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Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies are filled with your favorite jam for an easy gluten-free cookie. They couldn’t be easier to make!

Almond flour thumbprint cookies on a plate.

Why You’ll Love Them

  • They’re easy to prepare. This recipe calls for just one type of flour, and you can stir the cookie dough together in one bowl. They will be baking in the oven before you know it!
  • You can make multiple flavors.  If you love variety, you can use a mix of jam flavors to make several different options. Try apricot jam, strawberry or raspberry jam, or you could even use melted chocolate in the center for a non-fruit Christmas cookie.
  • They’re gluten-free & vegan. If you need a dairy-free, egg-free, or grain-free option to serve during the holiday season, this recipe checks all of those boxes!
  • They taste amazing. The combination of tender almond cookies and tart jam make this dessert just as delicious as the traditional version made with white flour. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

These gluten-free thumbprint cookies are made with blanched almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, and baking powder. The cookie dough can be stirred together in minutes!

To keep this recipe naturally sweetened, use homemade chia seed jam. For convenience, you can also use your favorite store-bought option.

Raspberry jam and orange marmalade pair perfectly with the added almond flavor!

almond flour, coconut oil, baking powder, jam, and vanilla extract labeled on a marble surface.

Make Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

  • 2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Stir well until the dough looks thick and slightly sticky. 

almond flour mixed with coconut oil, maple syrup, and flavorings for thumbprint cookie dough.

Use a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop the dough, and roll each between your hands. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 to 2 inches apart. 

Press your thumb into the center of each ball, creating an indentation for the jam to go into.

thumbprint cookie dough on a lined baking sheet before adding jam.
  • Add a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of jam into the center of each cookie. 

Bake the cookies at 350ºF for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges look golden brown. 

jam added to thumbprint cookies on baking sheet.

When you remove the paleo thumbprint cookies from the oven, they will be very soft, but they will firm up as they cool.

Let them cool on the pan for at least 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. They will have a slightly crisp outside and a soft, tender texture in the center under the jam.

Once the cookies are cool, serve them at room temperature, or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

thumbprint cookie split in half to show texture on a plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different flour?

Gluten-free flours all work differently, so if you need to use a different flour, I would recommend starting off with a recipe that calls for the type of flour you want to use. Coconut flour requires a totally different ratio of ingredients compared to almond flour, and so does oat flour, and a gluten-free flour blend. Browse my gluten-free cookie recipes for more options. 

Do I have to use coconut oil?

You could use butter instead of the oil, if you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free.

Do I have to use jam?

If you don’t want to use jelly as the filling, you can also use melted chocolate, or try pressing a pecan into the center for a crunchy alternative.

Looking for more almond flour cookie recipes? Try Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Gingerbread Cookies, and Almond Flour Sugar Cookies.

jam added to thumbprint cookies on baking sheet.

Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies

5 from 36 votes
These thumbprint cookies are made with gluten-free almond flour and taste just as delicious as the traditional version! Make several flavors at once by using more than one variety of jam.
prep15 mins cook15 mins total30 mins
Servings:18

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract, baking powder, and salt. Stir well, until the dough looks thick and slightly sticky.
  • Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough then roll it between your hands to form a ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining dough forming 18 balls. Arrange them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
  • Press your thumb into the center of each ball, creating an indentation. Add a ½ teaspoon of jam into the center of each cookie. Bake at 350ºF for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottom edges of the cookie start to look golden.
  • The cookies will feel very soft to the touch when you remove them from the oven, but they will firm up as they cool on the pan. Let them cool on the pan for at least 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Serve the cookies right away, or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 18 cookies, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee. It will vary by the type of jam you use and how many cookies you end up getting from the batch.
Update Note: The recipe was updated in December 2022. The original recipe called for a homemade cherry jam made with a 1/2 cup dried cherries, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, a 1/4 cup water, and 1 tablespoon chia seeds. Blend those ingredients together to make a quick homemade jam in a pinch, adding more water, if needed for blending. (I also added a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to the cookie recipe, but the original didn’t call for that if you don’t have it on hand.)

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: almond flour thumbprint cookies, gluten free thumbprint cookies

If you try these gluten-free thumbprint cookies, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them!

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. This recipe is easy and delicious! I didn’t think they’d measure up to my grandmother’s recipe, but they’re every bit as good. Thank you, Megan!

  2. These cookies were amazing. I originally made them for a gluten-free friend who was coming for dinner, but we all loved them so much that I made them two more times within a week or two. Everyone I’ve served them to loves them. They were super-easy and quick to make.

  3. These are delicious and so easy. I have made them with apricot jelly and chocolate and orange marmalade. I’m so happy I found this. Thank you!