Easy Gummy Bear Thumbprint Cookies

These easy gummy bear thumbprint cookies are fun to make. The addition of the gummy bear to the thumbprint makes for a festive treat!

The gummy bears melt forming a beautiful, chewy treat in the cookie.

We recommend Harbo Gummies–check the label and get the package where they are made in Turkey. 

Select an assortment of colors of gummies for a fun, festive batch–or use colors for themes (red/green for Christmas, Red for Valentines).

Ingredients for Gummy Bear Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 light brown sugar, packed

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

3 dozen gummy bears, one per cookie

How to Make Gummy Bear Thumbprint Cookies

Prepare the Pan:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare the cookie dough:

In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.

Add egg yolks, one at a time.

Stir in vanilla extract.

Mix in flour and salt, stirring until completely combined.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Make the Cookies:

Remove the cookie dough from the freezer.

Using a small cookie scoop, roll cookies into tablespoon-sized balls.

You can roll the dough into sprinkles or colored sugar if you like.

Arrange cookies 1-1 1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Using your thumb, press a deep hole in the middle of the cookie.

Make it deep and wide enough so the gummy bears don’t spill out, but not so deep that you crack the sides of the cookie too much. 

Bake the Cookies:

Place cookie sheet with cookies in the preheated oven.

Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies look almost done.

Removed the cookie sheet from the oven.

Place a single gummy bear in each cookie cavity.

Return cookie sheet back to the oven and bake until the bottoms are golden brown.

The gummy bears will melt completely in about two minutes!

Cool the Cookies:

Let cookies cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!