Deliciously Organic

Healthy recipes and information about nutrition and thyroid disease

  • Start Here
  • The Blog
  • Thyroid Disease
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
    • The Grain-Free Family Table
    • Deliciously Organic
  • Supplements
  • The Shop
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • My Account
  • Members Only:
  • Weekly Meal Plan Subscription
  • Thyroid Support and Health Course
  • Adrenal Balance Program

December 6, 2016

Thumbprint Cookies (Grain Free, Paleo, Gluten Free, Gaps)

216 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe

Thumbprint cookies are icons of the holiday season for me. You don’t have to miss out on your favorite cookies just because you’re avoiding grains and gluten this holiday season!

Thumbprint Cookies (Grain Free, Paleo, Gluten Free, Gaps)

Last year, I gave you my grain free slice-and-bake cookies, now I’m using that dough to make little thumbprint cookies filled with homemade chocolate hazelnut spread.

Thumbprint Cookies (Grain Free, Paleo, Gluten Free, Gaps)

I tested the cookies two ways: one with maple sugar and a bit of arrowroot flour and one with honey as the sweetener. I prefer the dough with the maple sugar because they have more of a shortbread consistency, especially since the added arrowroot helps add that bit of “crunch”.

The honey-sweetened dough option is nice and flavorful without being too sweet. Like many grain-free baked goods, they’re best eaten the day they’re baked because they tend to soften overnight.

 

Print

Thumbprint Cookies (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, GAPS)

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Units
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup maple sugar or organic cane sugar (or 1/4 cup honey for GAPS)
  • 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (I prefer Bernard Jensen)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon arrowroot flour (omit for GAPS)
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into tablespoons
  • 1/2 cupe honey-sweetened jam or any other jam or preserves of your choice.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and and adjust rack to middle position. Place almond meal, coconut flour, sugar or honey, gelatin, sea salt and arrowroot in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times to combine. Add butter and process until dough forms a ball. Using a 1 1/2 -inch cookie scoop, spoon a cookie dough ball and then using your hands, roll it into a ball. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and using your finger, put an indentation in the top of the cookie dough ball. Repeat with remaining dough. Spoon a teaspoon of jam into the center of each cookie. Bake for 11 minutes, until just turning golden brown on the edges. Cool completely.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: Makes 1 dozen cookies

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo on Instagram and use the tag #carrievitt — I can't wait to see what you've made!

Photo Credit: Becky Winkler 

Posts may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Filed Under: Baking, Cookies, Desserts, Egg-Free, Egg-Free, Grain-Free, Gaps Diet, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Holiday, Kids and School Lunches, Paleo Recipes, Uncategorized | 45 Comments

Did you enjoy this post?

Sign up for FREE updates!

Receive my "Top 50 Tips to Help Heal Your Thyroid" when you subscribe!

You may also enjoy these posts

Homemade Cherry Pie Filling11 Most Popular Slow Cooker RecipesHomemade Sausage Recipe

45 Comments

  1. Lindsay

    December 6, 2012 at 10:25 am

    Thanks for all the resources you provide. We have no restrictions on wheat in our house, so I'd prefer to make this recipe (and others of yours) with whole wheat flour. How would I make the substitution? Thanks!
    to Lindsay" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Lindsay'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      December 6, 2012 at 11:30 am

      You welcome! Here is a recipe that would be great for a thumbprint dough: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/whole-wheat-maple-pecan-sables/ For most of my grain free recipes, you can substitute the almond flour with whole wheat pastry flour 1:1. Make sure to omit the coconut flour and gelatin. I also have lots of whole wheat recipes here: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/category/index-categories/whole-wheat/ and you can also find lots of recipes utilizing whole grain flours in my cookbook: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/store/books/deliciously-organic.html
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
      • Kristen

        December 1, 2016 at 9:32 pm

        We cannot eat dairy. What do you recommend we replace the butter with--coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, etc.? Thanks SO much.
        to Kristen" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Kristen'>Reply to this comment
        • Deliciously Organic

          December 6, 2016 at 9:47 am

          The dairy-free version of this recipe is in my cookbook, "The Grain-Free, Family Table".
          to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  2. marla

    December 6, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    Such fun cookies! Love that chocolate in the middle :)
    to marla" aria-label='Reply to this comment to marla'>Reply to this comment
  3. the 3volution of j3nn

    December 6, 2012 at 11:43 pm

    My mom makes thumbprints every Christmas with jam. I need to convince her to do so e chocolate centers. These sound amazing!
    to the 3volution of j3nn" aria-label='Reply to this comment to the 3volution of j3nn'>Reply to this comment
  4. HeatherChristo

    December 7, 2012 at 7:48 am

    Carrie- you are so innovative! And these beautiful cookies make it seem like noone would miss grains at all!
    to HeatherChristo" aria-label='Reply to this comment to HeatherChristo'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      December 7, 2012 at 11:51 am

      Thanks, Heather!
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
      • Keeley Leakos

        March 23, 2013 at 8:13 pm

        We are not on a special diet..Healthy diet, 90% vegetarian. But, when I make almond milk I dehydrate the pulp and make your different cookie recipes using the almond meal. We DO NOT miss flour in our cookies!!!
        to Keeley Leakos" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Keeley Leakos'>Reply to this comment
  5. Rachael {SimplyFreshCooking}

    December 8, 2012 at 9:01 am

    OOooh, I love that you used your "Nutella" spread for these! Yum!
    to Rachael {SimplyFreshCooking}" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Rachael {SimplyFreshCooking}'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      December 10, 2012 at 8:35 am

      Thanks, Rachael!
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  6. the urban baker

    December 9, 2012 at 8:33 am

    thumbprints are one of my favorites!
    to the urban baker" aria-label='Reply to this comment to the urban baker'>Reply to this comment
  7. shoprubyjean

    December 11, 2012 at 3:12 pm

    Oh these look so very good!! Can't wait to give them a try. :) Just in time for all those fun Cookie exchanges. Have a great day! Angelina
    to shoprubyjean" aria-label='Reply to this comment to shoprubyjean'>Reply to this comment
  8. Angelia

    December 11, 2012 at 3:13 pm

    Just wondering why links on your site cannot be opened up in a new tab?
    to Angelia" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Angelia'>Reply to this comment
  9. Kristen A.

    December 11, 2012 at 8:19 pm

    I made the GAPS variety of thumbprints this evening and they tasted quite salty, though I used unsalted butter. Also, your recipe has 1/4 C honey, where the alternative recipe has 1/2 C maple syrup. Is honey that much sweeter, or did you intend 1/2 C honey? They looked beautiful, just like the pictures, but the flavor wasn't quite right....
    to Kristen A." aria-label='Reply to this comment to Kristen A.'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      December 12, 2012 at 8:18 am

      That's interesting. Did you use Celtic sea salt or another kind of salt. Some processed salts are much more salty than the unrefined options. I did intend to call for 1/4 cup honey, not 1/2 cup. The original recipe calls for maple sugar, so when I use honey I reduce the amount to make up for the extra moisture in the dough. I've also noticed that since I don't eat many sweets, just a little sweetener tastes very sweet to me. I'll pull down the amount to 1/2 tsp. Celtic sea salt and test them again. Thanks for letting me know!
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
      • Kristen A.

        December 12, 2012 at 8:17 pm

        I used Redmond's Real Salt.... but I just realized I also added some vanilla AND some almond flavoring (I was trying to imitate the flavor of my favorite white flour Christmas cut-outs).... so I bet that's what did it. Somehow my taste buds ended up deciding the strange flavor was "salty".... I'll try them your way next time :)
        to Kristen A." aria-label='Reply to this comment to Kristen A.'>Reply to this comment
        • Diane

          March 11, 2013 at 8:20 am

          Did you use unsalted almonds for your almond meal?
          to Diane" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Diane'>Reply to this comment
          • Deliciously Organic

            March 11, 2013 at 1:20 pm

            The almonds are unsalted. I used Honeyville almond flour for this recipe.
            to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  10. aida mollenkamp

    December 12, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    Carrie, you amaze me at how you are able to make such fabulous food all while sticking to grain-free. Bravo!
    to aida mollenkamp" aria-label='Reply to this comment to aida mollenkamp'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      December 13, 2012 at 8:21 am

      Thanks, Aida. That means a lot coming from you!
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  11. Scarlet

    December 13, 2012 at 9:50 am

    With that photo it is easy to see how you picked your blog name. Those look yummy and I love that they are gluten free! Stumbled
    to Scarlet" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Scarlet'>Reply to this comment
  12. Anne

    January 6, 2013 at 3:20 pm

    My daughter cannot have gelatin. Is it essential to the recipe, or can it be omitted?
    to Anne" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Anne'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      January 7, 2013 at 8:06 am

      It can, but the cookies will be more crumbly than intended. You might want to add a teaspoon extra of the coconut flour to help keep the cookies from being too crumbly.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  13. Diana Severnak

    January 7, 2013 at 5:04 pm

    We're lactose intolerant...what would be the best substitute for the butter? Palm oil shortening or coconut oil?
    to Diana Severnak" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Diana Severnak'>Reply to this comment
  14. Sharon Nagel

    April 27, 2013 at 2:03 pm

    I just made these and verified the recipe but my cookies did not hold their pretty shape and melted into flat cookies. Do you think I did something wrong with the butter? Maybe it wasn't cold enough? (I made the first, non-honey recipe). They look so good and I want to re-make them!
    to Sharon Nagel" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Sharon Nagel'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      April 28, 2013 at 9:52 am

      Hmm...I'm not sure what went wrong. Did you make any substitutions? What kind of almond flour did you use?
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
      • Sharon Nagel

        June 27, 2013 at 2:55 pm

        No substitutions. I used Bob's Red Mill almond flour. I made them again today and they turned out! I chilled the dough for 20 minutes so am not sure if that made the difference!
        to Sharon Nagel" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Sharon Nagel'>Reply to this comment
  15. Lori Borris

    December 2, 2014 at 8:10 pm

    Hi- I have Cup for Cup GF flour. Could I substitute the flour for it? Thanks!
    to Lori Borris" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Lori Borris'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      December 3, 2014 at 7:31 am

      I havne't tried it, but it's worth giving it a go. Make sure and use the gelatin, as it acts as the binder for the flours.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  16. Maureen

    December 18, 2020 at 6:26 pm

    Could the gelatin be substituted with chia seeds?
    to Maureen" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Maureen'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      December 22, 2020 at 11:52 am

      I haven't tested this recipe with substitutions, so I don't know which ingredients would lend the exact same texture and flavor.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment
  17. Molly Sebastian

    December 9, 2021 at 12:42 pm

    We have a nut allergy at home. So how do I substitute the Almond flour. Pl. help. I need to do it tonight. thanks.
    to Molly Sebastian" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Molly Sebastian'>Reply to this comment
    • Deliciously Organic

      December 9, 2021 at 3:37 pm

      I don't test my recipes with substitutions, so I don't know what would lend the exact same texture and flavor. I recommend looking at my nut-free recipes for some recipes that don't contain nuts.
      to Deliciously Organic" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Deliciously Organic'>Reply to this comment

Trackbacks

  1. Erika Sheffer says:
    December 6, 2012 at 6:09 pm
    can't wait to make these paleo thumbprint cookies! http://t.co/2cPNTKsL
    to Erika Sheffer" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Erika Sheffer'>Reply to this comment
  2. Carrie Vitt says:
    December 7, 2012 at 12:22 am
    [New Post] Nutella Thumbprint Cookies: http://t.co/w0xY3APD #paleo #realfood #organic #gfree
    to Carrie Vitt" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Carrie Vitt'>Reply to this comment
  3. Alison Lewis says:
    December 7, 2012 at 12:23 am
    Nice RT @CarrieVitt: [New Post] Nutella Thumbprint Cookies: http://t.co/KAZnefN2 #paleo #realfood #organic #gfree
    to Alison Lewis" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Alison Lewis'>Reply to this comment
  4. Chiquitita says:
    December 7, 2012 at 1:50 pm
    Nice RT @CarrieVitt: [New Post] Nutella Thumbprint Cookies: http://t.co/KAZnefN2 #paleo #realfood #organic #gfree
    to Chiquitita" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Chiquitita'>Reply to this comment
  5. WFM Cooking says:
    December 7, 2012 at 11:30 pm
    Grab a glass of milk and munch on #GlutenFree thumbprint cookies. Crackling fireplace optional. http://t.co/rXExChBV via @CarrieVitt
    to WFM Cooking" aria-label='Reply to this comment to WFM Cooking'>Reply to this comment
  6. Whole Foods CRP says:
    December 7, 2012 at 11:40 pm
    Grab a glass of milk and munch on #GlutenFree thumbprint cookies. Crackling fireplace optional. http://t.co/rXExChBV via @CarrieVitt
    to Whole Foods CRP" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Whole Foods CRP'>Reply to this comment
  7. Carrie Vitt says:
    December 8, 2012 at 3:05 pm
    RT @WFMCooking: Grab a glass of milk and munch on #GlutenFree thumbprint cookies. Crackling fireplace optional. http://t.co/aRlrNEyd
    to Carrie Vitt" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Carrie Vitt'>Reply to this comment
  8. 100 Amazing Holiday Cookie Recipes on FamilyFreshCooking.com — Family Fresh Cooking says:
    December 16, 2012 at 8:38 am
    [...] Thumbprint Cookies Delciously Organic [...]
    to 100 Amazing Holiday Cookie Recipes on FamilyFreshCooking.com — Family Fresh Cooking" aria-label='Reply to this comment to 100 Amazing Holiday Cookie Recipes on FamilyFreshCooking.com — Family Fresh Cooking'>Reply to this comment
  9. Karen Lam says:
    December 26, 2012 at 6:36 pm
    @jaimeburchardt Thar she be: http://t.co/WPTHrfCA
    to Karen Lam" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Karen Lam'>Reply to this comment
  10. 50 Healthy Holiday Cookies - Primavera Kitchen says:
    December 11, 2014 at 3:07 am
    […] 1. Thumbprint Cookies (Grain Free, Paleo, Primal, Gluten Free, Gaps) from Deliciously Organic. (Picture Below) […]
    to 50 Healthy Holiday Cookies - Primavera Kitchen" aria-label='Reply to this comment to 50 Healthy Holiday Cookies - Primavera Kitchen'>Reply to this comment
  11. Weekend Links - Keeper of the Home says:
    December 13, 2014 at 1:00 am
    […] Thumbprint Cookies (Grain Free, Paleo, Primal, Gluten Free, Gaps) @ Deliciously Organic […]
    to Weekend Links - Keeper of the Home" aria-label='Reply to this comment to Weekend Links - Keeper of the Home'>Reply to this comment

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Hi, I’m Carrie Vitt, FNTP
Welcome to Deliciously Organic

Through unprocessed, organic food and detox I’ve reversed Hashimoto’s disease, chronic migraines, IBS and eczema.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Terms

Subscribe Now & Receive My

Top 50 Tips and Resources to
Support Your Thyroid

Download the List

How I Reversed Hashimoto’s Disease with Diet, Detox and Lifestyle

Grain-Free Family Table Widget

Favorites

Fermented Salsa Recipe

How Swimming Pools, Tap Water, Fluoride and Bromide Affect the Thyroid

Fermented Sourdough Bread

Bacon, Potato and Broccoli Frittata (Grain-Free)

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (Grain-Free)

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

All content copyright © 2023 Deliciously Organic  •  All Rights Reserved  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs