Cranberry Sauce Thumbprint Cookies: Rolling Into Winter Baking Season

The days right after Thanksgiving are a food lovers paradise. The leftovers are still plentiful, the weather turns crisp, and suddenly it just feels like winter baking season. If you’ve got a little extra cranberry sauce hanging out in the fridge (and really, who doesn’t?), these Cranberry Sauce Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect way to turn holiday leftovers into something irresistibly festive.

Soft, buttery, and topped with sugar, these cookies get a bright pop of sweet-tart flavor from a spoonful of cranberry sauce right in the center. They look beautiful, taste like the holidays, and come together quickly, making them ideal for weekend baking, cookie exchanges, or gifting as the season ramps up.

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup Smith Brothers unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 large Smith Brothers egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup leftover cranberry sauce (smooth or chunky both work!)
• Additional granulated sugar for topping

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, beat softened butter with the sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Mix in the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt until combined.
4. Add the dry mixture into the egg mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
5. Shape dough into a ball, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out.
6. While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F.
7. Roll dough into 24 1-inch balls. Place 12 of the balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, evenly spaced several inches apart.
8. Flatten each ball slightly with your fingers and lightly sprinkle them with additional granulated sugar.
9. Here's the fun part, and where thumbprint cookies get their name!
   Press a thumbprint (or the back of a spoon) into the center of each to make a little dip for the cranberry sauce.
10. Spoon about ½-1 teaspoon cranberry sauce into each indentation.
11. Tap the cookie sheet lightly on the counter to help the sauce settle and avoid air bubbles.
12. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
13. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.
14. When starting the second batch use a new cookie sheet, or allow your cookie sheet to cool completely before placing the dough balls on it. This will help prevent your cookies from spreading and leave that nice indent for the jammy middle!

Tips

Cranberry sauce too chunky? Puree it until smooth, adding a few teaspoons of cranberry or apple juice to help thin it out.

Try topping with coarse sanding sugar for extra holiday sparkle. Whisk the leftover egg white with 1/2 Tablespoon of water until smooth. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash onto the cookies to help the sugar stick, then top them with the sanding sugar instead of the granulated sugar in step 8.

These thumbprint cookies are such a simple way to transform Thanksgiving leftovers into a winter baking win. They’re festive, jewel-toned, and full of seasonal cheer. They're the perfect treat to kick off a month of cookies, cocoa, and cozy afternoons in the kitchen.