This recipe is great to make with kids (or adults) because the dough needs to be rolled into a ball using your hands, and then you insert your thumb in the middle to flatten it and fill with jelly. Just imagine a Playdough session that results in tasty cookies.
My favorite part is the jam. I love the combination of cookie and jam. To keep the jam sugar-free, find juice-sweetened jam, or make your own. Here's a recipe for strawberry jam that works well, and you can use frozen strawberries if you can't find the fresh kind. And for raspberry lovers, here's my raspberry jam recipe.
This cookie is also egg-free for those that need it. It's not dairy-free, however if you're just avoiding milk solids, you can replace the butter with ghee, or use a plant-based butter. And, if you'd prefer to make these cookies with just almond flour, go to my recipe for Thumbprint Cookies using just almond flour.
Thumbprint Cookies {almond & coconut flour}
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened or coconut oil
- ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
- ½ cup fruit-sweetened jam
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C or gas mark 4).
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick mat.
- Mix the butter, honey and vanilla in a bowl using a hand mixer, or a standing mixer, at a medium speed for about a minute.
- Add the salt, coconut flour, and almond flour to the bowl and mix on a slow speed for another minute, or until the dough forms.
- Measure about 1 tablespoon of dough and use your hands to roll it into a ball. Repeat this until you have about 24 balls of dough.
- Place dough balls on the baking sheet and press your thumb in the center of each ball.
- Add about 1 teaspoon of jam to the center of each cookie.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Cool for about an hour. Store cookies in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
Brooke says
Hi! Can I use olive oil in place of the butter?
Hi Brooke. I haven't tested it yet, so not sure. I suspect it will work but the cookies may be a bit softer. Let me know if you try it!
Paula says
I cannot eat any sugar. Do you think this would work sweetened with Monk Fruit?
Hi Paula, I haven't tested this with Monk Fruit, but I think the liquid Monk Fruit (aka Maple Syrup) should work.
Dawn Sabean says
These are my absolute favorite! I roll each ball in egg white and finely chopped walnuts before putting thumbprint and preserves. So, so good!!
Yum, thanks Dawn! Love the added chopped walnuts.
Kate says
Hi. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I have a question about the ingredients list. What is the measurement for the honey / maple syrup? In the instructions, it just says "1/3 honey or maple syrup."
Hi Kate! Thanks for catching that omission. It's 1/3 cup and I just added it.
Kate says
Thank you!
suzanne hardesty says
Would these be too dry with just coconut flour? How could I make it work?
Erica says
Hi Suzanne! It wouldn't work, way too dry and crumbly. I'd have to test it but my suspicion is at least 2 eggs would be needed if not more. If you're trying to make it nut free, try subbing the almond flour with a seed flour.
Lindsey says
Can you use coconut oil instead of butter or ghee? These look so good, but my son can't have either of those!
Erica says
Hi Lindsey, yes, you can use coconut oil! Don't melt the coconut oil.
Rosanne says
I really like baking with almond flour but find I don't love the taste of coconut flour... could I replace the coconut flour with almond flour in this cookie recipe? BTW Erica: I LOVE your "Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet" cookbook. It has so many delicious recipes for us on the diet. Thanks for all you do!
Erica says
Thank you so much! I haven't tried these cookies without coconut flour yet, but it may be too moist without the coconut flour. You can probably reduce the amount of butter by 1 or 2 tablespoons, but I'll try it soon and report back. 🙂
Erica says
Whoops! I meant without coconut flour lol. Just corrected my reply 🙂
I now have an almond flour only version of this cookie! https://comfybelly.com/2024/01/thumbprint-cookies-almond-flour/
Anne says
These are sooooo yummy. I made my own raspberry jam with raspberries, honey and lemon. I also baked mine for 15 minutes Vs. 20 and they turned out great. Thanks so much!
Erica says
Oh how I love raspberry jam!! Thank you 🙂
Lauren says
Amazingly delicious! I love love love that your recipes allow me to feel like I am indulging, even with all of my dietary restrictions. Your site is a blessing! My one caution with this recipe is that you must watch the clock, because I baked my cookies for 22 mins vs 20 (as I lost track of the time) and they were burned. I would check in on the cookies around 18 mins into baking.
Erica says
So great to hear! Yes, you do have to keep an eye on these cookies or they burn a bit on the bottom. To prevent the burning you can bake at a lower temperature, about 325°F for an additional 5 minutes or so.
Darcey says
How many cookies is a serving size?
They look delicious!
Erica says
It's for one serving, so one cookie 🙂
Cannacat says
Could I use regular flour since I don’t have those kind on hand?
Erica says
It might work, but I haven't tried.
Dawn Sabean says
I love all your recipes and tried this one today. I rolled the dough balls in egg whites and then finely chopped walnuts before doing the thumbprint and jam. So very good!!! My oven must run hot, because my first batch burned and had to adjust time by 5 minutes like I do for all your recipes. Thumbprint cookies are one of my favorites and now I don’t have to feel deprived. Thank you, thank you!!!
Erica says
What a great idea, egg white wash! if your cookies were on the smaller side that would require less baking time as well. Cheers 🙂
Hanne Smith says
Wow - thank you - these are really good! I added the 1/4 tsp of almond extract, as suggested. I also used raspberry jam, and a vegan margarine instead of butter or ghee.
Erica says
Good to hear! I was wondering if vegan margarine would work. There are a lot of dairy-free readers. Thanks!