Easy Pear Butter Thumbprint Cookies
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Homemade pear butter gives these cookies a soft, chewy texture infused with warm spices and, of course, a dollop of chewy pear butter in the middle! Make a batch of these pear butter cookies in less than 30 minutes—perfect for last-minute entertaining or just because!
I love making apple and pear butter every fall, but what do you do with it? Well, that’s a great question!
I wanted to create a series of recipes demonstrating just how versatile these ingredients are, and I had to start with these tender, buttery pear butter thumbprint cookies.
After making a couple of different versions, I found myself craving this one. The cookies are buttery and crumbly but they don’t collapse when you hold them, and they have a soft, chewy texture thanks to the pear butter.
My favorite part? The way the pear butter condenses down in the oven makes it thicker and chewier, like candy. So good!
They’re perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or really any occasion, and since they use shelf-stable pear butter, you can actually make them any time of the year. Enjoy!
Don’t have any pear butter? Make this homemade pear butter recipe to get baking right away! It simmers away in the crock pot overnight to concentrate the flavors and get the perfect glossy consistency. You don’t need much – just fresh pears, brown and white sugar, and some spices. Or, try it with homemade apple butter!
Equipment
To make this pear butter cookie recipe, you’ll need:
- Medium bowl
- Electric mixer
- Two sheet pans
- Parchment paper
- Measuring spoon (I use a wet teaspoon to make the cavity for each cookie)
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Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – Completely softened at room temperature.
- White sugar
- Salt – To bring out the flavors in the cookie.
- Pear butter – I used this slow cooker pear butter. It’s thick and glossy with a rich caramel flavor from the brown sugar and warming spices. You can certainly use any other type of pear butter or apple butter.
- Cinnamon extract – This amps up the spice flavor, but you can also use vanilla extract or cardamom extract for a nice chai spice flavor.
- All purpose flour – Be sure to scoop and level the flour to avoid adding too much.
How to Make Pear Butter Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line your baking trays with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and creamy.
- Then add the pinch of salt, extract, and 1/4 cup pear butter. Continue to mix until fully combined.
- Add half of the flour and combine. Then add the rest. Continue to mix until fully incorporated and scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once.
- Roll out the cookie dough into 1-1.5 inch diameter balls and arrange evenly on baking trays.
- Use your thumb of a rounded teaspoon measuring spoon to make a cavity in each cookie.
- Fill with approximately 1 tsp pear butter.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown on the edges and lightly set.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the tray.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Storing
After baking, allow the cookies to firm up on the trays instead of using a wire rack. The cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or freeze the extras in a freezer-safe container for later.
Tips & Variations
- Room temperature butter only. There are no leavening agents in this cookie dough. If you want the right texture, you need to make sure the butter is fully softened (but not melting).
- Use other butters. Instead of pear butter, feel free to use your favorite fruit butter. I love them with this slow cooker apple butter!
- Roll the cookies. For extra sweetness and crunch, roll the cookie dough balls in sugar (or cinnamon sugar) before adding the pear butter.
- Amp up the flavor. Replace part of the sugar with brown sugar or add some cinnamon or a little orange zest to the dough.
Related Recipes
- Maple Pumpkin Butter
- Apple Spice Cake {Dairy Free}
- Rustic Apple Galette with Caramel Sauce
- Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp with Gravenstein Apples
- Honey Gingerbread
Explore these 70+ cozy fall desserts for more of your favorite fall flavors!
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Pear Butter Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
- medium bowl
- hand mixer
- 2 sheet pans
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, fully softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon extract, or vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup pear butter, for the cookie dough
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup pear butter, to fill the cookies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line your baking trays with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and creamy.
- Then add the pinch of salt, extract, and 1/4 cup pear butter. Continue to mix until fully combined.
- Add half of the flour and combine. Then add the rest. Continue to mix until fully incorporated and scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once.
- Roll out the cookie dough into 1-1.5 inch diameter balls and arrange evenly on baking trays.
- Use your thumb of a rounded teaspoon measuring spoon to make a cavity in each cookie.
- Fill with approximately 1 tsp pear butter.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown on the edges and lightly set.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the tray.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
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