Thumbprint Cookies are classic holiday cookies that have a filling of raspberry jam in the middle. They are made with a buttery texture and a delicious fruity taste from the jam. The classic thumbprint cookie recipe is not vegan because it contains butter, egg yolks full eggs, and sometimes honey to sweeten. For a vegan version, you need a dedicated plant-based thumbprint cookie recipe. This recipe is the healthier version of my 3-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookies.
Ingredients
This is a healthy thumbprint cookie version made with no refined sugar, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Let’s see the ingredients you need to make these delicious vegan Christmas cookies.
Almond Flour – You need ultra-fine blanched almond flour for the best result. I am using ultra-fine almond flour from Bob’s red mill. It’s a grain-free and gluten-free flour perfect for baking these cookies. Also, note that almond meal will work too, but it is a coarse ground of almonds, making cookies grainy. I don’t recommend this option if you expect smooth, soft, white/golden almond flour raspberry thumbprint cookies. Maple Syrup – or agave syrup, but they will have a sweeter taste. Melted Coconut Oil – use refined coconut oil if you don’t like the flavor of coconut oil. However, don’t use other oil. It won’t come out great. In fact, coconut oil solidifies under 74°F (23°C) and provides a chewy soft texture to the cookies. Other liquid oils will make the cookie spread, and they won’t form up. I didn’t try vegan butter in this recipe, so I am unsure how it will come out with it. Vanilla Extract – or almond extract to enhance the almond flavor of these cookies. Apple Cider Vinegar or lemon juice – the combination of acid ingredients with baking powder gives a little raise to the cookie, just what you need for a soft vegan gluten-free thumbprint cookie.
How To Make Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies
It is very easy to make thumbprint cookies with almond flour. First, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Then prepare the cookie dough.
Pro Baking Tips
Almond flour cookies bake faster and brown fast. That’s why I recommend watching the oven often between 10 minutes and 14 minutes. As soon as the cookies’ sides are turning golden brown, take out the baking sheet from the oven. Don’t expect the cookies to be hard and crunchy. They will be very soft and firm up after they cool completely. First, cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Then, gently transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack and wait for 30 minutes to appreciate their texture.
Cookies Filling Options
There is so many delicious filling you can add to these thumbprint cookies. My favorite fillings are below:
Chia seed jam – for a healthy thumbprint cookie recipe, use homemade chia seed jam as a filling. Plus, if you use refined sugar-free chia jam, these will be paleo thumbprint cookies approved too! The best flavors to go with almonds are raspberry, apricot, and strawberry. Peanut butter and jam – add half peanut butter and half jam to make peanut butter jam thumbprint cookies. Melted dark chocolate – melt vegan chocolate chips.
Troubleshooting
If it’s your first time baking cookies with almond flour, there are a few things that could surprise you. Below I listed the most common issue you can encounter and how to fix them.
Cookie side cracks – this happens all the time when you press the cookie dough to form the thumbprint shape. If you don’t like the cracked aspect, wet your fingers and rub them around the cookie to smooth the surface. The dough is too moist – it can happen if you used coarse almond flour or almond meal. Add more almond flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the cookie dough is easy to shape into small cookie balls. Jam fade after baking – depending on the fruits used in your jam, the color may fade in the oven. Add more fresh jam to the thumbprint hole after the cookies cool completely. It will pop out the color on top. Cookies are browning too fast – tent the cookie tray with a piece of foil halfway through baking or decrease the oven to 325°F (160°C).
More Vegan Gluten-Free Cookies
If you love vegan, gluten-free cookies, I have plenty more recipes for you to try. These cookies are delicious Christmas cookies or simply everyday snacks.
