Name: Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies (Vegan & Oil-free)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
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) (Or GF flour blend ); 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

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These healthy gluten-free thumbprint cookies are made with almond flour for a delightfully nutty, sweet, and wholesome treat. Only 6 ingredients, no eggs, dairy, or oil, and they're so much fun to make! They're a delicious after school snack, everyday dessert, or festive cookie for the holiday season! Plus, we've included tips for making your own jam!

thumbprint cookies filled with a variety of fruit-sweetened jellies.

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I have very clear memories of eating Pepperidge Farm thumbprint cookies as a kid. Apricot was my favorite.

The buttery, slightly salty shortbread cookie combined with the slightly tart fruit jelly in the center...so good! Everyone loved those, 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 for the bad news. I just pulled up the Pepperidge Farm website to check the ingredients in their "Distinctive" Verona thumbprint cookies. Ugh, not good. Their ingredients include corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, milk, egg, vegetable oils, etc.

That's why homemade (gluten-free and vegan) thumbprint cookies are the way to go!

close up of thumbprint cookie with orange jelly

Why You'll Love Them

Since almond flour has a rich, naturally buttery flavor, I thought it would be perfect for creating a more wholesome, oil-free and gluten-free thumbprint cookie.

Obviously the texture of these 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.

It's so easy to switch up the flavors (and colors - the colors are half the fun!) with a variety of jams, jellies, or preserves.

For a refined sugar-free option, 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 15 minutes to make it! It's seriously that easy. And the fruit flavor becomes SO concentrated and delicious.

Ingredients

almond flour - Currently I'm using this fine blanched almond flour by Nature's Eats, but any brand is fine. Almond flour is a key ingredients in the recipe and can't be substituted (at least not without more testing).
tapioca starch - This helps bind the cookies. Feel free to substitute a gluten-free flour blend.
sugar - I've tested these with regular sugar and coconut sugar. Other similar sweeteners should be fine, too.
maple syrup - Adds more sweetness, a bit of moisture, and nice flavor.
jam - Use your favorite jam, jelly or preserves - try strawberry, apricot, orange, raspberry, and blueberry! For refined sugar-free, choose a store-bought, all-fruit jam or make your own simple, naturally sweetened jam at home. More on this below!

See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.

quick homemade blueberry jam in a white bowl.

How to Make 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 just to a simmer, and cook over medium-low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.

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

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

The photo above shows what the cookie dough should look like after you've mixed the wet and dry ingredients together.

The dough should be very moist, slightly sticky, but not wet. If you accidentally add too much water, just mix in a bit more almond flour.

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.

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!

Tip! These gluten-free thumbprint cookies don't spread during baking, so you'll probably be able to fit all of them on one small baking sheet.

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 the photo below shows 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 (especially when they're this healthy)!

I hope you enjoy these Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies. If you try the recipe be sure to rate it and comment below to let us know.

Oh, and if you're looking for more tasty dessert recipes with almond flour, be sure to try my Almond Flour Gingerbread Cookies and Almond Flour Brownies next!

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

More Vegan Gluten-Free Cookies

Recipe

A bite taken out of a strawberry thumbprint cookie resting on marble.

Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies (Vegan & Oil-free)

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

Healthy vegan gluten-free thumbprint cookies made with your choice of jam. They're oil-free, naturally sweetened, and made with just 6 ingredients!

4.94 from 16 votes

Servings: cookies

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 18

Total Time: 33

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Equipment

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) - Or GF flour blend
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).

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 be moist and holding together well but not wet. If it seems too moist, mix in a little more almond flour. With a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop up 1½ 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 but will firm up. 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 1 to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Easy 2-ingredient blueberry jam:

Combine 1 cup frozen wild blueberries and 1 tablespoon 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.