Apricot Gem Cookies Recipe

Name: These Bakery-Worthy Cookies Are So Much Easier Than They Look
Prep time: 16 min
Cook time: 44 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (170g) apricot preserves; 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice; 2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature; 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar; 5 ounces (141g) cream cheese, room temperature; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon orange blossom water; 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In Michigan, the growing season for apricots—a favorite fruit at the Lebanese table—is fleeting, so we hoard them from the moment they ripen and turn them into preserves to enjoy throughout the year. This cookie provides a rich cream cheese shortbread base to hold a glistening gem of apricot preserves.

Take your time with the baking process; the thumbprint action happens after the cookie par-bakes, so beware that it’s a hot cookie. I still use my thumb, or the bottom of a little measuring spoon. Also, don’t overfill the thumbprint cavity. You want the jam to stay put rather than run over the edge of the cookie!

Choosing an Apricot Jam

I am a fan of Dalmatia Apricot Spread. American Spoon out of Michigan makes a stellar jar of apricot jam. I almost always add a squeeze of lemon juice or a pinch of citric acid to my store-bought apricot jam because it needs that brightness to bring out the tart fruit flavor.

Sourcing Orange Blossom Water

Look in Middle Eastern markets or even World Market. I source and offer aromatic, pure orange blossom water from Lebanon in my online shop. It’s a best seller and a bottle lasts a long time.

Apricot Gems

Prep Time 16 mins

Cook Time 44 mins

Total Time 60 mins

Servings 36 servings

Yield 36 cookies

Reprinted from Lebanese Baking: More Than 100 Recipes for Sweet and Savory Baked Goods by Maureen Abood. Text copyright © 2024 by Maureen Abood. Photography © Kristin Teig. Used with permission of the publisher, Countryman Press, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

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1/2 cup (170g) apricot preserves
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
5 ounces (141g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Arrange an oven rack in the middle position. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the filling:

In a small bowl, stir together the apricot preserves and lemon juice. Set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
Make the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes.

Add the cream cheese, egg, orange blossom water, and vanilla extract and continue beating until smooth, 1 minute.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture, and beat on low speed just until the dough fully combines.
Shape the cookies:

Divide the dough into 36 pieces, approximately 18 grams each. Between your palms, roll the pieces into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart.

Moisten a thumb in water and press an indentation into the center of each ball.
First bake:

One baking sheet at a time, par-bake the cookies until they just begin to set, 8 minutes.
Add the jam:

Remove the sheet from the oven but leave the oven on. Working quickly with the rounded tip of a teaspoon, make the indentation in the cookies again.

Use a small spoon to fill each indentation carefully with about 1/2 teaspoon of jam.
Bake again:

Return the sheet to the oven and bake the gems again until they turn pale golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

On the baking sheets, let the cookies cool for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

You can store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
93	Calories
4g	Fat
13g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories	93
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g	5%
Saturated Fat 2g	12%
Cholesterol 16mg	5%
Sodium 67mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 13g	5%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 3mg	14%
Calcium 11mg	1%
Iron 0mg	2%
Potassium 26mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.