Thumbprint Cookies
These Thumbprint Cookies are a holiday classic cookie with with the perfect balance of nuttiness and sweetness in every bite. Soft, chewy and made with a wholesome blend of almond flour, dairy-free butter and pure maple syrup creating a delectable symphony of flavors for holiday gifting and snacking.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 1/2 cups superfine blanched almond flour , you can also use tiger nut flour or gluten-free finely ground oat flour for a nut-free alternative.
- 1/4 cup softened vegan butter , OR solid organic refined coconut oil (not melted - you want the consistency to be similar to softened butter). Ghee or unsalted butter work too if you're not dairy-free or plant-based.
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup , OR preferred sticky liquid sweetener of choice such as agave, date syrup, coconut nectar syrup, allulose, vegan honey or Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup for a lower sugar option.
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract , optional but it that signature sugar cookie taste / flavor.
- 3 Tbs. coconut sugar , OR brown sugar substitute of choice such as golden monk fruit sweetener or Brown Swerve for a lower sugar option.
- 1/4 cup Homemade sugar-free strawberry jam / raspberry jam , OR your favorite sugar-free preserves such as Walden Farms, Smuckers or Crofters
For the Homemade Chia Berry Jam:
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries
- 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup , OR preferred sticky liquid sweetener of choice such as agave, date syrup, coconut nectar syrup, allulose, vegan honey or Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup for a lower sugar option.
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
If making the Homemade Jam (otherwise skip to the cookies part)
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Cook your berries of choice in a saucepan over medium heat until they begin to break down, about 5 minutes.
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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.
For the Cookies:
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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.
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Cover bowl and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
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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.
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Place on a large parchment lined baking sheet about 1.5 inches apart. Place the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven.
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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.
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Remove from oven and indent into the center of each cookie again, if necessary.
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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.
Recipe Notes
How to Store
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Storage: Once cooled, store your jam thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also store them in the fridge 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 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.