Name: Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 113 grams unsalted butter (softened, about 1/2 cup); 70 grams powdered sugar (about 1/2 cup); 60 grams sourdough discard (see recipe notes); 4 grams vanilla extract (about 1 teaspoon); 2 grams salt (about 1/2 teaspoon); 150 grams all-purpose flour (about 1 cup); 50 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup); 20 grams unsalted butter (about 1 1/2 Tablespoon); 5 grams corn syrup (about 1/2 Tablespoons)

Sourdough thumbprint cookies are a buttery shortbread cookie base filled with a rich and fudgy chocolate filling. Easy to whip up, uses up some of your sourdough discard and tastes delicious. This is the perfect little cookie when you want a little something sweet.

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Thumbprint cookies made from a sourdough shortbread cookie base are one of my top favorite cookies, especially when they are filled with a rich, fudgy chocolate filling. These sourdough thumbprint cookies are buttery on the outside and chocolatey in the middle. The perfect little cookie when you just want a little something sweet. I hope you love them!

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Important Ingredients in Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies

Sourdough Discard: In order to avoid a stronger sourdough flavor, use sourdough discard that is fresh or no more than a day or two old. I always use 100% hydration sourdough discard. If your discard is very runny, you may need a little extra flour in this recipe.

Unsalted Butter: I bake a lot of cookies and always use unsalted butter. You can control the flavor much better when you use unsalted butter. Salt content varies between brands of salted butter, and your baked goods may come out too salty when using salted butter. If you choose to use salted butter, decrease the salt a little bit in the recipe. Use softened butter for best results.

Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar gives these sourdough thumbprint cookies a delicate texture.

Vanilla Extract: This cookie base doesn’t have very many ingredients, so good-quality vanilla extract is important to bring flavor.

All-Purpose Flour: These cookies are perfect with all-purpose flour. Use flour with an 11.5% protein content, not bread flour.

Chocolate Chips: I like using good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips in this recipe for a rich chocolate flavor. If you prefer a lighter chocolate flavor, use milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips for a deeper chocolate flavor.

Corn Syrup: To give the filling a fudgy texture, a little bit of corn syrup is used.

Mixing Up Sourdough Thumbprint Cookies

Sourdough thumbprint cookies are a breeze to mix together. Use a hand mixer to whip up the room temperature butter. It should lighten a little in color as you mix. Add the powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Then add in the sourdough discard, vanilla extract and salt. Add in the flour and mix until just combined.

Scooping Cookie Dough and Making a Thumbprint

Scoop the dough into small balls. I get about 12 cookies from this recipe (you may want to double it!). Place cookie dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Take your thumb and make a thumb print in the middle of each cookie. This is where your filling will go.

Bake Thumbprint Cookies

Bake the cookies in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes. During the bake, the cookies may puff up a little and make the thumbprint smaller. As soon as you pull the cookies out of the oven, use the bottom of a teaspoon measuring spoon and press gently down into the thumbprint while the cookie is still hot. This helps set the thumbprint “well” for the filling to go into. Let the cookies cool for 5-10 minutes before filling them.

Mix up the Chocolate Filling

While the cookies bake, mix up the chocolate filling. I do this in the microwave because it’s quick and easy. However, you must not let your chocolate get too hot. Add the chocolate chips, corn syrup and butter to a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in increments of 15-20 seconds. After every increment, take a spoon and stir up the filling to see how much the chocolate has melted. You do not want the chocolate to overheat during this process. Continue microwaving and stirring until the filling is silky smooth and combined. Once the cookies have cooled just a little, fill each cookie with the chocolate filling.

Let Cookies Cool

I usually love a warm cookie, but these cookies are better after they’ve cooled and set up at room temperature. In order for that chocolate filling to get fudgy, it has to cool down. The wait is worth it. I promise!

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftover cookies?

This is a fairly small-batch recipe. It only makes 12 cookies. If you have extras, I would store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the freezer. Pull them out of the freezer a few hours before you want to enjoy them so they can come to room temperature.

Do I have to use corn syrup in the filling?

This filling does rely on corn syrup to achieve a fudgy, soft texture. If you don’t want to use corn syrup, you can substitute heavy cream instead. It won’t set up quite the same, but would still taste yummy.

What other fillings could I use?

Thumbprint cookies are known for a lot of unique fillings. Try a homemade jam, lemon curd or a nutella filling. The possibilities are really endless!