These Vegan Thumbprint Cookies are soft, buttery and easy to make without any eggs or dairy and a holiday staple for any Christmas cookie platter. The cookie dough comes together in almond flour, dairy-free butter and then indented and filled with homemade chia jam! This thumbprint recipe is also gluten-free, grain free and paleo-friendly.
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Updated December 2021
Vegan Thumbprints
It’s officially cookie season and one of our favorite holiday cookies we make every year are these Vegan Thumbprint Cookies. They are soft, buttery and pa holiday staple for your Christmas cookie platter.
The dough is simple to make without any dairy or eggs in just one bowl with no mixer required. It’s also gluten-free, grain-free and paleo-friendly with simple ingredients you most likely have in your pantry.
Ingredients you need
Classic thumbprint cookies are made with all purpose flour, butter, eggs, baking powder and granulated sugar. These dairy-free thumbprint cookies are refined-sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free and made with:
- Superfine blanched almond flour
- Vegan butter: or sub with softened or refined organic coconut oil (you want the texture to be similar to softened room temperature butter)
- Pure maple syrup
- Pure vanilla extract: for flavor.
- Almond extract – optional: just a tiny bit to give it flavor but feel free to leave it out
- Coconut sugar: or sub with any brown sugar substitute such as golden monk fruit sweetener
- Homemade strawberry chia jam or your favorite strawberry / raspberry jam OR sugar-free preserves (Walden Farms, Smuckers or Crofters)
For the homemade chi jam:
- Raspberries or strawberries
- Pure maple syrup
- Fresh lemon juice
- Chia seeds
How To Make Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
- Prepare the baking pan: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, vegan butter, maple syrup, vanilla and optional almond extract. Mix well with a fork until dough is combined.
- Chill the dough: Cover bowl and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Roll into dough balls: Remove dough from fridge. Form the dough into 1.5 inch balls and roll into brown sugar substitute or coconut sugar. Make an indentation using your thumb or a 1/4 teaspoon in the center of each dough. Place each dough ball on parchment lined cookie sheet about 1.5 inches apart. Place baking sheet in the freezer while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 360F.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 10-11 minutes, until just set. Be careful not to over-bake as the cookies will continue to bake after you remove them from the oven. Remove from oven and indent into the center of each cookie again, if necessary.
- Fill the cookies: Allow to cool completely before transferring – otherwise the cookie will fall apart. Transfer to wire rack or cookie tray and fill with favorite jam / fruit preserves.
How to make Homemade Chia Jam
- Cook the fruit: Cook your berries of choice in a saucepan over medium heat until they begin to break down, about 5 minutes.
- Mash: Use a fork to mash the fruit down, leaving a few chunks if desired. Add the maple syrup and lemon juice. Cook, while occasionally stirring for 5 more minutes.
- Chill: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the chia seeds. Let stand until it begins to thicken, adding water if needed to thin out until desired consistency is reached. Allow to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or two and in the freezer for up to three months.
Tip for success:
- Chill the dough: Be sure to chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Indent again: Use your thumb to indent the cookie again after you’ve baked them.
- Cool completely: Allow to cool completely before transferring – otherwise the cookie will fall apart.
Variations and substitutions
- Refined coconut oil – use unrefined coconut oil if you don’t mind the coconut flavor. Ghee and unsalted butter work too if not dairy-free.
- Maple syrup – you can sub with your favorite liquid sweetener such as coconut nectar syrup, agave or honey (if not vegan).
- Jam: Fill the cookies with your favorite nut butter or a dairy-free caramel like our Turtle Cookies
Freezer and storage instructions
How to freeze: You can either freeze the unbaked dough balls or the baked cookies.
To freeze dough balls, simply place the dough balls in a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. Then transfer the dough balls to a large zip-lock bag.
To freeze baked thumbprint cookies, simply place the cookies on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for 20 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to an airtight resealable container and freeze for up to 3 months.
How to Store
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More healthy vegan Christmas cookie recipes:
These Vegan Thumbprint Cookies are soft, buttery and easy to make without any eggs or dairy and a holiday staple for any Christmas cookie platter. The cookie dough comes together in almond flour, dairy-free butter and then indented and filled with homemade chia jam! This thumbprint recipe is also gluten-free, grain free and paleo-friendly.
- 1 1/2 cups superfine blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup softened vegan butter OR solid organic refined coconut oil (not melted - you want the consistency to be similar to softened butter)
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup OR preferred sticky liquid sweetener. Agave, date syrup, coconut nectar syrup or Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract optional but adds flavor and gives it that signature sugar cookie taste
- 3 Tbs. coconut sugar OR brown sugar substitute such as golden monk fruit sweetener
- 1/4 cup Homemade sugar-free strawberry jam / raspberry jam OR your favorite sugar-free preserves such as Walden Farms, Smuckers or Crofters
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries
- 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup OR preferred sticky liquid sweetener. Agave, date syrup, coconut nectar syrup or Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, vegan butter, maple syrup, vanilla and almond extract, if using. Mix well with a fork until dough is combined.
- Cover bowl and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Remove dough from fridge. Form the dough into 1.5 inch balls and roll into brown sugar substitute or coconut sugar. Make an indentation using your thumb or a 1/4 teaspoon in the center of each dough.
Place on a large parchment lined baking sheet about 1.5 inches apart. Place the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 360F. Bake for 10-11 minutes, until just set. Be careful not to overbake as the cookies will continue to bake after you remove them from the oven.
- Remove from oven and indent into the center of each cookie again, if necessary.
Allow to cool completely and fill with jam. Transfer to wire rack or cookie tray - do not transfer warm cookies otherwise, they will break apart.
Cook your berries of choice in a saucepan over medium heat until they begin to break down, about 5 minutes.
Mash it down or leave it chunky. Stir in the lemon juice and maple syrup. Cook for 5 more minutes, remove from heat and stir in the chia seeds. Let stand until it begins to thicken, adding water if needed to thin out until desired consistency is reached. Allow to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or two and in the freezer for up to three months.
How to Store
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to freeze:
You can either freeze the unbaked dough balls or the baked cookies.
To freeze dough balls, simply place the dough balls in a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. Then transfer the dough balls to a large zip-lock bag.
To freeze baked thumbprint cookies, simply place the keto cookies on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for 20 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to an airtight resealable container and freeze for up to 3 months.
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