These gluten free thumbprint cookies are like buttery shortbread cookies with jammy cranberry sauce centers! It's also dairy free, egg free, and vegan! The best way to use up leftover cranberry sauce!
Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies
Thumbprint cookies one of the most classic cookies baked during the holiday season. To be completely honest, I had never been a fan. I couldn't get past the sticky jam center getting stuck in my teeth!
But swap the jam out for some puréed cranberry sauce? I'm game.
Although my recipes is gluten free and vegan with an unconventional choice of filling - cranberry sauce - these thumbprint cookies are still buttery and makes you feel nostalgic with one bite.
What makes these gluten free thumbprint cookies so good?
It uses a combination of gluten free flour all purpose flour blend and fine almond flour. Adding almond flour improves the flavor by adding a deeper note, and make the cookies more tender. I used King Arthur Flour Baking Company's Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour and Bob's Red Mill's Super-Fine Almond Flour.
It combines vegan butter and refined coconut oil as the fat. By using a combination, you'll get the buttery flavor but still be able to achieve a crisp bottom. Whenever I'm baking, I always recommend using vegan butter sticks like Melt butter sticks, and flavorless refined coconut oil like this one from Nutiva.
Can I use canned cranberry sauce?
I will always suggest you use homemade cranberry sauce that you puréed using an immersion blender or a small blender, over canned cranberry sauce. Canned cranberry sauce, both the whole berry kind and the jellied kind, often contain both high fructose corn syrup and regular corn syrup.
That said, if you don't have access to fresh or frozen cranberries to make homemade cranberry sauce, just use the can. If you buy the kind with whole berries, make sure to purée it, and if you use the jelly make sure you break it apart using a whisk to get it somewhat smooth.
Can I use regular jam?
Absolutely! Swap out the cranberry sauce for your favorite jam. Raspberry, blueberry, strawberry... the sky's the limit!
Can I make these cookies ahead?
Yes! You can make the cookie dough, roll them into balls and make an indentation, and put them in the freezer.
Once the cookie dough is frozen, pop them into a freezer bag and you can keep them stored in the freezer for about a month. Just make sure not to roll them into granulated sugar before you freeze them.
When you're ready to bake, take them out of the freezer and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet about 15 minutes before you bake them.
More cookie recipes!
- Chocolate chip cookies (GF/DF)
- Chickpea chocolate chip cookies (GF/V)
- Chai white chocolate cookies (GF)
- Biscoff linzer cookies
- Matcha cookies
Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cup (248g) gluten free all purpose flour blend (with xanthan gum)
- ½ cup (56g) almond flour
- ½ teaspoon (3g) fine sea salt
- ⅔ cup (151g) vegan butter, softened at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (73g) coconut oil, melted
- ⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15g) non-dairy milk
- 1½ teaspoons (7.5g) vanilla extract
- ½ to ¾cup cranberry sauce
- granulated or sanding sugar (optional)
- diced or sliced almonds (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine gluten free flour blend, almond flour, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, coconut oil, and granulated sugar. Add milk, vanilla, and mix again. Add the flour mixture and mix until there are no dry bits of flour left. Cover and let it chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
- While the dough is chilling, purée the cranberry sauce in a blender, or using an immersion blender.
- Scoop the chilled cookie dough into heaped tablespoon sized balls and roll them in your palms. Roll it in some sugar or almonds (if using), and use your thumb to make an indentation. Place it on the parchment paper, and repeat until all the cookie dough has been used. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- While the oven preheats, fill the indentations to the brim with puréed cranberry sauce. Place the cookie dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them onto a wire rack.
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