These thumbprint cookies offer classic shortbread flavor with dazzling jam centers. Using almond flour makes them gluten free and extra delicious! They’re tender and buttery with a pop of sweetness in the center. Make these irresistible cookies for any special occasion, or just because. This thumbprint cookie recipe is honestly so easy to make. You don’t need a mixer. You don’t need to wait for perfectly softened butter. You don’t need to chill the dough before baking. The dough comes together so quickly and rolls so easily that this recipe would be a fun baking project with kids. If you don’t typically bake with almond flour, this recipe is absolutely worth buying the bag.
Thumbprint cookies are particularly fun and versatile because you can change the flavor and the color of the centers by your choice of jam. These treats are perfect for the holidays, like Valentine’s Day (I suggest raspberry or strawberry filling), Easter (try several jams for a fun color mix), Independence Day (perhaps raspberry and blueberry), and Christmas (anything red). For those with special diet considerations, I’ll point out that this recipe happens to be gluten free and egg free. You can make it dairy free and vegan by substituting coconut oil for the butter (see recipe notes). It’s also partially naturally sweetened with maple syrup. Of course, the recipe is not nut free due to the almond flour, but it might be just the cookie you’ve been searching for. I’ve been perfecting this recipe over the past couple of months. I’m just so excited to share it with you! I hope it becomes a go-to recipe for you, too.
Thumbprint Cookie Ingredients
Almond Flour
Use fine blanched almond flour for this recipe. Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur and Whole Foods 365 brands yield great results for these cookies. Almond flour or meal made with whole almonds (not blanched/including the skins) will yield a more rustic texture with untraditional flavor. I don’t recommend those types. To measure your almond flour, use a kitchen scale if you have it! I’ve included gram measurements in the recipe below. I strongly recommend weighing almond flour versus using measuring cups. Even when using the same scooping technique (spooned and leveled), we’ve found big differences between measurements—even more so than with regular wheat flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, whisk your flour in the bag before measuring to smooth out any lumps. Then, use a big spoon to spoon flour into the cups, leveling off the top with a knife.
Butter
We’ll use unsalted butter to maintain full control over the salt level. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove, just until it’s melted (not excessively hot).
Maple Syrup
This cookie dough is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, which imparts very subtle maple flavor. Always use real maple syrup, not the artificial kind.
Vanilla Extract & Salt
A little bit of vanilla lends some additional flavor to this cookie recipe. If you want to lean into the almond flavor, you could also add up to 1 teaspoon almond extract. Fine salt enhances all of the flavors.
Sugar
Rolling the dough balls in granulated sugar does two things. First, it offers some light sweetness in each bite. Second, it offers some additional texture, which is especially welcome on days two and three after baking since the cookies soften a bit with time. You can omit the sugar here, but I recommend it for cookies that really taste like a treat! (They are still not too sweet.)
Jam or Preserves
Use jam or preserves of your choice. Any fruity flavor should taste good. Consider that the color of the jam will become slightly darker during baking. I used Bonne Maman’s Raspberry Preserves, which yields amazing flavor and a beautiful color. You could use more than one variety of jam, alternating between cookies, for different colors and flavors within one batch! Here’s a fun Bonne Maman four-pack of jams or cute mini sampler pack—both would leave you with a lot of extra jam.
Thumbprint Cookie Tips
Here are a few tips and an instructional video! This recipe is easy to make, especially when you have the right tools. You can bake the full batch of cookies at once on this large baking sheet (affiliate link)—I use these half sheets all the time for roasting vegetables, too. The rim is helpful so the cookies don’t slide off. To scoop the cookies, use your smallest cookie scoop or measure about 2 teaspoons’ worth of dough with measuring spoons (that’s two-thirds of one tablespoon). If you make your cookies any larger than specified, your yield will be reduced and the cookies will need a little more time in the oven. Gently roll the cookies between your palms to minimize any lines or cracks in the dough. Roll them both before and after you roll the dough balls in sugar. This dough is very easy to work with. Use a small, round measuring spoon or your thumb to slowly press downward and make a well for the jam. Contrary to the name of the cookies, I have better luck with the measuring spoon than my thumb! Stir your jam well before using. If the jam is too firm to work with, gently warm it in the microwave for a few seconds, just until it’s easy to stir. Then, fill the well with no more than 1/2 teaspoon jam. Too much, and the jam might seep over the edge during baking. Baking the cookies with the jam in place helps dehydrate the jam a bit, which concentrates the flavor and helps the jam set even further. Lastly, spend a minute smoothing any cracks around the edges of the cookies before baking, which is quick and easy to do with your finger. The cracks will become more pronounced during baking, so it’s best to minimize them beforehand.
Watch How to Make Thumbprint Cookies
More Cookies & Treats to Try
Gluten-Free Cookies
Here are a few more cookie recipes that just happen to be gluten free.
Coconut Macaroons Monster Cookies Peanut Butter Oat Cookies
Almond Flour Treats
If you’re enjoying almond flour like I am, try these almond flour recipes.
Apple & Carrot “Superhero” Muffins Gluten-Free Almond Cake with Berries on Top Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mixed Berry Crisp (Gluten Free) or more crisps here
Please let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
