Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (2024)

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I love Christmas Cookies and Cookie Exchanges around the holidays are one of my very favorite Christmas traditions. Here are loads and loads of awesome Cookie Exchange Recipes!

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (1)

I love cookies year around but I love how much baking goes on this time of year so I’m so excited to join up with a bunch of other bloggers for an awesome virtual Great Cookie Exchange.

What is a Cookie Exchange?

I hadn’t gone to a cookie exchange until a couple of years ago and I think they are just brilliant. If you’ve never been to one its a super fun way to get a variety of cookies without having to whip up batches and batches of cookies. How it works is the host invites a bunch of friends. Each attendee brings a few dozen cookies, sometimes the printed out recipe and then a box to bring your cookies home in.

The exchange which can be a quick and dirty gathering, or a more drawn out party with your favorite party foods or even a tasty soup and fresh bread diner. When guests arrive everyone sets their cookies out. But these aren’t for eating at the party.

When directed by the host everyone goes around and adds a few of each cookies to their take home container. This allowed everyone to go home from the cookie exchange party with a box full of different sorts of cookies. It is a blast!

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (2)

Tons of Cookie Exchange Recipes

Even if you won’t be attending or hosting a cookie exchange this year hear are loads of delicious cookie recipes that you can make. My favorite tip for when you want a variety of holiday cookies without all the work is to save dough throughout the year.

For example, I love to make Halloween cookie gingerbread skeleton. But I don’t really need dozens of gingerbread cookies at Halloween so I’ll save some of the dough in the freezer and use it for Christmas gingerbreads when it’s time.

Most cookie dough can be frozen and used like this!
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (3)

It is so fun to find new recipes and trade and swap a few batches of one kind for a great assortment of different delicacies!

Here are 40+ delicious cookie exchange recipes so you can find the perfect cookie to take to the party this holiday season! Scroll down to get links to each of the recipes!

Christmas Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

Before I get to all the recipes here is my cookie contribution to the virtual cookie exchange. These easy Christmas Thumbprint Cookies are so festive and are a great make ahead option.

I just love the sprinkle detail on the side. They are fun and festive and perfect for making with the little ones!

Ingredients for Thumbprint Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • Christmas non-perils
  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

There’s some refrigeration time for these beauties so make sure to plan ahead. You could even do some them spread over a few days. Just make sure to allow some time for the dough to soften a bit if you do.

  1. Mix flour, baking soda and cream of tartar in a small mixing bow.
  2. Cream sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, almond extract together.
  3. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
  4. Divide dough into two logs between wax paper; refrigerate at least 1-2 hours. Slice dough into disks roll in Christmas sprinkles. Press your thumb to form an indention in the middle of each.
  5. Bake at 375 F for 7-8 minutes. Allow to cool.
  6. Microwave the chocolate and corn syrup for 30 seconds and stir. Zap for an additional 10 seconds and stir. Repeat until the chocolate is 80% melted and finish by stirring to melt completely.
  7. Spoon a generous amount of chocolate mixture in and allow to cool and set.

Don’t forget about all the other awesome cookies and be sure to follow along on the Cookie Exchange Pinterest board for year round cookie recipe inspirations!Follow Reasons To Skip The Housework’s board The Cookie Exchange on Pinterest.


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So many creative recipes right!? I’m a sucker for cookies year around. In fact they are one of my treats of choice!

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Chocolate Thumbprint Cookie Recipe for Cookie Exchanges (2024)

FAQs

How many cookies per person for a cookie exchange? ›

A good rule to follow is for every guest to bake a half dozen cookies per each attendee. So, if 10 people attend, each guest would bring five dozen cookies to share. We've put together a chart to help you figure out just how many cookies to ask your guests to make.

Why do my thumbprint cookies spread so much? ›

Mixing Butter & Sugar

If your butter is under mixed, it won't have the air pockets to hold it's shape. If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

Why are my thumbprint cookies falling apart? ›

The dough should be chilled for at least 30 minutes, so that you can shape it into balls and indent without falling apart. Check that your oven temperature isn't too high.

Why do my thumbprint cookies crack? ›

Why do my Thumbprint Cookies crack? Make sure when you are pressing the back of the teaspoon or your thumb into the center of the cookie dough you don't press too hard. Gently press!

What are the rules to a cookie exchange? ›

The Etiquette Of The Cookie Swap
  1. Remember: It's not a competition. ...
  2. Coordinate ahead of time. ...
  3. Make enough for everyone. ...
  4. Bring something homemade. ...
  5. Yes, you should still bring a host gift. ...
  6. Label your cookies for allergens. ...
  7. Bring cookies and a story. ...
  8. Hold off on seconds.
Jan 5, 2022

How do you keep Thumbprint Cookies from sticking together? ›

You can also separate each layer of cookies with wax paper (something we do in our packaging) to keep them from sticking together and falling apart.

What is the shelf life of Thumbprint Cookies? ›

When does Thumbprint Cookies expire? Thumbprint cookies, whether homemade or store-bought, generally maintain their best quality for up to 1 to 2 weeks at normal room temperature.

Why are my thumbprint cookies dry? ›

Not enough liquid

There are a few things you can do if your cookie dough is too dry and crumbly. First, try adding more liquid to the dough. This could be milk, water, or even just additional eggs. If that doesn't work, you could also try melting some butter and adding it to the dough.

What happens if you add milk to cookie dough? ›

Baking recipes have to be fairly precise for the best results; adding extra liquid in the form of milk to cookie dough could cause the baked cookies to spread, over-brown, and lose their shape. However, it's easy to add a tablespoon or two of milk powder to cookie batters without affecting the final texture.

How do I stop my thumbprint cookies from spreading? ›

Chilling Cookie Dough

If the cookie dough you are working with is on the wetter side or sticky, I always recommend chilling for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The colder the dough is, the less the cookies are going to spread as they are baked in the oven.

What is another name for thumbprint cookies? ›

Hallongrotta (plural: hallongrottor) is the name of a common Swedish cookie. The name means raspberry cave in Swedish. In the United States they are known as thumbprint cookies, as well as by many other names. Similar cookies sold in Australia are known as jam drops.

How do you package thumbprint cookies? ›

Layer cookies between waxed or parchment paper. This keeps them from sticking together or losing crispness. Metal tins keep cookies firmer than plastic bins.

What is the ideal number for a cookie exchange? ›

Christmas cookie swap parties usually work best with groups of 8-12 guests. You'll want to keep your guest list modest so it's easier to keep track of who's bringing what.

How many cookies should I make per person? ›

Most recipes make somewhere from 24-48 cookies. But if you do the math on number of people and estimate 3-5 cookies per person, you'll be able to figure out if you need to double — or triple — your recipe.

How many cookies per person for cookie table? ›

Our Recommendations. We suggest that you allow 3-5 cookies per person at your wedding reception.

How to pack cookies for cookie exchange? ›

Pack your cookies carefully inside your chosen container. Whether that means layering parchment or waxed paper between them so the cookies don't stick together (if they are frosted, for example), or bagging them individually, or arranging them just right so they don't shift in transit.

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