• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Quiet Kitchen
  • About
    • Why Quiet?
    • Our Vegan Story
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Oil-free
    • Gluten-free
    • Breakfast
    • Soups
    • Entrees
    • Desserts
    • Vegan Cheeses
    • Sauces and Garnish
    • Snacks
    • Holidays
    • Appetizers
  • Vegan Resources
    • The Vegan Pantry
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Newsletter!
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Newsletter!
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Vegan Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies

    Posted: Sep 27, 2019 by Lori Modified: Mar 3, 2021 · This post contains affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    Oil-Free Vegan Thumbprint Cookies pin for Pinterest
    pin for Pinterest
    pin for Pinterest
    pin to save on Pinterest

    A perfect little sweet treat that's vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and so much fun to make! These Vegan Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies make a great after school snack, everyday dessert, or festive cookie for the holiday season! Just 6 ingredients.

    thumbprint cookies filled with a variety of fruit-sweetened jellies

    I have very clear memories of eating Pepperidge Farm thumbprint cookies as a kid. Apricot-raspberry was my favorite. The buttery, slightly salty shortbread cookie combined with the slightly tart fruit jelly in the center...everyone loved them, right? I mean, I'm someone who chooses chocolate and vanilla desserts over fruity desserts 9 times out of 10, and even I loved them.

    Now some bad news. I just pulled up the Pepperidge Farm website to check out the ingredients in their "Distinctive" thumbprint cookie collection. Not good, folks. Not good. This is why homemade (and vegan) cookies are the way to go!

    close up of thumbprint cookie with orange jelly

    Almond Flour Cookies

    Since almond flour has such a naturally buttery flavor, I knew it would be perfect for making oil-free cookies. Obviously the texture of these cookies isn't exactly like a butter-filled, classic thumbprint cookie, but I'm okay with that because these have other perks. And I have a feeling you're going to love them, too.

    Use your favorite jam, jelly or preserves - strawberry, apricot, orange, raspberry - anything goes! For refined sugar-free, choose a store-bought, all-fruit jam or make your own simple, naturally sweetened jam at home. See the blueberry jam below? All you need are two ingredients and about 10 to 15 minutes to make it! Seriously easy. The fruit flavor becomes SO concentrated and delicious.

    quick homemade blueberry jam

    How to Make Your Own Jam for Thumbprint Cookies

    In a small sauce pan combine 1 cup of frozen fruit such as blueberries, cherries, blackberries, or raspberries (chop larger pieces of fruit) with 1 tablespoon of sweetener (I used maple syrup). Bring to a low simmer, and cook over medium-low heat until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

    Voila! You now have refined sugar-free jam! One cup of fruit will make a tad more than you need for filling these thumbprint cookies. Just store the leftover jam in the refrigerator, and enjoy it over the next few days.

    mixing the almond flour cookie dough

    The photo above shows what the cookie dough should look like after you've mixed the wet and dry ingredients together. It should be very moist, slightly sticky, but not wet. If you accidentally add too much water, just mix in a bit more almond flour.

    unbaked cookie dough on baking sheet

    I used a small cookie scoop to measure out the dough, which makes it really easy to get uniformly sized cookies, but you can also use a tablespoon. Scoop up about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie.

    These thumbprint cookies don't spread during baking, so you'll be able to fit all of them on one small baking sheet. Next, use your thumb to create an indentation in the center of each cookie. After the first impression with my thumb, I like to use my index finger to even it out. Fill it up with jam and bake. It's as simple as that!

    thumbprint cookies filled with jelly and ready to be bakes

    The photo above is what the thumbprint cookies look like before going into the oven. And below is how they look when done.

    oil-free vegan thumbprint cookies on a serving platter

    Thumbprint cookies are classic treat to share during the holidays, but I think they should be enjoyed year-round!

    I hope you enjoy these Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies! If you do try them I would love for you to come back and give the recipe a star rating. You can also leave a comment below to let everyone know how they turned out.

    On facebook or instagram? Share a photo of your thumbprints and tag @myquietkitchen so I can see!

    More healthy vegan sweet treats:

    Oat Flour Peanut Butter Cookies 
    Oil-Free Sunbutter Cookies
    Strawberry Banana Oat Bars 
    Spelt Cookies with Peanuts and Chocolate
    Vegan Gluten-Free Pie Crust 
    Oat Flour Double Chocolate Cookies

    oil-free vegan thumbprint cookies on a serving platter

    Vegan Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies (oil-free, too!)

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    Healthy vegan thumbprint cookies made with your choice of jam. Gluten-free, oil-free, naturally sweetened, and made with just 6 ingredients!
    Servings: 14 cookies
    4.94 from 15 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 18 mins
    Total Time: 33 mins

    Equipment

    • parchment paper
    • cookie scoop (1.5 Tbsp)
    • baking sheet

    Ingredients 

    • 1 ½ cups almond flour (168 g) - Pack into measuring cup like you would when measuring brown sugar.
    • ⅓ cup tapioca flour (40 g)
    • ¼ cup coconut sugar or other granulated sweetener
    • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 3 tablespoons water
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • approx. ¼ cup jam of choice - I used fruit-sweetened orange and raspberry storebought jam and a homemade, 2-ingredient blueberry jam (see Notes for recipe).
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment.
    • Combine the almond flour, tapioca, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
    • In a mug whisk together the water, vanilla and maple syrup. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir until fully combined.
    • The dough should stick together but not be overly wet. With a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop up 1 ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie and place on cookie sheet. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie, and fill with jam.
    • Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. The cookies will be soft right out of the oven; allow to cool on the baking sheet.

    Notes

    Storage
    Store cookies at room temperature in a container with the lid not fully sealed (unless you don't mind the cookies getting soft) for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
    Easy 2-ingredient blueberry jam:
    Combine 1 cup frozen wild blueberries and 1 Tbsp maple syrup in a small sauce pan. Simmer over low to medium-low heat until the berries have burst and the liquid has mostly evaporated. This should take about 10 to 15 minutes total.
    Store leftover jam in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Calories: 108kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 3gFat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 44mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6g

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Did you try the recipe?I LOVE hearing from you! Comment below to let us know.
    « Vegan Pumpkin Oat Ice Cream (No Coconut Milk!)
    Vegan Oat Milk Ice Cream (No Coconut) »

    Share and save!

    1.3K shares
    • Share
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Andrea

      October 09, 2021 at 6:54 pm

      Wow! Just wow! I made these and they are quick, easy, and delicious! I just found your web site and can’t wait to try more of your recipes! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Evan

      January 19, 2021 at 4:25 pm

      I made a triple batch a few weeks ago around Christmas. Excellent recipe!

      We were doing some socially distanced visiting because of COVID. So I made some of the cookies outside.

      I love your site. It's so great to have a high-quality source of baking recipes that are whole-food plant-based. It's not easy to find good oil-free baking recipes like you have on this site.

      Reply
      • Lori

        January 21, 2021 at 7:50 am

        Thanks so much, Evan! I'm thrilled you enjoyed the cookies. That photo of you making cookies in the yard is great. Haha way to improvise! Thank you for being here. 🙂

        Reply
    3. job

      May 07, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      Is there anything that could be substituted for tapioca flour that is a more common ingredient?

      Reply
      • Lori

        May 08, 2020 at 7:29 am

        Corn starch is a pretty standard substitute for tapioca. I haven't tried it in these cookies, but it should work.

        Reply
    4. Bujji

      May 03, 2020 at 5:05 pm

      Thank you. Just made them. Came out beautifully.

      Reply
      • Lori

        May 06, 2020 at 6:55 am

        Wonderful, Bujii. So glad you liked them. 😀

        Reply
    5. Dahianne

      October 03, 2019 at 5:55 pm

      They are amazing. I made them yesterday and just baked a double batch today.

      Reply
      • Lori

        October 03, 2019 at 6:46 pm

        Wonderful! I'm so glad you're enjoying them. Thanks for the feedback, Dahianne!

        Reply

    Leave Feedback Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Lori Rasmussen, Owner/Creator

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

    Learn more about me →

    Seasonal Favorites

    • Vegan Chicken Salad
    • Vegan Strawberry Cake
    • Oil-Free Vegan Aquafaba Mayo
    • Healthy BBQ Sauce (No Ketchup)
    • Vegan Pasta Salad (Oil-Free Option)
    • Seitan-Jackfruit Vegan Ribs

    Popular Recipes

    • Tahini Salad Dressing 5 Ways
    • Vegan Oat Milk Ice Cream (No Coconut)
    • Vegan Gluten-Free Pie Crust (Easy & Oil Free)
    • Healthy Oat Flour Banana Brownies (Vegan)
    • Vegan Oat Flour Banana Bread (Oil-Free)
    • Healthy Oat Mug Cake (Vegan)
    • EASY Instant Pot Red Lentil Curry
    • Vegan Protein Cookies

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    About
    Privacy Policy
    Accessibility

    Newsletter

    Sign Up for free recipes by email!

    Contact/Follow

    Facebook
    Pinterest
    Instagram
    Contact Us

    Copyright © 2022 My Quiet Kitchen