These quick and easy chocolate thumbprint cookies with ganache are made from scratch. They are crispy on the outside but soft and tender on the inside. You can also fill them with peppermint or candy canes for a festive touch. No chilling required.
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These cookies are loaded with chocolate! There is cocoa in the cookie dough and once they are baked, they are filled with rich and creamy chocolate ganache. They are addictive and meant for all the peanut butter lovers out there! I like to roll them in granulated sugar, which truly results in the best chocolate thumbprint cookies of all time. They are crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside.
This is a classic recipe that everyone should have in their collection. I make these a lot during the Christmas holiday season for parties and even to give to family and friends as a wonderful homemade gift. Check out more of my Easy Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas (food), too. Last but not least, they are quick and easy to make and require no chilling. They are just as delicious as my Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies and these Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms.
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Key ingredients
- Flour- All you need for this recipe is the classic all-purpose kind.
- Cocoa powder- The higher quality, the better the dessert.
- Granulated sugar- For rolling and sweetening.
- Butter- Be sure to use unsalted for best results.
- Baking powder and baking soda- Act together as rising agents.
- Salt- Offsets the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract- Brings in a nice warm aroma and flavor.
- Eggs- Use large at room temperature.
- Ganache filling- This takes the classic cookies to a whole new level.
- Decoration- You will need semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped.
Variations
- Cookies can be rolled in powdered sugar- To create a crackly appearance. They can also be rolled in green and red sanding sugar or sprinkles for a festive touch.
- Add crushed peppermint- During Christmas time I like to use melted peppermint chocolate for a filling then top them off with peppermint chips. It brings the perfect balance of chocolate and mint flavor in a beautiful way.
- Fill with salted caramel- You can either place a candy in the middle or even drizzle my Homemade Caramel Sauce over each cookie and sprinkled with sea salt.
- Place a Hershey's kiss in the middle- It will melt slightly and give a fun appearance. Plus, they come in so many flavors now.
- Use Nutella- Or any hazelnut chocolate spread of your choice for the top. You can also drizzle on this Nutella Syrup that's only 2 ingredients.
- Replace semisweet chocolate pieces- With chopped up chocolate candy of your choice, such as Reeses, Snickers, Butterfinger, or M&Ms.
- Use other chocolate chips- Instead of semisweet chocolate, such as dark, white, milk, toffee chips, or peanut butter chips. You can also just use the melted chips to drizzle over the top.
- Try pretzels- This gives a nice crunch as well as a salty balance to the sweet.
- Add in some nuts- You can use peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, and more.
- Pour on the sprinkles- Into the divot and have fun with the different colors and shapes for various events and holidays.
- Dried cranberries and raisins- This is a great option for those wanting a healthier option that isn't overly sweet.
- Try adding berries- Such as maraschino cherries, raspberries, or strawberries.
- Jams and preserves- This will make them more like my class Jam Thumbprint Cookies. You can even use my recipe for Easy Homemade Strawberry Jam.
- Fill with peanut butter- Because this is one of chocolate's best friends and will be a delicious combination.
- Try a frosting- Such as Chocolate Ganache Frosting, Caramel Frosting, or even this Mint Frosting.
How to make chocolate thumbprint cookies
- Cream together- The butter and sugar, then mix in eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Mix together- Dry and wet mixtures together until combined.
- Scoop out dough- Make into small balls and then roll them in sugar.
- Place cookies- On prepared cookie sheet and use your thumb to make indents the cookies.
- Bake- Until done, then allow to cool.
- Fill each cookie indent- Then decorate, and enjoy.
Tips and techniques
- Use unsalted butter- So that your cookies aren't too salty.
- Use room temperature ingredients- To help the batter mix more smoothly.
- You need both baking powder and baking soda- For these to turn out correctly.
- Don't over-bake cookies- Because that causes them to dry out.
- After baking, make a deeper indentation- Do this by using the back of a wooden spoon when they first come out of the oven. If you wait until they cool down it will be too late.
- To save time- While the cookies are cooling prepare filling, then allow to cool and thicken.
- Don't over-mix the dough- Or else you will end up with tough cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Add a little water to help bring it together.
Sticky dough can make it hard to roll into balls, so simply chill in fridge for 30-40 minutes.
No, but this will allow you to fill it up with more goodies. Not only does this make them taste better, in my opinion, it also makes them look more appetizing.
Storage
- Make ahead- These can be made up to 3 days in advance if placed in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Room temperature- Don't leave out for more than 5-6 hours because of the filling.
- Refrigerate- Store in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze- I don't recommend freezing them with the filling, particularly if it is chocolate ganache. However, you can freeze the dough, thaw, then make the cookies add the filling as per instructions below. You can also make the cookies with the indentations, freeze them, and then simply fill after thawing. I also recommend wrapping them individually if freezing them with a filling like jam so it doesn't get everywhere.
More Easy Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Triple Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Recipe
Easy Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies (Ganache)
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Ingredients
Cookie dough
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Cocoa powder
- 2 cups Granulated
- 1 cup Butter Unsalted, Room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 Eggs Large, Room temperature
- 1 cup Additional granulated sugar For rolling cookie dough balls
Ganache filling
- 1 cup Chocolate chips Semisweet
- 1 cup Heavy cream
Decoration
- ½ cup Chocolate Roughly chopped, Semisweet
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix again.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.
- Dump the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture and mix everything until just combined.
- Scoop out small portions of the dough and make little balls roll them in a bowl of granulated sugar.
- Place cookies on a cookie tray lined with parchment paper and press your thumb in the center to make indentations.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 12-15 minutes.
- Note: When you remove the cookies from the oven, you will notice the indentations are not that deep anymore. Just press the back of a wooden spoon or the round bottom of a measuring spoon into the center again. You must do this quickly before the cookies have a chance to cool down.
- While the cookies are cooling, prepare chocolate ganache by heating heavy cream and chocolate chips in a nonstick saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture is smooth and glossy, let it cool down and thicken a bit.
- Then, fill each thumbprint cookie with ganache and decorate with roughly chopped chocolate. Enjoy.
Video
Notes
- All ingredients must be at room temperature to allow even blending and mixing.
- Don't over-bake cookies because that cause them to be dry.
- More filling options include: Peanut butter, Nutella, Biscoff, caramel sauce, Hersey's kisses, jams and preserves.
- If the cookie dough is too crumbly, add a little water to help bring it together. If it's too sticky, making it hard to roll balls, chill in fridge for 30-40 minutes.
- Cookies can be rolled in powdered sugar to create a crackly appearance. They can also be rolled in green and red sanding sugar or sprinkles for a festive touch.
- To make Peppermint chocolate thumbprint cookies, melt 3 peppermint chocolate bars and and spoon a small amount in the center of each cookie and top it off with peppermint chocolate bits.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Shabs
Hey Abeer , great looking pics , I love your idea for toppings . My kids love to make the thumb print on the cookies whenever I make them .
Angie
Those look so CUTE!
Eftychia
Where are you? WE MISS YOU!!
thoma
now pl come out of your hiding like a good girl...we've all lost to you...
suzy
this looks so tasty abeer. i am going to try this recipe for the holidays.
Charissa
Hey there! How are you doing? It's been too long since I've been to your site...and as always, everything looks mouthwatering and creative!
You always amaze me!
Beth
Love it! Love all of the colors and your artful arrangements! I make thumbprint cookies at work frequently, and I never get tired of them. Never tried chocolate ones though - will have to do that!
Abeer Rizvi
Sorry I was playing around with this recipe last night because I have found ways to make it even better and choco-licious! I was updating the new changes. It's not 2 cups. It's 1 cup butter now.