The classic cookie is given a make-over with these Vegan Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies. Gluten-free ingredients and a hint of amaretto make for festive jam-filled cookies everyone will love!
What are Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies?
Originating in Sweden, Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies were originally called Hallongrotta (raspberry cave) and made out of butter, sugar, corn or potato starch, flour, yeast, and vanilla or cinnamon flavorings. Similar to shortbread cookies in texture, Hallongrotta were (and still are) often served with warm drinks such as tea or coffee. (Source)
Gluten-Free Ingredients & Alternatives
While the ingredients for raspberry filled cookies are pretty simple, I’ve made a couple swaps to make them gluten-free and included a few options to meet your individual preferences. To make this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Gluten-Free Flours and/or Rolled Oats – I used a combination of oat flour and blanched almond flour from my Cookie Master Mix. However, if you don’t have oat flour, you can use gluten-free oats to make your own.
- Neutral Oil – Technically, any oil you have on hand will work, but for the best results, I highly recommend using a neutral oil such as refined coconut oil or avocado oil.
- Jam – Any raspberry jam you have on hand can be used. However, I like to use a naturally sweetened variety, when possible.
- White Chocolate (Optional) – To create a pretty glaze, use melted white chocolate to drizzle on top. Or, check out my recipe here for a dairy free white chocolate option.
- Optional Amaretto – If you don’t have amaretto or want to keep these raspberry thumbprint cookies alcohol-free, feel free to use almond extract instead.
Foodie Swap: If you can’t use almond extract due to a food allergy, vanilla can be used in its place.
Baking Tips
One of the reasons why I love this recipe so much is because of how easy it is to make! All you have to do is follow a few steps, and you’re on your way to enjoying a tasty treat. However, to make the process even easier, I’ve gathered a few of my best baking tips below.
1. DIY Oat Flour
- No oat flour? No problem! Blend whole oats in a food processor until you get a fine, powder-like texture. See this post for details.
2. Press and Fill Before Baking
- For uniform indents, use the back of a tablespoon instead of your thumb.
- If using amaretto in the jam, fill the cookies before baking to allow the alcohol to bake out and the jam to soften.
- For thin jam or if skipping amaretto, bake the cookies for 8 minutes, add the filling, and return them to the oven for 2-4 minutes until the edges are golden.
3. Prevent Flat Cookies
- Chill the Dough: Keep the dough in the fridge before baking to avoid spreading.
- Check Flour Ratios: Use a food scale or level measuring cups to ensure the correct flour amount. If cookies still spread, add 2 tablespoons of extra flour to balance the fat content.
4. Cool Before Serving
- Always let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet to ensure the jam center sets properly before decorating or serving.
How to Make Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Start by combining oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, maple syrup, and oil to create the dough.
Pro-Tip: If you’re using coconut oil, remember that it will harden when chilled.
- After refrigerating the dough for 10-20 minutes to make shaping easier, let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before scooping or rolling.
- Once ready, form small dough balls and press an indent into the center using the back of a tablespoon—this helps create consistent spaces for the filling.
- Mix raspberry jam with amaretto or almond extract, then spoon it into the indentations. If the jam is thick, fill the cookies before baking to allow the filling to soften and set; for thinner jams, add the filling halfway through baking.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes, letting the cookies cool on the baking sheet so the centers set properly.
- Decorate with sparkling sugar for a festive finish, or enjoy them as is—they’re easy to make and even easier to love!
How to Store Thumbprint Cookies
If you don’t eat these cookies in one batch, they can be stored several different ways!
Room Temperature: Place your thumbprint cookies in an airtight container, and store them at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Store leftover cookies in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezer: For a longer-lasting option, place your cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Note: If you’re planning on baking these cookies to give to loved ones, I recommend freezing them as transportation can be a bit tricky due to the jam filling!
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
Common Questions
Either work! Just make sure the consistency of whichever you choose isn’t too runny. Otherwise, it’ll slide right off your cookies!
If your cookies are cracking when you make the thumbprint impression, try rolling the dough into a ball once more and forming the cookies again. The warmth from your hands should soften the dough, preventing it from cracking.
Sure! Technically, they wouldn’t be raspberry jam cookies, but any flavored jam you prefer will work with this recipe.
Vegan Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Total Time: 22-24 minutes
- Yield: 16–18 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Quick and easy to make, these Vegan Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies are a gluten-free twist on a classic cookie everyone will love!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ to 1 ⅔ cups (150 grams) gluten free oat flour (See notes for making oat flour)
- 1 cup (112 grams) blanched fine almond flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup neutral oil or naturally refined coconut oil, melted
- Sparkling cane sugar, as needed.
- 1 Tablespoons amaretto (or ½ teaspoon almond extract)
- ⅓ cup (110 grams) raspberry jam
Instructions
- Combine oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, maple syrup, and oil in a mixing bowl. Beat with a hand or stand mixer for about 1 minute until smooth.
- Shape the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes (*see notes).
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the raspberry jam and amaretto (if using).
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion the dough, rolling each piece into golf ball-sized rounds. Roll the balls in sparkling sugar.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space for spreading. Gently press your thumb into the center of each cookie, fixing any cracks around the edges as needed.
- Fill each indentation with ½ to 1 teaspoon of the jam mixture and sprinkle the tops with additional sparkling sugar.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Let cookies cool completely on the pan, as they will firm up as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers for up to 5 days at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months
Notes
Prep Tip – To make your own oat flour, see our How to Make Oat Flour post. You will need around 2 cups gluten free rolled oats or quick oats (150 grams)
Baking Tip – To create uniform indents on all of your cookies, use the backside of a tablespoon to press down the dough before baking.
Ingredient Tip: If using coconut oil in the batter, it will harden when chilled. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before scooping or rolling.
Substitutes – I have tested these cookies using 240 grams (about 2 cups) of all oat flour and omitting the almond flour. Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to adjust consistency. If it feels too oily, mix in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. The texture will be slightly firmer but still delicious!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- chill time: 10
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 125
- Sugar: 9.5 g
- Sodium: 13.4 mg
- Fat: 5.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.1 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Good morning
I am planning on making the Thumbprint Cookies, however I was wondering what other flour I could use instead of almond? Due to sensitivity.
Thankyou
Kim
PS I love your recipes!!
Hi Kim! I’m going to remake these today and use all oat flour. But here’s what I am thinking you would need to do.
2 cups gluten-free oat flour (about 240g) (replaces the almond flour with an additional 3/4 to 1 cup oat flour)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
1/2 cup neutral oil (increase by about 2 tablespoons to compensate for the absorbency of oat flour; avocado or refined coconut oil works well)
You inspired me! Will make these tomorrow for a family get together. One of my husband’s favourite cookies from childhood. Hope this isn’t too intrusive, but I’ve been searching. to no avail, and I wonder if you might help me! DH loves crispy cookies, and he loves lemon; have you any recipe that you’d recommend, perhaps!? Thanks so very much for your wonderful recipes and tips and suggestions! Love your writing and your recipes! 🥰
I do! These might work https://www.cottercrunch.com/lemon-macadamia-nut-cookies/
Delicious recipe! I made these into hearts for Valentine’s day and the whole family enjoyed them.🥰 ♥️
I’m so glad! Thanks for feedback Mary!
So yummy! If you like almond flavoring in your dessert (which my whole family does), then you’ll love these cookies!
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Susie. Thank you for the feedback and rating!
These are delicious! I used strawberry jam (it was what I had) and the almond extract. After cooled, dusted with powdered sugar. Excellent recipe!
OH i am so glad! Thanks for the feedback Kathy!
Fingerprint cookies are very delicious and attractive. I really like this cake. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed:)
So delicious and healthy
I’m confused about something – 2-3 tbsp amaretto or 0.5 tsp almond extract. That’s a huge difference in volume of liquid, 12 to 18 fold. I’m guessing the “filling” is a lot thicker if you use the extract.
Yes, the extract if for non alcoholic. The amaretto will make it a little thinner but not much. Let me know if that helps! I used a thick jam to mix with the amaretto!
I LITERALLY NEED 30 OF THESE.
These look perfect! Would love to try it soon!
Thanks toni!
Yum! These looks amazing! I love that they are vegan! Oat flour is one of my favorite gluten-free flours to work with! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I need to get my hands on these lil cuties!!
I love thumbprint cookies! And these are even better than the norm, because they are healthier! And the raspberry jam is classic. So good!
Peeps all packed into our house on Thanksgiving would love these!! So gonna try whipping these up! Thank you Lindsay! They look amazing!
A good thumbprint cookie is so satisfying. Love the addition of the amaretto here!
These are beautiful! I am sharing them with my daughter Pia who loves to bake and is GF and Vegan!
Oh these look so festive and delicious!
These look really delicious and no, you didn’t sound corny 🙂 I love how festive they look!
These cookies look so delicious and would be great for Christmas!
These cookies look so amazing.
I’ll take the whole batch, please! 🙂
Yum! These look so delicious, can’t wait to make them!
Oh keep me posted friend! It’s nut free too. 🙂
I love thumbprints because they’re like two treats in one! And you can’t beat Bob’s products! LOVE!
Fabulous holiday treats!
Major cravings for these! They are seriously my favorite cookie and I love your healthy spin!
I LOVE thumbprint cookies! These look delish!
You’d love these friend! 😉
Bring on the holiday baking! These look amazing!
right? time to cozy up in the kitchen! Hope you are well friend.