The Ingredient Combo That Makes These Christmas Cookies Taste 100x Better

Coconut, almonds, and plum come together to create a delicious Christmas cookie with a lovely balance of sweet and tart. Perfect for the holidays, these cookies can be made in advance, travel well, and look beautiful. It may seem unnecessary, but toasting the coconut and almonds maximizes their flavor and allows them to fully perfume the dough. And don’t omit the glaze! It adds a nice acidity.

The cookies can be made up to one month in advance and frozen. For the cleanest look, simply wait to glaze them until serving.

Why You’ll Love It

• Better than your classic thumbprint! They’re chewy and sweet with a lot more going on than your average thumbprint.

• A delicious combo of flavors. Coconut and almond is a classic, beloved combo that only becomes more delicious with a bit of fruit.

Key Ingredients in Sugar Plum Thumbprints

• Butter: I always use high-quality salted butter for bakes — especially cookies. I find that the added richness and salinity only enhance the flavor. Any butter will work, but look for the best.

• Plum jam: This jam is lovely here, but you can use any jam you like.

• Almonds: Use sliced almonds with the skin or without; it doesn’t matter. Feel free to try another nut if you’re feeling adventurous (pecans or hazelnuts would be great).

• Coconut: Sweetened, shredded coconut works well here. Unsweetened coconut would lead to drier cookies.

Sugar Plum Thumbprints Recipe

Elevate thumbprints with coconut, almond, and plum jam for a festive take on the classic cookie.

Prep time 20 minutes

Cook time 38 minutes

Makes 30 (3-inch) cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 3/4 cup sliced almonds

• 1 1/2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup plum jam

For the glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1/2 medium lemon), plus more as needed

Instructions

Show Images

For the cookies:

1. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Spread 3/4 cup sliced almonds onto one of the baking sheets into an even layer. Spread 1 1/2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut onto the second baking sheet into an even layer. Bake the almonds on the lower rack until golden-brown, about 8 minutes. Bake the coconut on the upper rack, tossing halfway through, until light golden-brown, about 10 minutes total.

3. Transfer the almonds to a food processor. Transfer 1/2 cup of the coconut to the food processor; transfer the remaining coconut to a medium bowl. Keep the baking sheets and parchment.

4. Add 1 cup granulated sugar to the food processor. Process until the almonds and coconut are finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add 2 1/2 sticks room-temperature unsalted butter and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Add 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/8 teaspoon almond extract if using and process until combined, about 10 seconds.

5. Add 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Pulse until a dough forms, about 6 (1-second) pulses.

6. Scoop out the dough in 2-tablespoon portions (about 30), then roll into balls. Roll in the reserved toasted coconut until evenly coated. Arrange the balls on baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart, 12 per sheet.

7. Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the cookies are puffed and set but still moist, 5 to 6 minutes more.

8. Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Immediately make an indentation in the center of each cookie with the small end of a melon baller or the bottom of a rounded 1 teaspoon measuring spoon. Slide the cookies, still on the parchment, to wire racks. Spoon about 1 teaspoon plum jam into each cookie indentation. Let cool completely. Bake the remaining cookies, reusing the parchment paper and cooled baking sheets.

For the glaze:

1. Place all the cooled cookies on a baking sheet. Whisk 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice together in a medium bowl until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, whisk in a little more lemon juice as needed for a nice, runny consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies. Let sit until the glaze sets, about 15 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Storage: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Forever Cookies

Meet the cookies that'll forever change your holiday baking. From the beloved recipes our families have made for decades to clever twists on classics, these are the keepers we turn to year after year.

Subscribe to The Kitchn!

Further Reading

Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study

The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About

Le Creuset Launched a Pan That’s Perfect for Everything from Stews to Stir-Fry — and It’s Already on Sale