Looking for a heavenly homemade cookie that’s both vegan and gluten-free? Say hello to these Vegan Thumbprint Cookies with Icing! These sweet treats with a tender crumb and delightful jam centers burst with flavor. Learn how to craft these delectable gluten-free thumbprint cookies that are perfect for any occasion.
These vegan gluten-free thumbprint cookies with sweet jam filling turned out so amazing! I was simply thrilled! It's hard sometimes to get the right texture when baking vegan AND gluten-free, but these are so perfectly tender and tasty.
They make a sweet treat to enjoy in the afternoon any time of year or bake up a batch for your favorite gluten-free friend for your next party. They will so appreciate that you thought of them and made it especially for them.
If you're looking for more gluten-free and vegan cookies and desserts, try these small batch chocolate chip cookies, raspberry oatmeal bars, and blueberry pie.
What You'll Need to Make Thumbprint Cookies with Icing
Here's a look at the ingredients you need to gather up to make vegan thumbprint cookies. Be sure to review the full list and quantities in the recipe card before getting started.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: Choose a blend such as King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour. It contains a mixture of ingredients that help the gluten-free flour work similarly to regular flour. You can use a different brand of blended flour but don't try to make it with a singular flour such as rice flour or quinoa flour.
- Vegan butter: The fat needed for flavor and consistency in your cookies.
- Tahini: This paste made from sesame seeds gives your cookies a hint of nuttiness which isn't overpowering like other nut butters.
- Maple syrup: For sweetening the cookies.
- Flavoring: I use a blend of vanilla extract and almonds extract to create a flavorful cookie and a bit of vanilla in the icing to give it a punch of warmth.
- Baking powder: The baking powder helps the cookies rise. For best results, make sure you use fresh baking powder.
- Salt: Your thumbprint dough needs a bit of salt added for flavor.
- Jam: You can use raspberry or strawberry jam, preserves, or jelly to fill your thumbprint cookies. Jam and preserves, which a bit thicker in consistency, work better than jelly.
- Powdered sugar: Works best for creating a smooth cookie icing that drizzles perfectly.
- Dairy-free milk: Just a bit to make the glaze. You can use any type of non-dairy milk you prefer.
Substitutions and Variations
- Jam: You can certainly try these with your favorite jam! I have a soft spot for strawberry and raspberry, but blackberry jam, apricot jam, other types of jam work well!
- Tahini: Replace it with peanut butter, almond butter, or other flavors of nut butter. They will each bring a similar texture and fat content to the cookies such as in these peanut butter thumbprint cookies.
- Tropical Flavored: Add some coconut to the dough and use mango or pineapple preserves in the center.
- Add Nuts: Roll the dough balls in some chopped pistachios, almonds, or other favorite nut before adding the thumbprint and jam.
- Holiday Cookies: Use cranberry sauce in place of the jam to make easy vegan thumbprint cookies perfect for the holiday season.
How to Make This Vegan Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Here's an overview of the main steps that go into making these jam thumbprint cookies with icing.
Step 1: Combine all of the cookie ingredients and mix them well until they form a dough.
PRO TIP: It's a really good idea to use a scale for measuring your ingredients. You will get much more accuracy and better results.
Step 2: Scoop out balls of dough to shape each cookie using a cookie scoop. Roll each cookie into a ball in the palm of your hand and place it on a baking sheet tray.
Step 3: Use your thumb or the back of a small measuring spoon to form a shallow hole in the middle of each of the cookie dough balls.
PRO TIP: You want the hole to be large enough to be able to fill it with the jam but not all the way through to the cookie bottom. It's more like an indention.
Step 4: Fill each hole with jam. Bake the cookies for about ten minutes.
Step 5: Create the icing by whisking together the icing ingredients.
Step 6: Use a piping bag to drizzle the icing on top of the cookies.How to Store
Recipe Tips
Want to make sure your jam-filled thumbprint cookies turn out great? Here are my top tips!
- Measure your flour and dry ingredients properly. A scale is most accurate but if you don't have one then make sure to spoon your flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. They do tend to soften a bit as they sit.
- Don't make your hole too deep. It should be deep enough to hold the jam but not go all the way through the cookie dough.
- Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to measure out the cookie dough. This ensures that your cookies are evenly sized so they will all bake in the same amount of time.
- Preheat your oven! When the oven is hot your cookies bake more quickly and evenly. You simply get better results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, these cookies are freezer-friendly! Place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers and freeze for up to three months. Allow them to thaw on the counter for a couple hours before serving.
They are tender shortbread cookies that get their name because you use your thumb or a spoon to create a small indentation in the center of each cookie that looks a bit like a thumbprint. This "hole" is then filled with jam or preserves and baked.
The tops will be lightly golden brown and the edges will appear set and slightly dry.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
Thumbprint Cookies with Icing (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour 204 grams - I used King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ½ cup tahini
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon almond extract optional
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Topping
- 6 tablespoons raspberry jam strawberry jam, or jelly
Icing Ingredients
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon dairy-free milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all of the cookie ingredients and mix them well until they form a dough.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out balls of dough for each cookie. Roll each cookie into a ball, then place it on a baking tray.
- Use your thumb or a measuring spoon to form a hole in the middle of each cookie. Fill each hole with jam.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes at 350*F/ 175*C.
- While the cookies are baking, create the icing by whisking together the icing ingredients.
- Once the cookies have baked and fully cooled off, place the icing in a piping bag, spin off the end, and drizzle the icing on top of the cookies.
- This recipe makes about 12 cookies.
Notes
- Measure your flour and dry ingredients properly. A scale is most accurate but if you don't have one then make sure to spoon your flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to four days. They do tend to soften a bit as they sit.
- Don't make your hole too deep. It should be deep enough to hold the jam but not go all the way through the cookie dough.
- Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to measure out the cookie dough. This ensures that your cookies are evenly sized so they will all bake in the same amount of time.
- Preheat your oven! When the oven is hot your cookies bake more quickly and evenly. You simply get better results.
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