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!
This recipe was originally published on December 11, 2021. It was updated with new photos and information on August 15, 2023.
Why You'll Love These Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies
- Perfect for the Holidays. Thumbprint cookies are one of the most classic Holiday cookies. Anyone would be so excited to see these GF thumbprint cookies at a cookie exchange or Holiday party!
- Traditional with a Twist. Although my recipe is gluten-free with an unconventional choice of filling (leftover cranberry sauce), these cookies are still buttery and make you feel nostalgic with one bite.
- A Great Way to Use Up Leftover Cranberry Sauce. My family's a big fan of cranberry sauce, but we always end up having leftovers. This vegan thumbprint cookies recipe is the most delicious way to use it up!
- Allergen-Friendly. These cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan! You can also easily make them nut-free.
Ingredients
- Gluten-free flour blend: It may be called measure-for-measure flour or cup-for-cup flour. Make sure it includes xanthan gum in the ingredients. I used this one.
- Almond flour: Adding almond flour improves the flavor by adding a deeper note, and makes the cookies more tender.
- Fine salt: A little salt brings out the flavor in sweets! I used fine pink Himalayan salt.
- Vegan butter: If you don't require a dairy-free diet, feel free to use traditional butter. If you're using regular butter, substitute the coconut oil with the same amount.
- Coconut oil: Vegan butter can be a little lower in fat compared to the real stuff, leaving your cookies a little cakey. By adding refined coconut oil you can get crisp bottoms on your cookies. Make sure it's refined coconut oil and not virgin or extra virgin!
- Granulated sugar: Adds a clean sweetness to the cookies.
- Non-dairy milk: We add just a touch to hydrate the flour.
- Vanilla extract: For warm flavors in these vegan thumbprint cookies.
- Cranberry sauce: Puréed cranberry sauce makes the perfect thumbprint cookie filling! Feel free to substitute it with your favorite jam.
How to Make Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
Step 1: In a bowl, combine gluten-free flour blend, almond flour, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, cream together butter, refined 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
Step 3: While the dough is chilling, purée the cranberry sauce in a blender, or using an immersion blender.
Step 4: Scoop about a tablespoon of the chilled cookie dough into your palm and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in some sugar or chopped sliced almonds (optional), and use your thumb to make an indentation. Place it on a parchment paper lined plate, and repeat until all the cookie dough has been used. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 6: While the oven preheats, place the cookie dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Fill the indentations to the brim with puréed cranberry sauce.
Step 7: Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them onto a wire rack.
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Chill the dough. Gluten-free flour requires some time to properly hydrate so it's essential you don't skip this step! Chilling the rolled and indented cookie dough is going to help keep their shape while they bake, too.
- Roll into sugar or almonds for crunch. Although it's an optional step, rolling the dough into some granulated sugar or chopped sliced almonds adds a lovely crunch to the cookies!
- Mix up the filling. You can use this gluten-free thumbprint cookies recipe and swap out the cranberries for your favorite jam to make gluten free jam cookies!
- Cool completely. These cookies will be soft when they first come out of the oven, so let them cool completely on the baking sheet to avoid them from falling apart.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store these eggless thumbprint cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Wrap each cookie individually before placing them in a freezer bag for best results. They can be stored for a couple of months.
- Freezing cookie dough: Roll out the cookie dough into balls, add an indentation, lay them on a baking sheet, and let them freeze. Once they're frozen, put them into a freezer bag to keep them stored in the freezer for about a month.
- Ready to bake? Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for about 15-20 minutes before baking them in the oven.
FAQs
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.
I will always recommend using homemade cranberry sauce over canned cranberry sauce. Canned cranberry sauce often contains 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 smooth.
Absolutely! Swap out the cranberry sauce for your favorite jam. Raspberry, blueberry, strawberry... the sky's the limit!
Yes! The basic ingredients for jam are fruit, sugar, lemon, and sometimes pectin, making jams naturally gluten-free. If you have a strong gluten sensitivity, you should either look for jams that are labeled gluten-free or make your own at home!
More Holiday Cookies
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you loved this Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookie Recipe as much as I do. For more mouth-watering dairy-free, gluten-free, and/or vegan dessert inspiration, make sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also get all of my newest content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my email newsletter — I promise not to spam you!
Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cup gluten free 1-to-1 flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅔ cup vegan butter softened at room temperature
- ⅓ cup coconut oil melted
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ to ¾ cup cranberry sauce
- granulated or sanding sugar (optional)
- sliced almonds, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine gluten free flour blend, almond flour, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, refined 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 about a tablespoon of the chilled cookie dough into your palm and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in some sugar or chopped sliced almonds, and use your thumb to make an indentation. Place it on a parchment paper lined plate, 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, place the cookie dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Fill the indentations to the brim with puréed cranberry sauce.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them onto a wire rack.
Notes
-
- Storing: Store these eggless thumbprint cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
-
- Freezing: Wrap each cookie individually before placing them in a freezer bag for best results. They can be stored for a couple of months.
-
- Freezing cookie dough: Roll out the cookie dough into balls, add an indentation, lay them on a baking sheet, and let them freeze. Once they're frozen, put them into a freezer bag to keep them stored in the freezer for about a month.
-
- Ready to bake? Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for about 15-20 minutes before baking them in the oven.
-
- Freezing cookie dough: Roll out the cookie dough into balls, add an indentation, lay them on a baking sheet, and let them freeze. Once they're frozen, put them into a freezer bag to keep them stored in the freezer for about a month.
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