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A CA GROWN Twist on The Classic Thumbprint Cookie Recipe
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This year, the classic thumbprint cookie is getting a major upgrade thanks to CA GROWN pistachios. It’s the kind of twist that makes someone take a bite, roll their eyes back in their head, and say, “How on earth is this so good?!”
To which we will say, “Because those cookies are loaded with California pistachios! That’s why.”
Why Pistachios Make These Thumbprint Cookies Next-Level Good
California doesn’t just grow pistachios—we own pistachios. Nearly all the pistachios produced in the U.S. come from California, grown in orchards that stretch across the Central Valley like bright green mosaics. Hot days, cool nights, rich soil… the trees thrive. Which means your baked goods thrive, too.
That rich, buttery pistachio flavor becomes the backbone of these classic thumbprint cookies, transforming the entire experience into something that feels nostalgic yet wildly fresh.
Instead of standard all-purpose flour, this recipe uses pistachio flour, which gives these cookies a naturally nutty, fragrant depth you don’t get from anything else.
These beauties are crisp on the outside, chewy in the center, and rolled in either a sweet, jewel-toned fruit sugar made from California freeze-dried berries or more California pistachios. And that little glossy pocket of jam in the middle of each cookie? It’s made from fruit grown right here in the Golden State, too.
The CA GROWN Touch: Fruit + Nuts = Cookie Magic
Think about it—California pistachio flour lays down this rich, nutty foundation that makes every bite feel a little indulgent. Then freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries blitzed into a fine, fruity dust clings to the warm cookies like magic—no food stylist required. And the jam? That’s the moment everything snaps into focus. Strawberry, fig, apricot—whatever you’ve got—if it’s made from California fruit, it turns a simple thumbprint cookie into the kind of thing you keep eating long after you’ve promised to stop.
A Thumbprint Cookie That Feels Classic—but Better
Everyone has their own nostalgic cookie. Maybe it’s chocolate chip, or maybe it’s almond croissant cookies. But when it comes to holiday baking, classics like thumbprint cookies always end up on the tray.
What makes this the only thumbprint cookie we want to bake right now is that the structure stays completely traditional—rolling the dough between our palms, pressing the center, filling them with a teaspoon of jam—but the flavor profile becomes something entirely different.
A hint of citrus from freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the pistachios. A splash of pistachio or almond extract gives the dough an irresistible aroma. Lightly whipped egg whites keep the texture soft and tender. And the freeze-dried fruit sugar? It gives each cookie a colorful sparkle and bright taste that screams holiday favorite.
This Dough Wants to Work With You, Not Against You
Let’s be real: December is not the month for complicated baking. You need cookie recipes that are dependable and not too complicated.
This dough mixes up quickly, forms easily, and holds beautifully in the freezer if you want to make it ahead of time. You can literally shape the cookie dough balls, set them on lined baking sheets, and freeze the whole thing. Once they’re firm, drop them into a freezer-safe container and forget about them until you’re ready to bake cookies.
They bake evenly and come out golden and fragrant every single time.
Consistency is a gift during the holidays, and these cookies deliver.
Choosing the Jam: A Very Serious, Highly Scientific CA GROWN Decision
Okay, not actually scientific—but still important.
Since these are technically jam-filled thumbprint cookies, the filling matters. A lot. Depending on which type of filling you go for, the cookies take on totally different personalities:
- Dried apricot jam → bright, tangy, sophisticated. We included our recipe for dried apricot jam in the notes section of the recipe box below.
- Strawberry jam → nostalgic, sweet, universally adored
- Prune Pinot jam → subtly sweet fruit spread with California sun-ripened prunes and red wine.
- Lemon curd → bold, zesty, unexpected.
- Blueberry jam → dramatic color + berry punch
Choose one. Choose three. Make a rainbow palette. There’s no wrong answer—especially when the jam comes from fruit grown right here in the Golden State.
And if you want to go rogue, drizzle a little melted chocolate over the finished baked cookies while they cool on a wire rack. It’s not traditional, but it is delicious.
Our Best Tips for Storing These Cookies So They Stay Perfect
The pistachio-crusted version of these cookies is pretty straightforward when it comes to storage. You can bake them, allow them to cool completely, and fill them with jam before arranging them in a single layer in an airtight container. These cookies will stay perfectly fresh for up to 4 days.
The fruit-sugar–coated version plays by its own rules. If you want these cookies to hold up for a few days, bake them first, toss them in that vibrant, fruity sugar while they’re still warm, and let them cool completely. Skip the jam for now. Lay the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container and walk away. The truth is, the beautiful sugar coating starts to dissolve when it comes into contact with jam, and after about a day, it’ll lose its vibrant color around the edge of the tumbprint. Reserve filling the centers of this version of the recipe until you are ready to serve or gift these cookies.
Why These Are Our New Favorite Cookies for the Holiday Time
If you’ve ever wanted a cookie that checks every holiday box, here it is:
- ✅ gorgeous
- ✅ pistachio-forward
- ✅ fruity and bright
- ✅ easy
- ✅ freezer-friendly
- ✅ crowd-pleasing
- ✅ impossible to mess up
This might be the season’s sleeper hit— a cookie that celebrates the orchards, the fruit growers, the pistachio farmers, and the sheer joy of baking with ingredients that taste like where they came from.
Have Plans For An Epic Baking Sesh? Check Out This Spotify Playlist From CA GROWN!
Craving more delicious holiday cookies for the celebratory season? Check out our Pinterest for more CA GROWN recipes.
Do you have a holiday cookie recipe we should try? Snap a pic and tag us with #CAGROWN—we’d love to see what you’re baking up.
Fruit-Filled Thumbprint Cookies Two Ways
Ingredients
- 2 cups pistachio flour You can use almond flour if desired.
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 large egg whites at room temperature
- 1 tsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp pistachio extract or almond extract.
For the pistachio-crusted version
- 1/3 cup raw pistachios, minced
For the fruity-sugar-coated version
- 1 1.2-ounce package freeze-dried fruit (such as strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries)
- ⅓ cup homemade or store-bought jam, fruit curd, fruit preserves, or other fillings of your choice. Dried California apricot jam recipe in notes.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C) and position the oven rack in the middle. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the pistachio flour, 3/4 cup (150 g) of sugar, and salt, breaking up any lumps.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites and lemon juice until soft peaks form (you are not trying to create meringue, just soft, light peaks). Add the egg whites into the dry ingredients along with the almond extract and fold together until you have a soft dough.
- Using a small cookie scoop, measure out equal-sized portions of the dough. Once ready to form the dough into balls, slightly wet your palms with water. Then gently roll each portion of dough into a smooth ball. If the dough begins to stick to your hands, dampen your palms again with more water.
- If making the pistachio-crusted version, roll the balls in the minced pistachios now.
- Press down in the center of the balls with your thumb, or the bottom of the handle of a wooden spoon, creating a well for jam in the center of the cookie. Place the cookie dough on the prepared sheet pan and freeze for 45 minutes or until ready to bake. The dough can be stored frozen for up to three months in an air-tight container at this point.
- Bake the cookies for 22 to 24 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Let the cookies sit on the pan until cool enough to handle.
- To make the fruity sugar-coated version, while the cookies are baking, blend one package of freeze-dried fruit (such as strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries) and the remaining ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar in a food processor or blender until very fine (think powdered sugar), 2–3 minutes. Sift the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl to catch any large pieces or seeds. Set the fruit sugar aside.
- Once the cookies have baked and cooled enough to handle them, but are still nice and warm, gently toss each cookie in the reserved fruit sugar until coated on all sides. Toss back and forth in your hands to shake off any excess sugar that might have collected in the center and place back on the baking sheet. If cookies are not evenly coated, toss them in sugar a second or third time.
- Fill the indent in each cookie with enough jam, jelly, or fruit curd to fill the well. See notes for storage information.
Notes
How to make Dried California Apricot Jam:
- 2 ¼ cups (290 g) dried apricots, we like Fairhaven Orchards
- 2 ¼ cups (530 ml) boiling water
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ of a 1.75-ounce (49 g) package of powdered fruit pectin
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ cup (30 ml) lemon juice
How to store cookie dough and baked cookies:
Once the dough has been formed into balls, it can be stored unbaked, in the freezer for up to three months in an air-tight container. Allow the frozen dough to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. The pistachio-crusted version of these cookies is pretty straightforward when it comes to storage. You can bake them, allow them to cool completely, and fill them with jam before arranging them in a single layer in an airtight container. These cookies will stay perfectly fresh for up to 4 days. The fruit-sugar–coated version plays by its own rules. To store these cookies for up to 4 days, bake them first, toss them in that vibrant, fruity sugar while they’re still warm, and let them cool completely. Skip the jam for now. Lay the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container and walk away. The truth is, the beautiful sugar coating starts to dissolve when it comes into contact with jam, and after about a day, it’ll lose its vibrant color around the edge of the thumbprint. Reserve filling the centers of this version of the recipe until you are ready to serve or gift these cookies.Nutrition
More Delicious Thumbprint Cookies Featuring CA GROWN Fruit and Nuts
Almond & California Prune Thumbprint Cookies
These almond thumbprint cookies from California Prunes are a sweet twist on a classic favorite. Prune Butter is the secret ingredient!
Noni’s Italian Walnut Cookies
This Italian walnut shortbread cookie recipe from Salt & Wind brings a touch of Italy to your kitchen with simple yet luxurious ingredients that bake into a tender, crumbly cookie perfect for any occasion.