These gluten-free thumbprint cookies combine nut butter with almond flour, coconut flour, and ground flaxseed.
The dough contains no eggs, and each cookie has an indentation for chocolate spread, jam, or preserves.
This recipe is designed as a small batch of 12 cookies.
Mix the dough, roll it into balls, gently press the centers, and bake before adding your favorite filling.
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Why Make These Thumbprint Cookies?
- Egg-free dough: Made with a flax egg instead of chicken eggs.
- Gluten-free flour combination: Uses almond flour and coconut flour.
- Small batch: Designed to make 12 small cookies.
- Flexible fillings: Choose chocolate spread, jam, or preserves.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
- Nut butter: 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter.
- Butter: 20 g, softened at room temperature so it mixes easily.
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon for the cookie dough.
- Salt: A small pinch.
- Almond flour: 2 tablespoons.
- Coconut flour: 1 tablespoon.
- Ground flaxseed: 1 tablespoon, mixed with 2-3 teaspoon of water to make a flax egg. Use finely ground flaxseed, not whole seeds.
- Filling: Nutella or your favorite chocolate spread, jam, or preserves. Choose a gluten-free filling and add it after the cookies have cooled.
How to Make Thumbprint Cookies Without Eggs
1. Prepare the oven and tray
Preheat the oven to 185°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Mix the dough
Mix the softened butter, nut butter, sugar, and salt until combined.
Add the almond flour, coconut flour, and ground flaxseed. Mix thoroughly, then let the dough stand briefly before checking its consistency.
3. Check the dough
Press a little dough between your fingers. It should hold together and allow you to make an indentation without falling apart.
If it feels dry and crumbly, mix in water 1 teaspoon at a time. Allow it to absorb before deciding whether more is needed.
Use only enough to help the dough hold together.
4. Shape the cookies
Divide the dough into 12 small portions. Roll each portion into a ball and place it on the prepared tray, leaving space between the cookies.
Gently press your thumb and gently press an indentation into the top of each cookie. Keep a layer of dough underneath so the filling stays inside.
If cracks appear around the edges, gently press them closed.
5. Bake and cool
Ideally, bake one cookie first to check how the revised dough behaves.
Use the original baking time of 15–20 minutes at 185°C (365°F) as a starting point. Begin checking before 15 minutes because the new flour combination may change the timing. Look for lightly golden edges.
Let the cookies firm up on the tray before moving them. Cool before adding the filling.
6. Fill the centers
Spoon a little chocolate spread, jam, or preserves into each well. Keep the filling inside the rim.
Chocolate Spread and Jam Filling Options
Nutella thumbprint cookies
Add a small spoonful of chocolate-hazelnut spread to each cooled cookie.
This is the filling shown in my original recipe photos.
Jam thumbprint cookies
Try strawberry, raspberry, apricot, or plum jam. A thick filling is easier to keep inside the well.
You can divide the batch between two fillings. The jam versions are serving suggestions.
Tips for Making a Small Batch of Thumbprint Cookies
Keep the portions similar in size. This helps the cookies bake more evenly.
Check the dough before shaping the whole batch. It should hold together when pressed.
Press gently. Make an indentation without pushing through the bottom.
Let the cookies firm up. Handle them gently after baking and give them time before lifting them from the tray.
How to Store Them
Cool the cookies completely before placing them in an airtight container.
Keep them in a single layer if the filling is soft, so the tops stay neat.
Follow the storage instructions for your chosen filling, including refrigeration where required. Storage life has not yet been tested for this adaptation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use only almond flour?
That substitution has not been tested. It would be a separate variation from the flour combination given here.
Can I leave out the almond flour?
That substitution has not been tested. Almond flour adds a mild nutty flavor and contributes to the cookie’s texture. Replacing it would require adjusting the recipe.
Will these cookies taste like coconut?
Coconut flour may add a light coconut flavor. How noticeable it is will depend on your nut butter and filling.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
The nut pieces may make shaping the cookies and pressing the centers more difficult. Smooth nut butter is the simpler choice for an even dough.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of coconut flour?
Yes, you can make a wheat-flour version, but the cookies will no longer be gluten-free. Keep the almond flour for its nutty flavor and tender, crumbly texture. Replacing the coconut flour with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour while keeping the flax egg is a variation to test.
Should I add jam before or after baking?
For this recipe, add jam or chocolate spread after baking. Spoon a little into each center, keeping it inside the cookie’s rim.
Can I replace sugar with honey or maple syrup?
Keep granulated sugar for this recipe. Honey and maple syrup add moisture, so swapping them directly can change the dough’s consistency.
Should I use salted or unsalted butter?
Either works. Use 20 g of unsalted butter plus a pinch of salt, or 20 g of salted butter without added salt.
Should the butter be melted or softened?
Use softened butter, not melted. It should mix easily while still holding its shape.
Can I replace butter with more nut butter?
Keep the 20 g of butter. Extra nut butter is not an equivalent replacement and will change the cookies’ texture.
Can I use coconut oil instead of butter?
Coconut oil can replace butter in some cookies, but an exact substitution has not been established for this recipe. Use butter for the current version.
Can I use dairy-free butter?
Choose a dairy-free baking block designed to replace butter, using 20 g. Avoid spreadable margarine. This substitution is not yet tested in this batch. For dairy-free cookies, also use jam or a dairy-free chocolate spread.
Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
For the flax egg
- 1 tablespoon finely ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons water
For the cookie dough
- 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter almond butter, or cashew butter
- 20 g unsalted butter softened
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Small pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
For the filling
- chocolate spread jam, or preserves, as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the flax egg. Mix the ground flaxseed with the water in a small bowl. Leave for 5–10 minutes until thickened.
- Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the butter and sugar. Stir the softened butter, nut butter, sugar, and salt until combined.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Mix in the flax egg, almond flour, and coconut flour.
- Shape the cookies. Divide into 12 small portions and roll into balls. Place on the tray with space between them.
- Make the centers. Gently press your thumb into each ball to create an indentation. Keep the bottom intact and smooth any cracks around the edges.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes. Begin checking a few minutes early. Remove when the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool and fill. Let the cookies firm up on the tray before transferring them to a rack. Once cool, spoon your chosen filling into each center.
Notes
- Dough consistency: The dough should hold together when rolled and pressed. If it remains too wet to shape after resting, the flour-to-liquid ratio needs adjusting.
- Salted butter: Omit the added pinch of salt.
- Gluten-free ingredients: Check the labels on your ingredients and filling.
- Allergens: Contains nuts and dairy. Regular Nutella also contains milk.
