Bright, tangy Lemon & Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies look fancy but are simple enough for a school-holiday bake. Buttery, melt-in-the-mouth little discs filled with blueberry jam and topped (optionally) with a lemon drizzle - perfect for lunchboxes, afternoon tea or a share plate.
If you like these sweet little bites, you might also adore my Classic Yo Yos or my Jam Drops (two more of my go-to crowd pleasers).
Inspired by Swedish jam drops (hallongrotta), these lemon and blueberry thumbprint cookies are a modern twist - perfectly balancing tart and sweet in every bite-sized burst.
Lemon and blueberry thumbprint cookies are the kind of little treat that vanishes faster than you expect (especially if the kids find them first!). If you love cookies with a sweet centre, then you'll also enjoy my Biscoff Thumbprint Cookies and Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies - two more easy, flavour-packed favourites that follow the same foolproof thumbprint method.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Perfect bite size + jammy centre - Tiny cookies that feel special. The right bite size for lunch boxes, too.
- Tangy-sweet balance - Lemon zest or drizzle lifts the sweetness of the blueberry.
- Flexible ingredients - Use fruit spread, jam, or homemade blueberry sauce; use butter or coconut oil.
- Make ahead & freeze - The dough can be chilled or frozen; cookies hold up nicely in the freezer.
- Includes both conventional and Thermomix methods - no matter how you bake, you're covered!
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Cookie Ingredients
Unlike traditional versions, my Lemon & Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies use a few lighter ingredient swaps... while still giving you the most delicious cookies!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Cornflour - gives the cookies that lovely soft, melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
- Coconut oil (or unsalted butter) - both work beautifully; coconut oil gives a lighter, subtle flavour, while butter adds richness.
- Raw sugar (or granulated/coconut sugar) - adds to the sweetness of the cookies and a hint of crunch; coconut sugar will give a slightly deeper colour.
- Blueberry jam (or fruit spread) - Use a quality brand with a high fruit content. If your jam is thick, warm it slightly so it's easy to spoon into the centres.
Variations
- Gluten-free - Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend; add an extra ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend doesn't have it.
- Vegan / dairy-free - Use coconut oil (or a vegan butter) instead of butter, and use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water) instead of the egg.
- Lemon jam centre - For different flavors, try swapping blueberry jam for lemon curd (or half lemon + half blueberry) for a zesty lemon flavor twist.
- For a stronger lemon flavor: add ½ teaspoon of lemon extract to the dough or the icing for an extra zesty kick.
- White chocolate drizzle - Omit the lemon glaze and drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled cookies.
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How To Make Lemon & Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies
These easy Lemon & Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies come together in just 10 minutes - no fancy equipment, no mixer, and minimal mess (just the way we like it!).
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
- Whisk together: flour, cornflour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla extract, raw sugar, and melted coconut oil (or butter) until well combined.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and gently stir until just combined. Don't overwork. Cover the bowl and chill dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Roll into small cookie dough balls, using two teaspoons of mixture per cookie, and space about 5-6 cm apart on trays. Gently press your fingertip (or the back of a small teaspoon) into the centre of each dough ball to make a well that's about half the depth of it.
- Fill each well with a small amount of blueberry jam - just enough to sit below the rim of the indent (not overflowing). Bake for 8-10 minutes (or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden), rotating trays halfway through. Cool on trays for 10 mins, then on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Optional - mix icing sugar + lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle with a teaspoon in a criss-cross pattern. Adjust the thickness by adding more juice (if it's too thick) or icing sugar (if it's too runny).
Recipe Tips
- Use a kitchen scale - measuring by weight yields more consistent results (especially flour, cornflour and baking powder).
- Don't skip chilling - I can't stress this enough! Dough that has not been chilled will spread too much.
- Space balls about 5-6 cm apart - on a baking tray.
- Indent depth matters - pressing too shallow yields too little jam; pressing too deeply can make weak cookies. Aim for halfway.
- Use just the right amount of jam - a tiny dollop is enough - as overfilling causes it to overflow.
- Rotate trays mid-bake - many home ovens have hot spots.
- Let them rest before icing - if the cookies are too warm, the icing will melt into them.
- Store: in an airtight container with a sheet of baking paper between layers for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Dough: Freeze as balls (unbaked) on a tray, then transfer to a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen (add 1-2 min bake time).
Lemon & Blueberry Thumbprint FAQs
I don't recommend whole berries in the thumbprint - they tend to release too much moisture and break the structure. But you can make a quick blueberry compote (reduced with a little sugar) and use that as a filling.
Most common culprits: dough too warm, overfilled jam, or not chilling.
Chill dough longer, ensure your indent is only half the depth, and only fill jam to just below the rim of the indent.
Yes - just maintain the ratios. If doubling the recipe, use a much larger bowl and bake cookies in batches.
More Cookie Recipes
If you love these thumbprint cookies, you'll definitely want to try a few more of my favourite cookie recipes! From melt-in-the-middle classics to fun flavour twists, these are the kind of treats that disappear fast!
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Lemon & Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
For The Cookies
- 150 g (1 cup) plain flour
- ¾ teaspoon cornflour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 40 g (2 tbs) melted coconut oil or melted unsalted butter
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 g (½ cup) raw sugar or granulated sugar or coconut sugar
- 60 g (3 tbs) blueberry jam
For The Lemon Icing (Optional)
- 50 g (½ cup) icing sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut oil, egg, vanilla and raw sugar together.
- Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir gently to combine.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Roll the mixture into small balls (2 teaspoons of mixture per ball).
- Place the cookie balls onto the baking trays and use the tip of your little finger to create an indent in the middle that goes approximately one-half of the way down.
- Place a very small amount of blueberry jam into each indent.
- Bake the cookies for approximately 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Leave the cookies on the baking trays for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the lemon icing, place the icing sugar and lemon juice into a small bowl and mix together with a spoon until completely combined.
- Use a teaspoon to drizzle the icing over the top of the cookies in a criss-cross pattern.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Place the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt into the Thermomix bowl and mix for 5 seconds, Speed 5.
- Add the coconut oil, egg, vanilla and raw sugar and mix for 20 seconds, Speed 5.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Roll the mixture into small balls (2 teaspoons of mixture per ball).
- Place the cookie balls onto the baking trays and use the tip of your little finger to create an indent in the middle that goes approximately one-half of the way down.
- Place a very small amount of blueberry jam into each indent.
- Bake the cookies for approximately 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Leave the cookies on the baking trays for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the lemon icing, place the icing sugar and lemon juice into a small bowl and mix together with a spoon until completely combined.
- Use a teaspoon to drizzle the icing over the top of the cookies in a criss-cross pattern.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale - measuring by weight yields more consistent results (especially flour, cornflour and baking powder).
- Don't skip chilling - I can't stress this enough! Dough that has not been chilled will spread too much.
- Space balls 5-6 cm apart on baking trays.
- Indent depth matters - pressing too shallow yields too little jam; too deep can make weak cookies. Aim for halfway.
- Use just the right jam amount - a tiny dollop is enough - overfilling causes it to overflow.
- Rotate trays mid-bake - many home ovens have hot spots.
- Let them rest before icing - if the cookies are too warm, the icing will melt into them.
- Store: in an airtight container with a sheet of baking paper between layers for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Dough: freeze as balls (unbaked) on a tray, then transfer to a ziplock bag, freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen (add 1-2 min bake time).
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