These soft, spiced gingerbread thumbprint cookies are filled with a creamy white chocolate ganache. Made with molasses, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, they are flavorful and stay soft for days.
You might also like my gingerbread blossom cookies or iced molasses cookies!
I have a weakness for ginger cookies---gingersnaps, molasses cookies, and gingerbread. There is just something so comforting about these deliciously spiced cookies. I used my tried and true gingerbread cookie recipe as a base for these cookies, the same one I use to make chubby gingerbread man cookies. I made a few minor adjustments to create these soft, flavorful gingerbread thumbprint cookies.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Warm gingerbread flavor. Molasses and classic gingerbread spices make these cookies perfect for the holidays.
- Creamy white chocolate centers. The sweet white chocolate ganache complements the rich, spiced cookie.
- Beautiful for Christmas cookie trays. The white centers contrast beautifully with the dark gingerbread cookies.
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Tips and Tricks
- Make the indentations while the cookies are warm. You'll make indentations before the cookies bake, but the centers will puff up and spread during baking, so gently press them again while the cookies are still warm to help them keep their shape.
- Use a little sugar, not a heavy coating. Roll each dough ball lightly in granulated sugar for a subtle sparkle without covering the entire cookie in a thick layer of sugar crystals.
- Let the cookies cool before filling. Adding ganache to warm cookies can cause the filling to spread or become too thin.
- Add sprinkles before the ganache sets. This helps the decorations stick in place.
- Use a light-colored baking sheet. Dark baking sheets can brown the bottoms of the cookies too quickly.
Ingredients
- Butter: Creates a tender cookie and adds richness.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture, sweetness, and a deeper caramel flavor that complements the molasses.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a lightly crisp exterior.
- Molasses: Provides classic gingerbread flavor, a rich color, and a soft texture.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and develop their texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the warm spices.
- Ground ginger: Adds the signature spicy gingerbread flavor.
- Ground cinnamon: Brings warmth and sweetness to the spice blend.
- Ground cloves: Adds a bold, aromatic spice that complements the ginger and molasses.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure so the cookies hold their shape and support the filling.
- Granulated sugar, for rolling: Adds a light sparkle and subtle crunch to the outside of the cookies.
- White chocolate chips: Forms the creamy, sweet base of the ganache filling.
- Heavy whipping cream: Melts the white chocolate into a smooth, spoonable filling.
- Christmas sprinkles, optional: Add a festive finishing touch.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars. In a seperate bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until creamy.
Step 3: Add the molasses and egg. Mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 4: Make the dough. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
Step 5: Chill the dough. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Step 6: Shape the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the chilled dough into 1-tablespoon portions, roll into balls, and lightly roll each ball in granulated sugar.
Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press down on each cookie using the back of a teaspoon about ⅓ of the way.
Step 7: Bake the cookies. Bake for 9-10 minutes, until the edges are set.
Step 8: Make the indentations again. The cookies will puff and spread while baking, so the indents will need to be pressed again after baking to retain their shape. Immediately press an indentation again into the center of each cookie using the back of a teaspoon.
Step 9: Cool the cookies. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 10: Pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips. Place the white chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl. Heat the heavy cream until steaming hot but not boiling, then pour it over the chocolate chips, making sure they are mostly covered. Let stand for 5 minutes to melt the chocolate.
Step 11: Stir the ganache. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If needed, let it stand a little longer before stirring again.
Step 12: Let the ganache thicken. Allow the ganache to stand for another 5 minutes so it thickens slightly.
Step 13: Fill the cookies. Spoon the ganache into the center of each cooled cookie. It will thicken and the color will brighten as it cools.
Step 14: Let the ganache set. Add Christmas sprinkles while the filling is still soft, if desired. Allow the filling to firm up before serving or storing the cookies. Refrigerating the cookies speeds up the process.
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If longer storage is needed, refrigerate cookies. Arrange them in a single layer when possible, or separate layers with parchment paper once the filling has set.
For longer storage, freeze the cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
FAQs
Yes! Bake the cookies a day or two ahead and store them in an airtight container. You can also prepare the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to bake.
The dough naturally expands as the cookies bake. Pressing down the center of the cook prior to baking gives it a good start and then pressing down once again after baking restores the indentations.
Why is my white chocolate ganache too thin?
The ganache may be too warm or the chocolate may not have melted evenly. Let it cool for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to spoon into the cookies. Avoid adding extra cream.
Yes. Chop the white chocolate into small, even pieces so it melts smoothly with the cream.
Yes. Freeze the completely cooled and filled cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Separate layers with parchment paper to protect the ganache centers. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
No. For short-term storage, you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature.
White chocolate ganache can look thin, shiny, or slightly translucent while it’s warm because the cocoa butter and cream are still fluid. As the ganache cools, it thickens and becomes more opaque.
Pressing an indentation into the dough before baking helps create the center well and can reduce cracking. The cookies may puff up as they bake, so gently press the centers again immediately after removing them from the oven if needed. This gives you a deeper well for the white chocolate ganache without having to force the indentation into fully baked cookies, which can cause more cracks.
More Ginger Cookie recipes you might like
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Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies with White Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- ¾ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon teaspoon salt
- granulated sugar for rolling
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cut heavy whipping cream
- Christmas sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Beat the softened salted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until creamy.
- Add the molasses and egg. Mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the chilled dough into 1-tablespoon portions, roll into balls, and lightly roll each ball in granulated sugar.
- Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently press an indentation into the center of each dough ball, about one-third of the way down, using your thumb or the back of a small measuring spoon. Avoid pressing too deeply, which can cause the dough to crack.
- Bake for 9–10 minutes, until the edges are set.
- Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, gently press the centers again to restore the indentations.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Heat the heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan or microwave until steaming hot but not boiling.
- Place the white chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips, making sure they are mostly covered. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.
- Stir the chocolate and cream together until the ganache is smooth and creamy. If some chocolate pieces remain unmelted, let the mixture stand briefly longer before stirring again.
- Allow the ganache to stand for another 5 minutes so it thickens slightly before spooning it into the cookies. It may look thin or slightly translucent while warm; it will become thicker and more opaque as it cools.
- Spoon the ganache into the center of each completely cooled cookie. Add Christmas sprinkles while the filling is still soft, if desired.
- Allow the filling to cool and firm up before serving or storing the cookies.
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