I am making them for a fancy dessert table, and the name thumbprint just doesn't go with the theme! Does anybody have any other ideas? TIA!

whats the theme. that would help us narrow down our suggestions

It's for a Mary Kay award banquet- I'm doing 5 different desserts and having a label for 'thumbprint cookies' just doesn't sound right along side cannoli with lavender cream.

okay mary kay... thinking... thumbs.. fingernail polish... how about "top coat" cookies? or Polish cookies... or play off the color.. if they are filled with strawberry jam you could call them "ruby reds" or something like that.

My recipe book calls "thumbprint cookies" Mexican Wedding Cakes. Not sure why but the name grabbed my attention and after reading the recipe, they are just cookies with a thumbprint with jam placed in the print, cooked, cooled and sprinkled with confectioners (icing) sugar.

Mexican Wedding Cakes sure sounds fancier than "Thumbprint Cookies" It grabbed my attention any way.

Mexican Wedding Cakes is something else, not thumbprint cookies.

Mexican Wedding Cakes:

http://www.google.com/search?q=mexican+wedding+cakes&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=imvnse&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=4KeVTs-cAoTj0QHYlL3UBw&ved=0CHoQsAQ&biw=1242&bih=1068

Thumbprint Cookies:

http://www.google.com/search?q=mexican+wedding+cakes&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=imvnse&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=4KeVTs-cAoTj0QHYlL3UBw&ved=0CHoQsAQ&biw=1242&bih=1068#hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=thumbprint+cookies&pbx=1&oq=thumbprint+cookies&aq=f&aqi=g4g-m6&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=19408l21887l0l22051l18l17l0l4l4l0l224l1283l6.5.1l12l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=5d0baafc8cc2103a&biw=1242&bih=1068

MerlotCook, I think you should call them by their name. They are a specific kind of cookie. Everyone knows you make them by putting your thumb through the middle. The same way biscotti are biscotti, and cannoli are cannoli.

What jam did you put in the center? Maybe when you put in the flavor, their name will sound better.

Like: Strawberry Jelly Thumbprints, or Jeweled Thumbprints (pretending the strawberry is like a ruby).

how about impression cookies, kind of the same thing your leaving an impression of your thumb. Wear Mary Kay and make an impression.

I once heard them called Jelly Dainties......not sure if that helps or not?

Butter Drops perhaps? I know these aren't a drop cookie..but they are buttery and usually very small and round-ish, like a dollop or drop of something. Good luck with the sweets table, it sounds wonderful!

My mom always called them snickerdoodles, but not sure how that came about. What everyone else calls a snickerdoodle is a completely different kind of cookie.

LOL... yeah snickerdoodle conjures up a very different cookie than a thumbprint cookie for me.

Thumbprints are also called Polish Tea Cakes... that would be an option.

How about Jelly Gems?

I'm not really sure this is any better but we always called them "Thimble Cookies" as kids.
Because my grandma always has us use a thimble instead of out thumbs I would guess.

Thank you so much for the excellent ideas! I ended up with Nanking Ruby Reds, and I found some wonderful names for other cookies I often make!