Rolled in chopped almonds and filled with an assortment of jams, these easy to make gluten-free jam thumbprint cookies are a classic for any occasion.
Spring is in the air, time to bake cookies! While we generally tend to think of cookie season as synonymous with the winter holidays, there are lots of spring and summer holidays and events where a batch of homemade cookies would be just as welcome. And thumbprint cookies are a timeless classic suited for more than just the winter season.
These gluten-free jam thumbprint cookies are one of my favorites to make this time of year. They also happen to be vegan, paleo, easy to make and call for only a handful of pantry ingredients and some of your favorite naturally sweetened jams.
Made with from simple shortbread dough, rolled in crushed almonds and filled with jewel-toned jams, they make an elegant addition to any special occasion as well as a nice afternoon treat alongside a cup of tea. A platter of jam-filled thumbprints would for example be perfectly at home on an Easter dessert platter, at a baby-shower brunch or for Mother’s Day.
The cookies are tender and buttery along the edges and sweet and jammy in the centers.
How to Make Almond Thumbprint Cookies:
The almond flour based dough is simply stirred together by hand in a large bowl until it comes together. If you find the dough is sticky it can be refrigerated for a few minutes until easier to handle and formed into balls.
The balls are then rolled in crushed almonds, pressed down in the center and filled with jam before being baked. You can fill them with an assortment of jams of different colors or just go for your favorite flavor. Filling the cookies with jam before baking (rather than filling them after) prevents the thumbprint holes from closing as the cookies will spread slightly when baking.
The cookies go into a 325F oven to ensure that they bake through before browning. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before serving as the cookies will crisp as they cool.
So treat yourself to some homemade gluten-free thumbprint jam cookies this spring.
More Cookies to Bake this Spring:
- Crispy Gluten-Free Coconut Cookies (Paleo, Vegan)
- Flourless Walnut Cookies with Cardamom (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
Serves 12
Sylvie Shirazi
Yields 12
15 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
35 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- ¾ cup/84g almond flour
- ½ cup/48g tapioca flour
- ½ teaspoon grain-free baking powder
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 3 Tablespoons/45g palm shortening (or room temperature butter for a non-vegan version)
- 3 Tablespoons/45ml maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup/30g sliced almonds, lightly crushed
- Assorted naturally sweetened jams for filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together almond flour, tapioca, baking powder and salt. Stir in shortening, maple syrup and vanilla extract until a soft dough forms. Let dough sit in fridge for a few minutes if needed until firm enough to handle.
- Divide dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place crushed sliced almonds in a shallow dish and roll dough balls in almonds until coated. Place about 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Gently press your thumb down into the center of each ball to make a small well. Fill with ½ teaspoon of jam.
- Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, (about 18 to 20 minutes) rotating pan about halfway through baking.
- Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack, let cool completely. Serve or store between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container (cookies will soften when stored).
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Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she’s been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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