Super easy and simple to make, these vegan, gluten-free Thumbprint Cookies are a healthy AND delicious treat for the holiday season or any time of year.
Made with wholesome ingredients including heart-healthy cashew nuts, ground flaxseed, and antioxidant-rich spices, then topped off with a dollop of your favorite jam, I guarantee you’ll absolutely love these delicious cookies!
I’m of the honest opinion that everyone needs an easy thumbprint cookie recipe in their lives. If you agree, run (don’t walk!) to your nearest grocery store and gather the ingredients for these delicious cookies flavored with orange, cinnamon, and cardamom, and topped with your favorite jam or another luscious filling! Here’s what you need.
Ingredients & Variations for Easy Jam Thumbprint Cookies
See the full recipe card at the end of this post.
- Cashew nuts. Swap with other nuts of choice or almond flour.
- Ground flaxseed.
- Brown rice flour or gluten-free flour blend. Or any gluten-free flour blend certified gluten-free oat flour, or sorghum flour. Try coconut flour or cassava flour for a grain-free version.
- Spices. Cinnamon and cardamom. Ginger, nutmeg, and cloves would be delicious too.
- Orange zest. Or lemon zest.
- Baking staples. Baking soda and salt.
- Maple syrup. Try honey or another liquid sweetener if desired.
- Your favourite jam. I used Jackie’s Jams* Cranberry Orange Jam and Mango Raspberry Jam. Other tasty options include strawberry jam, apricot jam, blueberry jam, lemon curd, chocolate hazelnut spread, and dark, milk, or white chocolate chips melted in the thumbprint cookie center. Yum!
- Optional flavorings. Almond extract, lemon extract, pure vanilla extract.
*Jackie’s Jams is a client of mine that makes lower sugar jams with simple ingredients and creative flavor pairings including Balsamic Fig, Blood Orange Marmalade, Chambord Blueberry, Plum Lavender, Zippy Jalapeno (spread over goat cheese and serve with gluten-free crackers for a super easy gluten-free appetizer!), and many more. Buy Jackie’s Jams at Whole Foods in San Diego or online.
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper or a Silpat baking sheet.
- Cooling rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Food processor. I love my Breville food processor!
How to make gluten-free jam thumbprint cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a food processor bowl. Pulse until you have a fine meal.
- Add the maple syrup to the dry mixture and process until moist-the cookie dough will start to pull away from the bowl.
- Divide dough into ~15 1-inch balls and place on the lined baking sheet. Press down each dough ball with the back of a moistened spoon or your index finger until about 1/4 inch thick.
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Remove gluten-free thumbprint cookies from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Top the center of each cookie with 1/2-1 teaspoon of jam.
- Enjoy or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Big shoutout to Ricki Heller and her scrumptious Lemony-Walnut Cinnamon Cookies from the Naturally Sweet and Gluten-Free cookbook for inspiring my gluten-free thumbprint cookie recipe!
Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashew nuts
- 1/4 cup flax meal
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour {or other gluten-free flour OR all-purpose flour}, or other gluten-free flour OR all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons orange zest, freshly grated
- 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- jam of choice for filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner.
- Combine all ingredients, except maple syrup and jam, in a food processor bowl, and process ingredients together until you have a fine meal.
- Add maple syrup to the dry mixture and process until the mixture is moist and starts to pull away from the sides of the processor bowl.
- Divide dough into ~ 15 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheets. Press each dough ball with the back of a moistened spoon or use your finger until about 1/4 inch thick.
- Bake in for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are very lightly browned around the edges.
- Rmove from oven and allow cookies to cool on a wire rack. Top each cookie with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of jam and serve.
Video
Nutrition
More Gluten-Free Cookies
Let’s Chat! What are your favorite Christmas cookies? What fillings would you add to these gluten-free thumbprint cookies?