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, carefully press down the centers of the cookies to make a deeper thumbprint. A teaspoon or weathered thumb works well for this.
- Allow to cool completely.
Frosting
- Meanwhile, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla, food dye and just enough whipping cream for a smooth icing. Top each thumbprint with a tablespoon of icing. Store the frosted thumbprint cookies in an airtight container.
Storing
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- Freeze cookies the same day you bake them after they have cooled. Store them in an airtight container and thaw at room temperature.
Julie says
These cookies were so delicious. I made them for a holiday cookie exchange and everyone raved about them. It was fun to try something new.
Coleen says
I wanted to try out a new cookie for the holidays and these were the perfect addition to my holiday cookie tray!
Alison says
Perfect recipe for baking with the kiddos. Yummy walnut dough!
DARILEEN FINN says
YOUR RECIPE’S SOUND WONDERFUL – CAN’T WAIT TO TRY SOME OF THEM – DARILEEN FINN – BALTIMORE, MD
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
These are just the cutest little thumbprint cookies ever! I am loving those coloured centers especially – I bet they taste even better too.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
These are just the cutest little thumbprint cookies ever! I am loving those coloured centers especially – I bet they taste even better too.