These playful heart-shaped thumbprint cookies boast a soft texture that simply melts in your mouth, coupled with a comforting, buttery taste. They’re wonderfully rich, with a burst of fruity brightness from the smooth jam centers. Plus, they’re incredibly simple to whip up! With only 9 ingredients required in this recipe, chances are you already have everything you need right in your kitchen. (This recipe is completely gluten-free and can easily be made vegan with one simple swap!)
Classic Thumbprint Cookies are my jam! 😉 Try our Flourless Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies next made with homemade jam!
Guess what’s just around the corner? Valentine’s Day! And you know what I’m crazy about? Anything heart-shaped! These thumbprint cookies are like little bites of love because they’re not just adorable, they’re also a breeze to whip up. Just press your thumb or the back of a small measuring spoon into the dough, fill the little wells with your favorite jam, and voila! You’ve got yourself the sweetest treats ever!
Strawberry jam is the ultimate go-to for making those Valentine’s Day hearts all red and lovely, but hey, I’m all about mixing things up! Adding some apricot jam brings in those fun pops of color. And here’s the best part about thumbprint cookies: you can fill them with whatever tickles your taste buds! Go wild with dark chocolate, white chocolate, or even whip up your own raspberry chia jam for that homemade touch. The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- All-purpose Gluten-Free Flour and Almond Flour team up to make these cookies super rich and tender.
- Butter to give that deliciously buttery taste and crumbly texture we all crave. You can substitute it with vegan butter.
- Sweetener. I like to use natural sweeteners like coconut sugar and maple syrup. It gives the cookies the perfect level of sweetness without overpowering the cookies. Of course, you can always use granulated sugar if you prefer, or skip the maple syrup completely.
- Vanilla extract brings in that cozy, warm flavor we adore.
- Lemon gives the cookies a subtle zest that compliments the cookies.
- And don’t forget the sea salt! It might seem small, but it’s mighty important for bringing out the best in these buttery bites.
- Now, for the fun part – jam! Pick your fave flavor or mix it up. Personally, I’m all about apricot and strawberry jams in my thumbprint cookies. Yum!
How To Make Heart-Shaped Thumbprint Cookies
- First up, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, with a hand mixer or stand mixer, mix together room-temperature butter, sugar, maple syrup (optional), vanilla, and lemon juice. (do not be afraid if the maple syrup does not easily integrate into the butter. this is normal)
- Then, slowly add in the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until everything is combined. The dough should be nice and firm.
- Scoop out tablespoons of dough, roll into balls, and place onto your prepared baking sheets. Gently press down to flatten them a bit, then use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to make a little dent in the center of each cookie.
- TO MAKE THE HEART SHAPE: I like to use the back of a 1/8 (one-eighth) teaspoon and make two small circles that join at the bottom. After making the initial two thumbprints, you can use a smaller finger to adjust the shape of the heart if needed.
- Fill the cookies with jam and bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms turn golden brown.
- Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips To Make The Perfect Thumbprint Cookies
- USE ROOM TEMPERATURE BUTTER. Before preparing your dough, make sure to remove your butter from the fridge hours before making the cookies to allow the butter time to come to room temperature. You do not want to use melted or microwaved butter because it will cause the cookies to spread while baking.
- HOW TO PREVENT CRACKING. Ensuring the dough ball is perfectly smooth before making your thumbprint is key to crafting the ideal thumbprint cookie. If the dough isn’t smooth, pressing your thumb on it only highlights those imperfections. If the dough cracks in only small spaces, you can use your fingers to smooth out the cracks.
- MAKE A SECURE INDENT AND DO NOT OVERFILL THE JAM. To prevent the jam from seeping out, make sure there are no cracks in the cavity of the cookies, and do not fill it with jam over the top of the cookie. The perfect ratio is about 1/2 (half) teaspoon of jam for a 1 (one) tablespoon-sized indented cookie.
- ALLOW THE COOKIES TO COOL. Once out of the oven, these cookies will be delicate, so allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. As the cookies cool the jam will settle and firm up.
DO I FILL THUMBPRINT COOKIES BEFORE OR AFTER BAKING?
Before baking, it’s important to fill thumbprint cookies with jam. This allows the jam to firm up a bit in the oven, preventing it from spreading everywhere when you enjoy the cookies! Be sure to make sure the
HOW DO I STORE THUMBPRINT COOKIES? DO THEY NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
These can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the fridge for a week
I Hope You Enjoy These Super Cute Heart-shaped Thumbprint Cookies!
If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. Leave a quick review & star rating ★ below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes To Try!
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
- Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Protein Cookies
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies with Almond Flour
- Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies with Raspberry Jam
Thumbprint Cookies (Heart Shaped)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Gluten-free all-purpose flour (that contains xanthan gum), spooned and leveled can sub with regular all purpose flour
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1 cup Butter, room temperature (two sticks)
- 1/2 cup Coconut Sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup optional
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 1 Lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 cup Strawberry and/or Apricot Jam
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Whisk together the gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, with a hand mixer or stand mixer, mix together room-temperature butter, sugar, maple syrup (optional), vanilla, and lemon juice. (do not be afraid if the maple syrup does not easily integrate into the butter. this is normal)
- Then, slowly add in the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until everything is combined. The dough should be nice and firm.
- Scoop out tablespoons of dough, roll into balls, and place onto your prepared baking sheets. Gently press down to flatten them a bit, then use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to make a little dent in the center of each cookie.
- TO MAKE THE HEART SHAPE: I like to use the back of a 1/8 (one-eighth) teaspoon and make two small circles that join at the bottom. After making the initial two thumbprints, you can use a smaller finger to adjust the shape of the heart if needed.
- Fill the cookies with jam and bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms turn golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
