Guava Cookie Recipe: Crispy, Fruity Baked Cookies

These guava cookies are buttery tropical treats made from a pure butter shortbread base, rolled in coconut flakes and finished with a dollop of guava jam in a thumbprint style.

I love anything with tropical flavors, and these coconut guava thumbprint cookies deliver. Coconut and guava are nostalgic favorites for me, and they pair beautifully with a buttery shortbread cookie base.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Short ingredient list – the shortbread base uses just a few pantry staples; the full recipe totals nine ingredients including the egg wash, coconut and jam.
• Buttery and fruity – a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread with crisp coconut flakes and a jammy guava center.
• Flexible – easy to scale up or down, and you can swap the jam for other flavors to suit your taste.

Ingredients and substitutions

The full ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below. Notes and substitution tips:

1. Butter – unsalted butter is recommended so the salt level stays balanced.
2. Flour – all-purpose works well; using cake flour or adding a touch of cornstarch will yield an even more tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
3. Sugar – regular granulated sugar is fine.
4. Salt – a small amount of kosher salt enhances flavor.
5. Vanilla extract – use pure vanilla for the best aroma and taste.
6. Egg – one large egg is used for the egg wash.
7. Cream – one tablespoon for the egg wash; milk or water may be substituted if needed.
8. Coconut flakes – unsweetened coconut flakes are recommended; chop large flakes if needed. Sweetened coconut will increase the overall sweetness.
9. Guava jam – choose a good-quality jam since it’s the filling.

Tools you’ll need

• A stand mixer or electric hand mixer to cream the butter and mix the dough.
• A food processor if you need to chop larger coconut chips into smaller flakes.

How to make guava cookies

These steps outline the process; the printable recipe card below has exact quantities and times.

1. Cream softened butter with sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Whisk together flour and salt, then add to the butter mixture and mix on low until a dough forms. Shape the dough into a disk and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Remove the chilled dough and divide into 1 oz portions, rolling each into a smooth ball. This yields about 34 cookies.

3. Make an egg wash by beating one large egg with a tablespoon of cream (or milk/water). Dip each dough ball in the egg wash, then roll thoroughly in coconut flakes. Arrange the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

4. Use the back of a teaspoon (lightly floured to prevent sticking) to press a shallow indentation into each ball. Fill each indentation with about ½ teaspoon of guava jam.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake cookies 15–20 minutes, one sheet at a time, until the coconut edges are golden and the cookies are set. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

More baker’s tips

• Use a spoon, not your thumb – a teaspoon creates a neater, more uniform indentation.
• Flour the spoon – dipping the spoon in flour prevents the dough from sticking while you press the indentation.
• Keep jam amounts small – ½ teaspoon per cookie prevents overflow during baking.
• Repair cracks – if the dough cracks when pressing, gently press the edges back together with your fingers.

Storage

Store baked guava cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–5 days. Freeze unbaked dough balls (before adding jam) and, when ready, add jam to the indentation and bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time if needed.

FAQs

More tropical recipes

• Pandan cookies
• Mini guava pastries
• Tropical rugelach
• Pineapple coconut frangipane tart
• Mango coconut cake

4.60 from 5 votes

Guava Cookies

By Trang Doan

Buttery shortbread cookies rolled in coconut and finished with a guava jam thumbprint.

Servings: 34 cookies

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Equipment

• Stand mixer or electric mixer

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

• 12 oz unsalted butter, room temperature (3 sticks, 340 g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (472 g)
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For egg wash and topping

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon cream (or milk/water)
• 3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
• 6 tablespoons guava jam

Instructions

• Beat softened butter with sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
• Whisk flour and salt together, then add to the butter mixture and mix on low until the dough comes together.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a disk, and refrigerate 30 minutes to an hour.
• Divide chilled dough into 1 oz portions and roll into balls (about 34).
• Beat the egg with cream, milk, or water for an egg wash. Place coconut flakes on a plate.
• Dip each ball in egg wash, roll in coconut, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2” apart.
• Use the back of a floured teaspoon to press a thumbprint indentation into each cookie.
• Fill each indentation with ½ teaspoon guava jam.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake 15–20 minutes until coconut is golden, one sheet at a time.
• Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Notes

• Use a teaspoon for the indentation rather than your thumb for a cleaner look.
• Flour the back of the spoon before pressing to prevent sticking.
• Use only ½ teaspoon of jam per cookie to avoid overflow.
• If the dough cracks, gently press the edges back together with your fingers.

Nutrition

Serving: 39g, Calories: 176kcal

Nutrition information is an approximation.

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