I made these cookies last week for our #worldwidewednesday family dinner. They were crazy good and I will be adding these; not only to my Christmas baking list but I have plans to make them later today. We have family up for the weekend and who doesn’t need a little treat now and again.
The original recipe asked for guava paste but I could not locate any around here so I used raspberry jelly. I think of all of the shortbread cookies I have made over the years; these are by far my favorite ones. I think they were also the easiest.

Shortbread thumbprint cookies - Mantecaditos
an easy to make and delicious to eat cookie you should check out
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 2 sticks salted butter room temperature
- 1¾ cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- raspberry jelly
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the shortening, butter and sugar in a bowl. Blend with an electric mixer or wooden spoon until the mixture is fluffy
- Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix thoroughly to combine. Slowly incorporate the flour into the shortening/butter mixture. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time.
- Divide dough into small balls, about 1½ teaspoons each. Create an indent in each cookie with your thumb. Add a small cube of guava jelly or paste (about ¼ teaspoon).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F or until edges are golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely
Recipe adapted from Delishdlites