Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Keep two oven-ready racks so the cookies bake evenly.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and helps the thumbprints hold their shape.
Make the dough
- Combine cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Mix just until a soft dough forms, with no dry pockets.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Keep them uniform so the baking time stays consistent.
- Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheets. Leave a little space between each cookie for slight spreading.
- Use your thumb or the back of a spoon to create an indentation. Press deep enough to hold preserves without tearing through the cookie.
Fill and bake
- Fill half the cookies with strawberry preserves. Spoon in carefully so the centers stay mostly level.
- Fill the remaining cookies with blueberry preserves. Keep the fills inside the indentation to prevent overflow.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes. The cookies should look set around the edges while the centers remain slightly soft.
Finish
- Allow cookies to cool completely. This helps the preserves thicken so the thumbprints don’t slump.
- Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Serve once dusting is set on top of the cool cookies.
Notes
For neater thumbprints, re-press the indentation lightly after filling if the dough relaxed during baking. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months; thaw overnight before serving. For a lighter option, use light preserves and reduce the powdered sugar dusting or omit it entirely.