Topped with a dairy-free chocolate frosting these gluten-free thumbprint cookies make the perfect healthy dessert! Made with a blend of almond flour and coconut to keep them light and sweet, these cookies are a great addition to any table!
Need something light and gluten-free for the dessert table this year?
These almond flour thumbprint cookies give you the best of both worlds (so do most of my desserts)!
They're light and easy to make but indulgent enough that everyone loves to pop them in their mouths.
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I love that these chocolate-topped thumbprint cookies are:
- Healthy
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo
- Easy to make
- Great for kids
- Loaded with healthy fats
Ingredients You'll Need
No gluten-free baking flour or vegan butter here! These thumbprint cookies are as minimal as it gets.. and thus, easy to make!
Almond flour: though you can use almond meal it won't make the gluten-free thumbprint cookies look as pretty. Learn the difference between almond flour and ground almonds.
Shredded coconut: this is what sweetens the base of the thumbprint cookies. I opt for unsweetened but if you have a sweeter palate, go sweetened!
Egg: helps the gluten-free cookies bind together.
Coconut flour: this gives the cookies some "bulk" while still keeping them light. Basically, coconut flour gives all the feeling of carbs without the actual carbs.
Honey: helps the cookies hold together and gives a hint of sweet flavor.
Avocado oil: for these cookies you don't want to use coconut oil as it will change the texture slightly once the cookies cool.
Baking powder: you only need a hint of it as you don't want the cookies to rise too much.
Almond milk: any non-dairy milk will work. We use homemade hemp milk the most as that's what we have on hand.
Chocolate frosting: my chocolate dairy-free frosting is whipped up in just five minutes, light, silky, and perfect to top these gluten-free cookies with (and to lick off a spoon haha).
Step By Step Photos
How To Make Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
- In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
- Mix in the wet ingredients one by one until you have a big sticky mess.
- Portion and roll the dough into 9-10 balls and use your hands to press them into a cookie shape on a prepared baking sheet.
- Press your thumb lightly into each cookie.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes then remove from the oven and let cool.
- Whisk together the chocolate frosting.
- Use a spoon to top each thumbprint cookie with chocolate frosting.
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Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
Important Teaching Tips
The cookies are very delicate coming out of the oven so don't move them. Let them cool fully on the cookie tray first.
Likewise, use a silicone cookie mat on top of a baking tray to make ti easier to get the cookies off.
Make the dairy-free chocolate frosting as needed, it doesn't store well.
Store the gluten-free thumbprint cookies in the fridge and serve them at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
Because there is no flour in the recipe these cookies don't need any resting time. However, this also means that they're delicate coming out of the oven as the base is mostly coconut.
Not a problem! You can actually make the thumbprint before or after the cookies are cooked. Because the cookies come out hot though, I'd recommend using a spoon to press into the cookies and not your finger.
Though you can freeze typical thumbprint cookies with flour, I don't think these gluten-free ones will work. The coconut that holds them will become a bit moist on thawing and the texture will be too mushy.
More Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes
- Dairy-free cream cheese frosting
- Paleo chocolate chip cookies
- Protein truffles
- Vanilla protein ice cream
- Dairy-free S'mores cups
- Candy cane fudge
- The BEST dairy-free brownies
- White chocolate fudge
- Peppermint patty bars
- Fudgy protein brownies
- Chocolate frosted cashew cookies
- Healthy chocolate pudding
- Peanut butter thumbprint cookies
- High protein snack ideas
- Healthy dessert recipes
Chocolate Topped Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- â…› cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 batch Dairy-free chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl combine the almond meal, coconut, coconut flour and baking powder.
- Add in the egg, honey, avocado oil and vanilla. Begin to mix.
- When everything is sticky and clumpy, add in the almond milk. Mix until there is one big sticky mess.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Use a trigger ice cream scoop to portion the cookies onto the baking sheet. Then, use a fork to press them down. They don’t expand much so make sure they’re in the shape you need them.
- Ever so lightly, press your thumb into the center of each cookie.
- Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, rotate the baking sheet, and bake another 6 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- While cooling, whisk together the frosting.
- Using a spoon and spatula, top each cookie with the frosting. Alternatively, you can use an icing piper as well but see note below.
- Store in the fridge and serve at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- The nutrition information does not include the chocolate frosting.
- The cookies are very delicate coming out of the oven so don't move them. Let them cool fully on the cookie tray first
- Likewise, use a silicone cookie mat on top of a baking tray to make it easier to get the cookies off.
- Make the dairy-free chocolate frosting as needed, it doesn't store well.
- Store the gluten-free thumbprint cookies in the fridge and serve them at room temperature.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
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