These easy Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies are made with a 6 ingredient shortbread-style cookie base, rolled in sugar, and filled with icing! Vegan and allergy-free, these old-fashioned iced thumbprint cookies are a Christmas classic! This quick and simple recipe is perfect for holiday cookie platters and customizable for year-round celebrations!
Soft, buttery, old-fashioned iced thumbprint cookies are a must on any Christmas cookie platter! This holiday cookie is such a classic because it's so simple and easy to make! But now we're taking the traditional recipe and making it gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free! Starting with a dairy-free shortbread cookie dough, rolled in sugar, baked, and filled with colored icing, these will be the easiest festive gluten-free cookies you bake all season!
What Are Thumbprint Cookies?
Thumbprint cookies are small round cookies, rolled in sugar or crushed nuts, with an indentation in the center filled with jam, icing, chocolate, or other sweet fillings once the cookie is baked. This indentation, made with the baker's thumb, is what gives the cookies its distinctive appearance and name!
What Is The Origin Of The Thumbprint Cookie?
Like most iconic foods and recipes, the exact origin of thumbprint cookies isn't well-documented, but they are believed to have originated in Sweden, where they are known as "Hallonbåtar" or "Raspberry Caves." Traditionally a soft shortbread cookie made with butter, flour, sugar, and vanilla, with a thumb-sized indent filled with raspberry jam. They became popular in the United States during the 20th century and have since become a classic holiday cookie in many American households.
Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Recipe
No dairy, no wheat, or gluten, these homemade iced thumbprint cookies are perfectly allergy-free, fun, and easy to make this the kids this holiday season! This recipe is:
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan & Vegetarian
- Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
- Low in Sugar or Sugar-Free
- Kid-Friendly & Customizable
- Easy, Quick, Simple 6 Ingredients + Filling
- Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly
- Traditional Christmas Dessert or Cookie Swap Classic
Ingredients For Iced Thumbprint Cookies
- Gluten-Free Flour: Your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour is the base of your shortbread cookie dough.
- Baking Powder + Starch + Salt: Some baking powder to keep the cookies soft and puffy, starch (corn starch or arrowroot) makes the gluten-free cookies lighter and holds the eggless cookie dough together.
- Granulated Sugar: You can use regular granulated sugar or sugar-free sweeteners. Some will be mixed into the dough and extra will be used to roll the outside of the dough balls in before baking.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla is a must for a simple and classic cookie! You can swap in or add another flavored extract for further customization.
- Vegan Butter: Buttery vegan shortbread needs some vegan butter! The dairy-free butter and sugar will be creamed together before adding the dry ingredients to aerate the butter so you don't end up with gritty and dense cookies.
- Powdered Sugar: Regular confectioner sugar or sugar-free powdered sugar is used for the icing filling! Add some non-dairy milk or water to mix it up and your choice of natural food coloring.
Choosing Your Thumbprint Filling
If you're making these cookies for another holiday besides Christmas or you want to fill the indent with something other than colored icing, here are some fun ideas and variations you can use!
- Melted chocolate or vegan white chocolate
- Fruit butters like apple butter, pumpkin butter, or pear butter
- Fruit jams or jellies like raspberry jam, strawberry jam, blueberry jam, cranberry jelly
- Fruit curd or marmalade like lemon curd
- Vegan caramel
- Vegan cream cheese, whipped cream, or marshmallow fluff
How To Make Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
- Add the vegan butter, sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer bowl. You can also use a large bowl and electric mixer.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the gluten-free flour, starch, baking powder, and salt to the creamed butter.
- Mix the ingredients together on low, slowly increasing the speed, until the dry ingredients and butter mixture are combined.
- Use your hands or a cookie scoop to make 1-inch round balls of dough (about 1 tablespoon) before rolling the balls in granulated sugar to coat the outside.
- Place the rolled cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet an inch apart and press the center of the balls firmly with your thumb to make an indent before baking in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 12 minutes.
- Mix together the powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, and food colorings of choice to make a thick pourable icing. Skip this step if using another filing.
- Once the cookies are done baking take them out of the oven and while they're still hot immediately use the back of a ½ teaspoon spoon to even out and deepen the thumbprint indent. Fill the indent with your choice of icing or other filling and allow the cookies to cool completely, and the filling to firm up, on a wire rack before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- If you don't want to roll your cookies in sugar, you can roll them I crushed nuts like pecans or walnuts if no nut allergies are a concern or coconut flakes!
- The cookie dough does not require chilling time.
- If you are adding jam to the thumbprint center, you should add it before baking the cookies. Make sure you make your indent deep enough. You can also add it after but the jam will set better if baked into the cookies.
- For icing or chocolate fillings, add the filling after the cookies have baked and cooled slightly on a wire rack. For creamy fillings like whipped cream or cream cheese, add it to completely cooled cookies only.
- I recommend repressing the thumbprint indent with the back of a half-teaspoon measuring spoon immediately after removing the cookies from the oven. This makes a much more distinct and accurate indent on all the cookies.
Storage & Make-Ahead Instructions
You can store the baked thumbprint cookies in a closed container at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can store them longer in the fridge for up to a week. If you are using a jam filling that has been baked or an unbaked creamy filling storing the cookies in the fridge will help prevent sogginess.
Can Thumbprint Cookies Be Frozen?
If you plan on freezing the cookies fully baked, allow them to cool completely before transferring them to a baking sheet to freeze in a single layer before transferring them to an airtight container or storage bag for up to 4 months. Defrost the cookies in a single layer overnight in the fridge before bringing them to room temperature on the counter to serve.
You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough. Following the instructions but stop after making the the indentations. Place the indented cookies on a baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Once the indented dough balls are frozen through, transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 4 months. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet and allow them to sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Add jam if you're using that as your filling before baking the cookies as instructed, adding a minute or two to the baking time if needed.
More Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies:
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles
- Classic Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
- Italian Wedding Snowball Cookies
- 3-Ingredient Classic Vegan Shortbread Cookies
- Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies (Vegan, Allergy-Free)
These easy Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies are made with a 6 ingredient shortbread-style cookie base, rolled in sugar, and filled with icing! Vegan and allergy-free, these old-fashioned iced thumbprint cookies are a Christmas classic! This quick and simple recipe is perfect for holiday cookie platters and customizable for year-round celebrations!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 12 Minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 13 Cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ Cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
- 1 TB Cornstarch or Arrowroot Starch
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ Tsp Salt
- ⅓ Cup + ¼ Cup Granulated Sweetener (or preferred granulated sugar)
- 6 TB Vegan Butter (cubed, room temperature)
- 1 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
Icing Filling:
- 1 Cup Powdered Sweetener (or preferred powdered sugar)
- 4-6 Tsp Unsweetened Plain Non-Dairy Milk (or water)
- Natural Food Coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or use a large bowl and hand mixer, cream together the soft vegan butter, ⅓ cup of granulated sweetener, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the gluten-free flour, starch, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and mix together on low, increasing the speed slightly until your cookie dough is smooth and combined.
- Have the ¼ cup of extra granulated sweetener in a bowl or plate and use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop out 1 tablespoon-sized ball of dough, roll them smoothly in your hands before rolling the balls in the sugar before placing them spaced out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- Use your thumb or the back of a round half-teaspoon measuring spoon to make an indent in the cookie dough balls and flatten them slightly.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use the same round half-teaspoon measuring spoon to deepen and even out the indentation. Allow the cookies to cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet before carefully transferring them to a wire rack.
- In two small bowls, divide the powdered sugar, ½ cup in each, and add 7 drops of food coloring to the sugar. Slowly add, 1 teaspoon at a time, non-dairy milk (or water) to the powdered sugar until you get a thick but drippable icing.
- Add ½ teaspoon of colored icing to each thumbprint cookie indent. Allow the icing to firm up and dry before serving, about 2-3 hours, preferably overnight.
Notes
Storage: You can store the baked thumbprint cookies in a closed container at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can store them longer in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing Baked Cookies: If you plan on freezing the cookies fully baked, allow them to cool completely before transferring them to a baking sheet to freeze in a single layer before transferring them to an airtight container or storage bag for up to 4 months. Defrost the cookies in a single layer overnight in the fridge before bringing them to room temperature on the counter to serve.
Freezing Unbaked Cookies: You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough. Following the instructions but stop after making the the indentations. Place the indented cookies on a baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Once the indented dough balls are frozen through, transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 4 months. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet and allow them to sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Add jam if you're using that as your filling before baking the cookies as instructed, adding a minute or two to the baking time if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
Such an easy and delicious gluten-free cookie to add some festive cheer to the holidays! These iced thumbprint cookies will be a hit with everyone, even if they don't have food allergies!
So tell me:
+ What's your favorite thumbprint cookie filling?
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Julie
I love how quick and easy these sound to make.
Rebecca Pytell
Great!
Penny Zeller
Thank you so much for this wonderful allergy-friendly recipe. Can't wait to try it!
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Joansy
Thanks so much for sharing this gluten free recipe! They look delicious, and I can't wait to try them. I think the suggestion about filling them with lemon curd is a yummy idea, too. But I do like the green and red filling - so festive!
Rebecca Pytell
Lemon is great for Easter!
Kerri
Thanks for another vegan holiday cookie recipe! I'll have to try these with your vegan lemon curd, which also looks like a tasty and straightforward recipe.
Rebecca Pytell
Hope you enjoy them.
Esme Slabbert
Thanks for this GF version of thumbprint cookies. We made some raspberry jam thumbprints but regular flour, so now I can try your one next.
Rebecca Pytell
Great.