These scrumptious Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies start with a simple chocolate cookie dough baked and filled with a jewel centre of raspberry ganache.
Chocolate and raspberries in cookie form? Yes, please. Especially when they look this pretty.
These cookies are a delight. The dark chocolate cookie is a beautiful flavour and texture contrast to the soft sweet raspberry ganache. The outside of the cookie is crisp and with that creamy centre, each bite just melts away in your mouth. And who doesn’t love some chocolate sprinkles for added;
- crunch
- taste
- sweetness
- cuteness
- all of the above
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How do you make thumbprint cookies?
Pretty easily actually. My first thumbprint cookies were actually these Malted Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies (also pictured to the left). These Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies start with a simple chocolate cookie dough that makes a massive …. wait for it …. 50 cookies. Woohoo! If you can’t handle 50 cookies at once, make 25 instead and freeze half the dough for later. I love a big batch of cookies. Most cookie dough freezes without any problems so I’ll often make enough for two batches and freeze half.
The chocolate cookies are made with my favourite dutch cocoa powder. Why? Because I love the intense colour. That’s it. You could change to normal cocoa, if you don’t have or want to get dutch cocoa but you’ll need to use 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and skip the baking soda altogether. They won’t turn out as dark and the flavour will differ just slightly but you’ll still have a lovely chocolate cookie.
The chocolate cookie dough rises a little in the oven but as soon as they come out just press that centre back down and they’re the perfect thumbprint cookies.
And there’s plenty more where that came from. I love a good chocolate cookie like these Giant Freckles Cookies or these amazing Nutella Chocolate Sandwich Cookies.
And that raspberry ganache
Thumbprint Cookies get their name from the dent made in the centre with your thumb, that provides the perfect little spot to nestle your filling and this filling is so, seriously good. This raspberry ganache is made with real raspberries. No added colours or flavours – just raspberries. Wait, it gets better. I use frozen raspberries aka they don’t even need to be in season to enjoy these Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies. It uses just 3 ingredients and less than 10 minutes of your time to put together.
As with a normal ganache, you start by heating cream and pouring that over the chopped white chocolate . Let that sit for a few minutes before stirring to a silky smooth ganache. To turn it into raspberry ganache, you push some warm raspberries through a strainer to remove the seeds and mix it through the ganache. Job done!
Finally you fill the cookie centre with the ganache and allow it to set in the fridge for a little while (but remember it won’t set firm, it will always be soft and and easy to bite through). Doesn’t it look like a pretty jewel centre? I love, love, love these cookies and already have a batch of dough stashed in my freezer ready for when the mood strikes. I always have frozen raspberries and chocolate on hand. Doesn’t everyone? 🙂
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Happy Baking
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Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
For the thumbprint cookies
- 260 g (2 cups / 9oz) plain (AP) flour
- 55 g (1/2 cup / 2oz) Dutch processed cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate soda)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 113 g (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g / 3.5oz) white sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g / 1.8oz) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chocolate sprinkles
For the raspberry ganache
- 250 g (8.8oz) white chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup thickened cream
- 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
For the thumbprint cookies
- Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Using an electric beater or stand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and continue to beat for another minute or so until fully combined and creamy.
- Beat in the flour, a little at a time with the beater on low. Continue to beat until it starts to form large clumps.
- Roll small balls of dough (about 2 teaspoons), dip one side into the sprinkles, then with the sprinkles side up, sit them on the cookie sheets 1-2 inches apart. Use your thumb to press slowly, directly down in the middle to make a large dent in the centre of each.
- Place in the fridge for 1⁄2 an hour and preheat your oven to 180C / 350F /160C fan forced.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let them sit for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the raspberry ganache (once the cookies have cooled)
- Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
- Over low heat, warm the cream until just starting to steam, then pour it over the top of the chocolate. Let it sit for 2 minutes before stirring to a smooth ganache.
- Heat the raspberries in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until soft and warm (a little longer if frozen). Push the raspberries through a strainer, into the ganache until just the seeds are left. Discard the seeds.
- Mix the raspberry into the ganache then add a little red colouring if using and mix through.
- Spoon a little ganache into each of the indents in the cookies. Place in the fridge to set for around 1/2 hour before serving.
Notes
- Due to this cookie recipe using one whole egg, it isn't one that can be easily reduced.
- If you want just 1/2 the cookies, you can freeze half the dough once it is mixed and just make 25 cookies. Remember to halve the ganache ingredients as well.
- For best results you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales like these are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
- This is a dryish dough but shouldn't be crumbly. If it is too crumbly to roll into a ball, add a little water or milk just until it sticks together and is pliable. Don't add too much or they may spread in the oven.
…and I’m the recipe developer, cook, photographer, and author behind Sugar Salt Magic. I’m also mum to 3 amazing fur babies and wife to the most amazing man in the world. Life is good. I love food and creating easy (mainly sweet) recipes that I can share with you. I’d love you to join along in my journey so sit back, relax and have a look around for some yum that you can feed your friends and family with. 
OMG! These would be perfect for Christmas cookie exchange 🙂 I know I’m a bit early, but just look at them, so pretty and festive. That raspberry ganache has wonderful coloring.
Thanks Trang. Oh my gosh Christmas cookie baking is the best ?
Look forward to making these Marie. They look yum !
Of course we have raspberries and chocolate on hand….who wouldn’t?
Reminds me of the time when I was doing a lot of family wedding cakes and everyone wanted chocolate so I bought the bags in 15 kg weights. Cadbury Double Delight and a lot of money> (Sorry no Belgian indulgences).
I had used 5kg and went to make my next cakes only to find my teenage son (at the time) had found the buckets. No wonder he put on a lot of weight. Gotta love teenage boys.
Now I HIDE it.
Cheers
Pamela
Oh my goodness!!!! Sounds like a good idea to hide the chocolate to me Pamela. Thanks so much
Marie, good thing these are little! That means I can eat more, and I probably would eat a lot of them. hehehe….Dark chocolate and Raspberry together is the bomb! Cutest cookies for Valentines and Christmas for sure!! Pinning!
These are beautiful, Marie! And they sound AMAZING. Who could pass up chocolate and raspberries? Have a great weekend!
Just wondering is thickened cream the same as heavy cream?
Hello Ellen, yes that’s correct. I’ll update the recipe card to show that. Thanks and happy baking 🙂
I made these and my dough was dry, I measured everything correctly, any comments ?
This is a dryish dough but should still come together into ball ok. If it was crumbly, and assuming you weighed your ingredients, it can come down to some brands of flour or cocoa soaking up liquids more or the size of the eggs where you are is different. Large egg sizes can also vary around the world slightly. You can just add a little milk or water until the dough is pliable enough to work with. I’ll add this note to the recipe card.