My sweet potato pie thumbprint cookies are sweet and nostalgic and surprisingly simple to make. My family loves when I make these special cookies for holiday parties and I think yours will, too. Let's get into it!
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my peanut butter and jelly thumbprint cookies, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick and Easy - The sweet potato pie filled cookies recipe steps are very straightforward. Just make the cookie dough, mix up the filling, assemble, and bake. This recipe is beginner friendly so kids can help!
Sweet Potato Pie Flavor - These are soft brown sugar cookies topped with classic sweet potato pie filling. So they taste like little sweet potato pies with cookie crust.
Don't tell Ms. Patti but I refer to myself as the queen of sweet potato pie and have the recipes to back it up! Check out my bourbon sweet potato pie, sweet potato pie cheesecake, sweet potato pie ice cream, and sweet potato pecan pie for the proof.
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Sweet Potato Puree is the orange, earthy, naturally sweet base of the filling. I recommend using roasted sweet potato puree for the best flavor and texture.
Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar for the perfect texture and full-bodied sweetness in the cookie dough.
Warming Spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg enhance the sweet potato mixture just like in the real thing.
Baking Powder gives the cookies a nice rise without impacting their taste like baking soda, which is why I recommend it.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Size - These cookies are so big--about four inches across once baked--that my cousin asked me if I was trying to emulate Crumbl cookies the first time I made them. No shade to that place but these cookies are actually fully baked and not overly sweet.
Anyways, you can make them smaller if you like. Just divide the dough in to 32 pieces instead of 16 and divide the filling evenly.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pie Cookies
- Step One: Cream the butter and sugar then mix in the eggs and extracts. (Photo 1)
- Step Two: Meanwhile, mix up the sweet potato filling ingredients until uniform. (Photo 2)
- Step Three: Whisk the flour, sea salt, and baking powder. (Photo 3)
- Step Four: Incorporate the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture until a stick dough forms then cover and chill for 30 minutes. (Photo 4)
Pro Tip #1
For the best results, incorporate the flour mixture in two batches. Mix the first half in completely before adding the second half. And I recommend hand-stirring in the second batch of flour to avoid over-mixing the cookie dough.
Pro Tip #2
Chilling the dough is important for a few reasons. For one, it makes it easier to handle and less sticky so you can shape it without loosing any. Chilled dough also spreads less so the cookies don't run into each other in the oven. Lastly, chilling the dough gives it time to "marinate" which helps hydrate the flour so they're nice and moist.
- Step Five: Divide the dough into 16 roughly equal pieces and roll them into balls then place onto cookie sheets.
- Step Six: Press each ball of dough with a measuring cup to flatten it to about one inch thick then use a smaller measuring cup to press a well (or thumbprint) into the middle of each cookie.
- Step Seven: Spoon then spread the filling into the center of each cookies.
- Step Eight: Bake until the cookies are lightly golden on top and the edges are starting to brown.
Pro Tip #3
Leave at least two inches of space between each cookie because they will spread. I recommend using two full cookie sheets or baking in batches.
Pro Tip #4
I recommend using a one-cup measuring cup to flatten the cookies and a ¼ cup measuring cup is the perfect size for making the well in the middle. Dip them in flour between each press to help prevent sticking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because of the custard filling, these cookies need to be refrigerated just like sweet potato pie. Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag and they'll keep for up to one week before they start to dry out. You can let them come to room temperature or warm up in the oven before eating.
How to Serve
These thumbprint cookies are great warm or at room temperature and nobody will blame you for eating them cold out of the fridge either!
Serve my easy sweet potato cookies for a fun alternative Thanksgiving dessert if you don't feel like making a traditional sweet potato pie. I also love them for hosting Friendsgiving or taking to potlucks because nontraditional dishes are always welcome.
Check out all my Thanksgiving recipes to get set for your holiday feast.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy these sweet potato pie sugar cookies soon and very soon. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Pie Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
- 2 sheet pans
- 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 silicone spatula or kitchen spoon
- 1 whisk
- 2 measuring cups
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar dark or light
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups flour sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
For Sweet Potato Pie Custard
- ½ cup sweet potato puree
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar dark or light
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Use mixer with paddle attachment or beaters to cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fully (about 2 to 3 minutes). Scrape down the mixing bowl then add the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until combined, pausing and scraping the bowl down, as needed.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
- Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until incorporated then stir in the other half of flour mixture by hand until cookie dough forms. Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- To make the sweet potato pie custard filling: Combine the sweet potato puree, egg yolk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt until uniform.
- Divide dough into 16 equal roughly pieces then roll into balls. Place the dough balls on prepared baking sheets, leaving at least two inches between each, then use a large measuring cup to flatten one ball then a smaller measuring cup to press a well into the middle, leaving about a ½ inch "lip" around the well. Repeat with all cookie dough balls, dipping the measuring cups in flour between each one to prevent sticking.
- Spoon and spread filling into the middle of each cookie dough round.
- Transfer pans to oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies set and the edges begin to brown.
- Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Carmyn says
Jazz, these were a hit at Friendsgiving! The hostess actually asked me to hide some for her because everybody was gobbling them up!
Jazzmine Woodard says
Hi, Carmyn! Thanks for sharing--I'm so glad y'all enjoyed. These are always great at Friendsgivings.