Rumprint Cookies

These thumbprint cookies swap the usual jam filling for a piped rum buttercream that turns a simple shortbread-style cookie into something special enough for a holiday tin. The dough is butter-rich with a touch of nutmeg that gives every bite a warm, spiced note.

After chilling for an hour, the dough gets rolled into small balls and pressed down with your thumb to create the signature well. They bake just until barely golden, about 12 minutes, staying pale and tender rather than crisp.

The filling is a quick buttercream: softened butter beaten with confectioners’ sugar and rum extract, then piped through a star tip into each cookie’s center. That piped star gives these a bakery-shop finish, and a final dusting of nutmeg ties it all together visually and flavor-wise.

Pro Tips

• Chill the dough for the full hour. Warm dough is too sticky to roll into clean balls and the thumbprint wells won’t hold their shape.
• Press your thumb firmly enough to create a real well, but not so hard you push through the bottom of the cookie.
• Use a star tip for piping the filling. A plain round tip works but you lose the decorative look that makes these stand out.
• Chill the filled cookies for 15 minutes to firm up the buttercream before stacking or storing.

Variations

• Real rum: Replace rum extract with a tablespoon of dark rum in the buttercream for a stronger, more authentic boozy flavor.
• Chocolate drizzle: Zigzag melted dark chocolate over the piped filling for a rum-chocolate combination.