Name: Old-Fashioned Thumbprint Cookies with Icing and Pecans
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 57 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup shortening; 1/4 cup butter ((room temperature)); 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1 large egg ((separated)); 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped ((optional)); 1/2 tablespoon butter (melted); 1 cup powdered sugar; 1-2 tablespoons milk; food coloring

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Sneak Preview: Old-fashioned thumbprint cookies rolled in finely chopped pecans and filled with colorful icing. Plan about 1 hour to make 2–3 dozen cookies.

Christmas Thumbprint cookies with cooling rack and frosting bowl in the background

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This vintage thumbprint cookie recipe is my family’s favorite holiday cookie. These shortbread-style are the ones everybody asks for. Because they are a bit labor-intensive, we usually save them for Christmas Day.

Readers Say…
“I made these for a Christmas party last night and they were delicious! Both looked beautiful and tasted great. I have always done thumbprint cookies with jam but I like the frosting much better. Thanks for the good idea and good recipe.” — ALY B.

Ingredients & Substitutions

SHORTENING: Helps the cookies hold their shape. Use all butter if preferred.

BUTTER: Adds flavor—don’t substitute with margarine unless you must.

BROWN SUGAR: Keeps the cookies dense and moist.

EGG: Separate the yolk and white. The yolk goes in the dough; the white helps the pecans stick.

VANILLA EXTRACT: Adds depth, but you can leave it out in a pinch.

ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: Bleached or unbleached both work.

SALT: Balances the sweetness.

PECANS: Finely chopped. Or skip the nuts and roll cookies in sugar—or nothing.

POWDERED SUGAR: For a smooth icing

MILK: Use just enough to make thick icing. Sub cream.

FOOD COLORING: Optional, but festive—especially when swirled.

Step-by-Step: How To Shape and Frost Thumbprint Cookies with Icing and Pecans

⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.

Creating balls from the dough. — **Use a scoop to make balls**

Rolling the balls in egg whites, then in chopped pecans. — **Use a scoop to make balls**

Old-Fashioned Thumbprint Cookies with Icing and Pecans

By Paula Rhodes

These shortbread-like cookies are covered with chopped pecans and filled with marbleized icing for a festive look that never gets old.

5 from 19 votes

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Video

Prep time: 45

Cook time: 12

Total time: 57

Ingredients

¼ cup (46 g) shortening
¼ cup (57 g) butter (room temperature)
¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
1 large egg (separated)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (75 g) pecans, finely chopped (optional)

Icing

½ tablespoon butter melted
1 cup (227 g) powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
food coloring

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
Cream the fats and sugar: In a medium bowl, beat 1/4 cup (46 g) shortening, 1/4 cup (57 g) butter, and 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg yolk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
Add dry ingredients: Stir in 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt until a dough forms.
Shape and coat: Roll dough into small balls (about 2 teaspoons each). Beat the egg white lightly. Dip each ball into the egg white, then roll in 3/4 cup (75 g) pecans, finely chopped.
Bake and indent: Place balls 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press a small indentation into each center using your thumb or a cork. Return to the oven for 10–12 minutes, until lightly golden.
Repress and cool: Immediately after baking, gently repress the center if needed. Let cookies cool completely on a rack.
Make the icing: Mix 1 cup (227 g) powdered sugar, 1/2 tablespoon butter, and 1-2 tablespoons milk until smooth and thick. Add a drop of food coloring if desired and swirl gently—don’t stir.
Fill the cookies: Spoon or pipe icing into the center of each cooled cookie. Let set before storing.

Notes

Nut-Free Option: Skip the pecans and roll the dough balls in coarse sugar—or leave them plain.

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Freeze unfilled cookies up to 2 months.

Cracks in your baked cookies? Cracking can happen if the dough is too cold or dry. A few cracks are normal—and pecans hide them well.

Equipment

Nutrition

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

5-Star Ratings Are My Favorite!Your rating helps others find this recipe and keeps traditional favorites like this one easy to find.

Final Thoughts

Perfect cookies look like they came from the store. Imperfect homemade Christmas cookies = love! If you’re planning a holiday cookie tray, add my lemon thumbprint cookies with icing and a fresh citrus flavor and a batch of cinnamon jumbles with browned-butter icing—two vintage favorites that always disappear first.

— Paula, Home Economist
Homemade Food Worth Sharing

Need help troubleshooting?
Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com — photos help!

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18 Comments

Hi Paula. I love your new updates for your recipes. You have been very busy this Christmas ? season. Love your icing recipe for the thumbprint cookies. Hope you and your family have a blessed Christmas fill with much love and joy as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Paula says:

at

Hi Connie,

Thank you for your encouraging words. My granddaughter would agree with you on the icing. She can’t keep her fingers out of the icing bowl!! Merry Christmas to you, too.

Reply

next time fill the “prints” with maraschino cherry frosting!

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 lbs powdered sugar
2 Tbsp chopped maraschino cherries
6 Tbsp juice from maraschino cherry jar (plus more if needed)
1 tsp almond extract
Instructions
Beat softened butter in a large mixing bowl until completely smooth and fluffy. Add the chopped cherries.
Gradually beat in about two cup of powdered sugar.
Beat in the maraschino cherry juice and almond extract until completely combined.
Gradually beat in the rest of the powdered sugar, about a cup at a time.
If your frosting is too thick, beat in additional maraschino cherry juice one teaspoon at a time.

Hi Paula, I made these for a Christmas party last night and they were delicious! I made two batches: one rolled in pecans with green swirl frosting and one rolled in shredded coconut with red swirl frosting. Both looked beautiful and tasted great. I have always done thumbprint cookies with jam but I like the frosting much better. Thanks for the good idea and good recipe.

Paula says:

at

Hi AlyB,
Your comment reminds me I haven’t made these yet but I must. My family would revolt without them on Christmas.

Reply
1. Nancy says:
  
  at
  
  Do you have the receipe for the icing?
  
  Reply
  1. Nancy says:
    
    at
    
    I see it now, thanks
    
    Reply

I love these cookies…..but missing the brown sugar in the direction. Great idea with red and green icing!

What if you stirred peppermint flavoring into the icing. I thought these were peppermint toppped cookies when I saw the photo – might be good!?!?

Fantastic. Love the swirl icing….and glad you made them for him!!!! Have a blessed holiday

Definitely more festive! Love it. Happy Holidays!

yummy cookies! always a “rhodes family favorite” at Christmastime! thanks for sharing them with me fresh out of the oven!

When I first looked at your pic I thought the icing was one of those after dinner mints.

I LOVE my BC Cooky Book (or, my mom’s – originally). It’s where I turn to first for “what to make”! These look great – I love how you improvised the the “thumb”! Innovative and festive – definitely worth a post! Happy Holidays!

I’ve never made thumbprint cookies. Yours look easy. And very tasty.

You are quite the baker! I hope your family has a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

My mom still has her original 1963 cookbook! It’s where I first learned how to make peanut butter cookies.

These are so yummy! I love the swirly colored icing! Perfect Christmas post!

Paula Rhodes, Owner and Author Salad in a Jar

Paula Rhodes, Home Economist & Owner

As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to prove that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my favorite ways to do that.