These chocolate ganache thumbprint cookies are rich, crisp chocolate shortbread cookies filled with shiny, decadent dark chocolate ganache! Perfect for the holidays or any cookie craving, these ganache cookies are sure to impress and are a chocolate lover's dream.
If you're a chocolate lover, these chocolate ganache thumbprint cookies will be your new favorite! Made with rich chocolate shortbread and filled with a dollop of smooth, dark chocolate ganache, they're the perfect holiday cookie to bake this time of year.
With some red and green nonpareils or chopped candy canes on top, these make great Christmas cookies and look amazing in any holiday cookie box.
For more chocolate cookie recipes, try these chocolate marble cookies, brownie crinkle cookies, snowstorm cookies, or chocolate chip sugar cookies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Super chocolatey cookies- Chocolate lovers, these cookies are for you! The dough is made with Dutch-processed cocoa, and the ganache filling is thick and decadent.
- Crisp shortbread texture- These are buttery cookies with a crisp texture that melts in your mouth. The dark chocolate ganache filling makes the centers chewy after they're chilled.
- Easy to make- While you need a hand mixer or stand mixer (and a little patience since the dough needs to chill), chocolate ganache cookies are easy to make! They bake in 10 minutes, with ganache ready in 5 while they bake.
Ingredient Notes
Here are notes about some of the ingredients used. For quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- All purpose flour- Makes up the structure of the cookies. I recommend weighing it in grams with a kitchen scale instead of using measuring cups for the best results.
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder- This kind of cocoa powder is treated with an alkalizing agent, which makes the color and flavor deeper and extra chocolatey! You can use unsweetened natural cocoa powder if you can't find Dutch, but the flavor won't be as intense.
- Salt- A pinch of sea salt or Kosher salt helps to counteract the sweetness and balance the flavor profile of the cookies.
- Unsalted butter- You need room temperature butter for the cookie dough so it creams easily with the sugar. However, you need cold butter for the ganache so it's shiny. Unsalted butter helps control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Granulated sugar- Sweetens the cookies and also helps them get crisp edges.
- Brown sugar- You can use light or dark brown sugar to give the cookies a little extra chew and subtle molasses flavor. Make sure the sugar is soft and fresh!
- Egg yolks- I usually use an egg plus an egg yolk to make rich and chewy cookies, but this recipe has 2 egg yolks just because the egg white made them too moist. We're going for a shortbread texture here! Make sure they're room temperature so they mix into the dough easily.
- Vanilla extract- I always recommend pure vanilla extract or an equal amount of vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
- Dark chocolate- For the ganache filling, use dark chocolate that's about 70% cacao. The ganache won't set up properly if there's less! A chopped chocolate bar melts more easily, but you can also use dark chocolate chips.
- Heavy cream- Use heavy whipping cream for thick, creamy chocolate ganache. Don't substitute milk or half and half because the ganache will be runny.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add espresso powder- 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder will deepen the chocolate flavor. You can also fill the cookies with espresso ganache!
- Filling options- Instead of chocolate ganache, fill these cookies with strawberry ganache, pistachio ganache, caramel ganache, raspberry ganache, peanut butter, or salted caramel sauce!
Step by Step Instructions
Before you start, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 1: First, add the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until combined, then set aside.
Step 2: Next, add softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a separate large bowl. Cream the ingredients together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the mixture. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
Step 4: Pour the flour mixture into the bowl. Mix on low speed just until combined with no dry streaks of flour remaining. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Step 5: Scoop the cookie dough into 24 portions and roll into dough balls. Transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet and use a ยฝ teaspoon to press down into each ball of dough, creating an indent.
Chill for at least one hour.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Arrange the dough on the baking sheets with 1 inch between each so they don't spread into each other.
Bake until the edges are set but the middles still look slightly underdone. Take the cookies out of the oven and let cool on the hot pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7: For the ganache, start by adding dark chocolate to a small bowl. In a separate bowl, warm cream in the microwave until it simmers around the edges.
Pour over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute. Ensure the chocolate is completely covered in hot cream so it starts melting.
Step 8: Whisk the cream and chocolate together. It will look lumpy at first but comes together for a silky chocolate ganache! Stir in the butter until combined.
Step 9: Spoon ganache into the indent of each cookie. Alternatively, you can add the ganache to a piping bag and pipe it in the centers. Chill in the refrigerator until the ganache sets.
Step 10: Sprinkle flaky salt, rainbow sprinkles, or crushed candy canes on top of each cookie and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Measure your flour correctly. I always recommend measuring flour in grams with a digital scale. Flour is easy to compact in a measuring cup, which causes you to use too much. Too much flour equals dry cookies that don't spread! If you don't have a scale, fluff the flour up in the bag, then scoop it into your measuring cup. Level off the excess and you're good to go.
- Ensure all dough balls are the same size. The cookies bake evenly if each dough ball is the same size. Each ball should have about 1 tablespoon of dough or weigh 25 grams. A cookie scoop or kitchen scale comes in handy here!
- Use ยฝ teaspoon to make indents. While these are called thumbprint cookies, using a ยฝ teaspoon to make the indents makes the cookies prettier and more even.
- Reshape baked cookies. If your cookies come out looking wonky and misshapen, you can swirl a round cookie cutter around the edges to push them in, making them perfect circles! Do this right when you pull the cookies out of the oven before the edges harden.
Storage and Freezing
I recommend eating the cookies fresh for the snappiest texture. You can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but the texture gets softer and more chewy. I personally like a chewy cookie!
Freezing
Freeze the cookies in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Dough that isn't chilled will spread too much in the oven and the cookies' indents will disappear. Chilling also helps the flavors marry for a more intense fudgy taste like a brownie!
Yes! You can make the dough, form it into indented balls, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
You can also freeze the dough balls. Freeze on the lined baking sheet for 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Bake the cookies directly from frozen, adding 1-2 more minutes on the bake time.
Ganache and fudge are similar, but they're not the same! Ganache is a mix of chocolate and heavy cream (sometimes butter), making it rich, smooth, and pourable when warm.
Fudge sauce, however, is made with chocolate, sugar, butter, and usually corn syrup or milk, giving it a thicker, gooey consistency.ย
More Cookie Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Chocolate Ganache Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
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Ingredients
Cookies
- 240 grams all purpose flour
- 40 grams cocoa powder
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 226 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 26 grams brown sugar
- 2 egg yolks room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 100 grams dark chocolate
- 60 grams heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cold
Instructions
Cookies
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until combined, set aside.240 grams all purpose flour, 40 grams cocoa powder, ยฝ teaspoon salt
- Add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a separate large bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes.226 grams unsalted butter, 100 grams granulated sugar, 26 grams brown sugar
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the mixture. Beat until pale and fluffy.2 egg yolks, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Scoop the dough into 24 portions, then roll into balls. Each ball should have about 25 grams (1 tablespoon of dough).
- Transfer the dough to the baking sheets and use a ยฝ teaspoon to press down into the balls to create an indent. Chill indented dough balls for at least one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Arrange the dough on the baking sheets with about 1 inch between each. Bake for 10-13 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool on the hot tray for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache
- Add the dark chocolate to a small bowl. In a separate bowl, heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 1 minute or until bubbling around the edges.100 grams dark chocolate, 60 grams heavy cream
- Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute.
- Whisk the cream and chocolate together, then stir in the butter until combined.1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Assembly
- Spoon 1 teaspoon of ganache into the indent of each cookie. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to set the ganache.
- Sprinkle the cookies with flaky salt and enjoy!
laura f
A total disaster! Please check your recipe. I followed it precisely measuring ingredients as grams. The thumbprints flattened completely and were a gooey mess of butter and cocoa.
Megan Weimer
Thank you so much for this comment, because there was in fact a typo in the recipe!!! I just updated and hope you try it again. I'm so sorry!
Tiffany
I just made these and they came out great. It helped to refrigerate the cookies a little before making the indent so that they wouldnโt stick to my spoon. Delicious!