There’s a little bakery in Richmond, Indiana called Joy Ann’s Cake Shop, it’s been there for years. I actually use to work around the corner from this bakery, which was dangerous; I went there a lot. I couldn’t resist their pecan danish; I still drool when I think about them. Those danish became an obsession with me, and no matter how many times I tried to make them, nothing was even close to the sweet, springy dough, and the sweet glaze on top. The last time I was in Richmond I went to Joy Ann’s just for a danish and they didn’t make any that day, I thought I might burst into tears. For crying out loud didn’t they know I was in town and needed a danish?
Thumbprint Cookies
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Joy Ann’s makes other great bakery treats like creme horns, fruit bars, cakes, donuts, cupcakes, fun-shaped cookies and these amazing little Thumbprint Cookies filled with pastel-colored icing. Another one of my addictions. So since I couldn’t make those darn danish I knew I could make the thumbprints.
What’s great about these cookies is they are so easy to make and fill. Roll them in nuts, sugar, sprinkles or just leave them plain. You can go wild on the fillings; chocolate, caramel, marshmallow, jams, fruit, and my favorite, a simple powdered sugar icing.
Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner I thought making these cookies with red, pink and white sprinkles and colorful icing sounded like the perfect way to celebrate this day with something really colorful.
Here is your Thumbprint Cookie ingredient list –
- Butter
- Shortening
- Brown Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Salt
- Colored nonpareils
How to Make Thumbprint Cookies
These sweet little cookies are super easy to make. Just mix the batter in a bowl with a wooden spoon and the best part is you don’t need to refrigerate the dough. Just mix, roll and bake.
The dough is so easy to work with, just scoop with a teaspoon and make 1″ balls, then roll in the sprinkles.
You have to make little indents in the cookie balls to hold the icing later. I do this by pressing the back of a teaspoon into the dough ball, or your thumb will work great too.
These cookies are ready to bake and when you pull them out of the oven you may have to use the teaspoon again to make the indents deeper.
Who can resist colorful sprinkles?
While the cookies are cooling you can make the icing. I like using three colors red, white and pink, but using just one color will make these cookies just as pretty.
Valentine's Day Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup shortening or coconut oil
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup AP, flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 5 oz. colored nonpareils
Powdered Sugar Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tbls milk
- 1 tbls. white corn syrup
- drops red and pink food coloring gel
Instructions
Making the Cookie Dough
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., and prepare sheet pans with parchment.
- In a large bowl mix the butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until completely mixed.
- Mix in the flour and salt until combined and the dough holds its shape.
- Place the nonpareils in a bowl big enough to roll the dough balls.
- Shape the dough into 1" balls then immediately roll in the nonpareils. The warmth of your hands helps make the dough balls a little soft so the nonpareils will stick better.
- Place the balls 1" apart on the baking sheets then press your thumb into the center of each dough ball.
- Bake for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Then remove from oven to cooling rack.
Powdered Sugar Icing
- Mix the sifted powdered sugar and milk to make a smooth mixture. This icing sets up hard after it sits for a couple of hours.
- Separate the icing into three small bowls. Tint one pink and one red with the food coloring.
- With a small spoon fill each cookie with one of the icings. You can put the icing in a piping bag and pipe into the cookies.
Nutrition
Cookies for My Valentine
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What a wonderful day, full of sweets, flowers, and love.
Wishing you all the best this Valentine’s Day!
My kids absolutely love anything with sprinkles and these are just so cute! I could quite easily eat quite a few they look so addictive!
I’m a sucker for sprinkles.
I love the vibrant colours you have chosen to fill and decorate these thumbprints with – so much fun for Valentine’s Day.
Oh gosh, you sound like when I was pregnant with my first child, only my addiction was sausage rolls – and they had to be warm! The heartbreak I felt if I couldn’t find one. Danishes and pastry aside, these cookies are gorgeous. I think my kids would love to bake them and eat them.
These are definitely kid-friendly.
I think Valentine’s Day is my favourite holiday. I love to go mad making things heart shaped or red!
They are so cute! I wish I had one ready made in front of me. It would be perfect with a cup of tea.
Unfortunately, Joy Ann’s is not going to be open much longer. The woman running it now is posting insane things in Facebook groups insulting her customers. I haven’t lived there in 15 years and I don’t know her, but I’m dealing with stages of grief thinking the bakery will be gone soon. They’re only open Thursday through Saturday from 10 – 4 now.
The owner said that her customers are trash and told them that they have no class and eat possum. It was out of control. From one former Richmond person to another, you can understand my pain when I read that. It’s so needless and unnecessary.
That said, I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Oh my, how sad to see such a long time bakery come to an end. I know when I lived there over 25 years ago that the owner had changed. Well, I have fond memories of delicious treats.
I’m from Richmond too. My parents still live out by Hayes Arboretum. I miss Joy Ann’s bakery. I used to sneak out at lunch when I went to RHS, and would go with friends to the bakery. Is this the actual recipe for their thumbprint cookies? I could have sworn there was some kind of nut flour in them. Maybe I’m wrong! Can’t wait to try these! Thanks for posting.
Hi Annie, Glad you found my recipe for the Thumbprints. They are really good, but no like the good old Joy Ann’s. I agree they had to use something other than AP flour to make their cookies. We lived very close to the Arboretum too back in the late 70’s. Will be visiting Hagerstown next week. Let me know how your cookies come out. Jere’
There’s nothing quite like a sweet and delicious thumbprint cookie! I’ve finally bounced back from the dozens I ate during the holidays (no regrets). Looks like I’ll be eating a dozen more for Valentine’s Day -there’s no way I can resist making these cookies! 🙂
I made Apricot Pecan Thumbprints for the holidays and now these. A bit obsessed with these cookies.
This is such great work of art; a well designed cookies with a well taken pic. And the cookies look great, my son will be a fan, he likes colorful cookies.
Thanks for your kind comments. I too love colorful cookies.
These are absolutely amazing. I am so happy I decided to try this recipe.
Omg.. such cute little thumbprint cookies loaded with sprinkles. Anyone will fall in love with them:)
I love anything with sprinkles! These are adorable and just perfect to make for your sweetheart! Although… they look addictive, so it would be hard to share!
How lovely these thumb print cookies look! Just perfect for this Valentine’s day. Love it
I make thumbprint cookies often but now you gave me an idea to make them as a treat for valentines with the valentines sprinkles.
These Valentines thumbprint cookies are so pretty and fun to make. My girls will love making these with me.
Thumbprint cookies are the best. I guess it is thumbprint cookies that work miracles on the Valentine’s. And I like that you don’t have to refrigerate the dough – saves a bunch of time!
I agree on the no refrigeration on the dough. Mix and bake at one time is good.
I love the recipes that allow me to go wild on toppings. I then use them as a base and play with various ingredients – it seems like I am having a different dish every time!
The thumbprint cookies looks perfect to celebrate this Valentines day…as you said,who can resisit sprinkles…it will be a great treat to kids
These are so adorable and perfect for Valentines Day! I love how you can easily switch them out for other holidays, too! Green and white, and you’ve got St. Patrick’s Day, or go purple and yellow for Mardi Gras!
Oh, Mardi Gras, that is a good idea.
Awww these thumbprint cookies are too cute! Love the colors, the size, and basically everything about these cookies. And oh, so fun to make too.
What festive cookies for the upcoming valentines holiday. I know the kids would love them. Thanks for sharing.
How cute are these!? My kiddos would love these and they would make a wonderful treat for the school parties!
I love your thumbprint cookie recipes. These are so pretty and perfect for a Valentine’s day treat!
How festive and perfect for Valentine’s Day! So cute, and sounds delicious too. I am pretty sad you didn’t get a danish though! They should know better!
Thanks for the kind comment. Now that I live so far away I may never get another one of those danish.
These are such a cute and lovely simple cookie. I bet they would be a welcome addition to any valentines day spread.
Thanks so much, the colors would look so nice on a Valentine’s Day table.
These are too adorable! Talk about the perfect Valentine’s Day treat. I’m definitely baking a batch. Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome.
What a great little treat to celebrate with. Anything with sprinkles is always a hit. I know my grandkids would love these for sure.
I agree, sprinkles are the best.
So simple, but delicious. Nothing like a thumbprint cookie. They are so cute fr valentines day too!