Apple Butter Thumbprint Cookies
Apple Butter Thumbprint Cookies are a delightful, soft, and chewy treat where a small well is pressed into the center of a buttery dough and filled with rich, spiced apple butter. The dough typically includes flour, butter, sugar, and eggs, while the star filling is a slow-cooked, concentrated apple spread. This cookie is a beloved seasonal favorite, especially in the fall and winter, with roots in American home baking traditions.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
These cookies are generally high in carbohydrates and fat, with the apple butter providing a source of natural fruit sugars and some dietary fiber. A single cookie typically contains around 100-150 calories, offering a quick energy boost along with small amounts of vitamins from the apple butter.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 230 kcal |
| Protein | 2.5 g |
| Carbs | 30 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 16 g |
| Sodium | 120 mg |
| Potassium | 60 mg |
| Calcium | 20 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg |
| Vitamin A | 30 µg |
| Vitamin C | 1 mg |
| Magnesium | 10 mg |
| Phosphorus | 35 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.8 mg |
Per 2 cookies (56 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
The 'thumbprint' technique is a classic, rustic method that makes each cookie uniquely handcrafted, while the use of apple butter—a preserve with deep historical roots in Pennsylvania Dutch and Appalachian cuisine—adds a distinct, caramelized apple flavor that sets it apart from standard jam-filled versions.
