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Vegan Gluten free Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie platter. Made with almond flour, sweetened with maple syrup, and filled with smooth chocolate, these cookies arenโ€™t too sweet and have an addictive texture. Grain-free option included.

vegan gluten free chocolate thumbprint cookies on a marble counter
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Thumbprint cookies are super popular around the holidays, but really, they make a delicious snack all year round. While most thumbprint cookies are made with jam, these feature a smooth Fudgy chocolate center and are especially good with coffee. What else is special about these? They are gluten-free, made with a blend of almond flour, oat flour and tapioca starch.

chocolate filled vegan gluten free thumbprint cookies

I have a few vegan thumbprint cookie recipes on the blog (did you see my pb&j thumbprint cookies),  but these have the potential to be my new favorite ones.  What I love about these is that they arenโ€™t too sweet and have the perfect ratio between cookie and filling, and they are crisp crumbly and soft right after baking and a bit chewy after cooking.  I love them warm while my husband loves the chewy cookiesz Their texture is amazing!

This cookie dough comes together in minutes and once made, you just have you chill the dough for 15 minutes and youโ€™re ready to portion it out and bake your cookies.

vegan glutennfree chocolate thumbprint cookies on a baking sheet

More cookie recipes:

Gluten-free Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Vegan

5 from 4 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Vegan Glutenfree Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie platter. Made with almond flour and oat flour, sweetened with maple syrup, and filled with chocolate, these cookies arenโ€™t too sweet and have an addictive texture.
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Ingredients 
 

Dry:

  • 1 cup almond flour, blanched almond flour preferable
  • 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
  • 2 tablespoons oat flour or use 1.5 tablespoons coconut flour to keep it grain-free or use all purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, you can omit this. Add if you like the cookies sweeter

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon semi solid refined coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup at room temperature

For rolling the cookies:

  • 1 tablespoon cane sugar

For the chocolate:

  • 2 ounces vegan semi sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks about 1/3 cup
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • a pinch of cinnamon or a drop of vanilla extract
  • a good pinch of salt

Instructions 

  • Add all the dry ingredients for the cookies in a bowl and mix really well.
  • Then melt your coconut oil and add it to the bowl. Add in your vanilla extract. Add in room temperature maple syrup and mix well until a good dough forms.
  • Once you have a smooth dough, check if it's too crumbly. Then add in a teaspoon or so more maple syrup if needed. refrigerate for atleast 15 minutes.
  • Remove the dough from the fridge and use a cookie scoop to scoop out equal size scoops and place on the baking sheet.
  • Use your hands to even each scoop out into a good even ball. Roll that ball into cane sugar then press into a flat disk on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your thumb or 1 teaspoon measuring spoon to make the dents in the cookies.
  • Then bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes at 330 degrees Fahrenheit (165 c).ย Remove the baking sheet and cool for 5 minutes. The cookies might have risen a bit in the center. Use your measuring spoon to deepen the dents, then move the cookies to the cooling rack to cool.
  • Meanwhile, make your chocolate filling. Melt the chocolate with the rest of the ingredients in a double boiler , or microwave for 20 seconds and then mix and then microwave again for 5 seconds and mix and continue to do it until it's smooth.
  • Once the cookies have cooled for another 10 minutes, add the melted chocolate and even it out on the top. Let it cool for another 10 minutes and serve.
  • Store on the counter in a covered container for upto a week. Or refrigerate for longer.

Video

Notes

  • If the chocolate is starting to solidify, you can microwave it again or use a double boiler and then scoop it and put it in the middle of the cookies.
  • For Oilfree: omit the oil and add 2-3 tsp ย more maple syrup.ย 
  • For variation: add jams or preserves! Warm the jam so itโ€™s pliable and useย 

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 36mg, Potassium: 3mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Ingredients:

  • the cookie dough is made from a mix of almond flour, tapioca starch, and oat flour
  • baking soda gives these the perfect rise
  • salt to balance the sweet
  •  I add some tablespoons of powdered sugar to the dough but you can omit this
  •  1 tbsp refined coconut oil is enough to give these a rich texture. Omit it for oil free and add 2-4 tsp more maple syrup
  • vanilla extract, always
  • maple syrup is used as a sweetener and to bring the dough together
  • For the chocolate filling, we melt semi-sweet chocolate with coconut oil, maple syrup,  cinnamon, and a drop of vanilla extract

Tips:

  • If the chocolate is starting to solidify, you can microwave it again or use a double boiler and then scoop it and put it in the middle of the cookies
  • You could use jam, vegan lemon curd, dulce de leche, or chocolate hazelnut spread to fill the center. It would not be a chocolate thumbprint cookie anymore, but still pretty dang delish
  • The bigger the indent, the more chocolate you can fit in
  • You can use coconut flour to keep it grain-free
ingredients needed for making glutenfree chocolate thumbprint cookies

How to make Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

dry cookie mix in a glass bowl

Add all the dry ingredients for the cookies in a bowl and mix really well.

Then melt your coconut oil and add it to the bowl. Add in your vanilla extract. Add in room temperature maple syrup and mix well until a good dough forms.

wet ingredients being added to dry ingredients in a glass bowl

Once you have a smooth dough, check if it’s too crumbly. Then add in a teaspoon or so more maple syrup if needed. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

glutenfree thumbprint cookie dough in a glass bowl

Remove your dough from the fridge and use a scoop to scoop out equal size scoops and place on the baking sheet.

Use your hands to even each scoop out into a good even ball. Roll that ball into your cane sugar then press into a flat disk on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your thumb or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon measuring spoon to make the dents in the cookies.

glutenfree thumbprint cookies on a baking sheet

Then bake the cookies for 13-14 minutes at 330 degrees Fahrenheit (165 c). Remove the baking sheet and cool for 5 minutes then move the cookies to the cooling rack to cool.

freshly baked glutenfree thumprint cookies on a baking sheet

The cookies might have risen a bit in the center. Use your measuring spoon to deepen the dents a little bit while still warm

Meanwhile, make your chocolate filling. Melt the chocolate with the rest of the ingredients in a double boiler , or microwave for 20 seconds and then mix and then microwave again for 5 seconds and mix and continue to do it until it’s smooth.

vegan gluten free thumbprint cookies with chocolate center

Once the cookies have cooled for another 10 minutes, add your chocolate filling and even it out on the top. Let it cool for another 10 minutes and serve.

Store on the counter in a covered container for up to a week. Or refrigerate for longer.

Make-ahead tips

You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Unbaked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Freeze without the chocolate. Add filling in the dent before baking.

Baked thumbprint cookies, with filling, freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and bring them back up to room temperature, before serving.

About Richa

Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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5 from 4 votes

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17 Comments

  1. Anni says:

    5 stars
    Iโ€™ve made these twice and they are truly yummy! The second time even better – my son did the bulk of the mixing though. Could it be that he makes a better cookie dough than me? ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. Richa says:

      You should tell him that so he makes you more cookies! Measuring changes by different people can change the moisture or fat ratio. Maybe he added more coconut oil ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Magy says:

    5 stars
    I have used this base cookie for a base for almond flour chocolate chip cookies, and just an almond flour cookie. Absolutely fantastic! I love that its refined sugar and oil free (without the filling) and gluten free! Thanks Richa, as always!

    1. Richa says:

      Yay

  3. Amey says:

    5 stars
    Richa! I made these cookies a few times last week and they are GREAT! Everyone loved them – even the non-gluten free folks. I made one batch with oat flour – and those spread a little bit more, and two batches with coconut flour, which spread and rose less. But both variations were absolutely delicious! Will make again!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Awesome , thanks Amey

    2. Richa says:

      Awesome!!!

  4. Jenn says:

    I logged onto your site hoping there was a new festive cookie recipe today. Thanks! These are wonderful!

    1. Richa says:

      โค๏ธโค๏ธ

    2. M says:

      Is there a substitute for tapioca starch?

      1. Richa says:

        Other starches such as corn or arrowroot

  5. Emily says:

    5 stars
    Whipped these up with the kids and they were an instant hit. I donโ€™t think they lasted more than the hour for me to find out the texture when completely cooled ๐Ÿ™‚ they feel like a great snack with all that almond flour!

    1. Richa says:

      Awesome!

  6. Pat says:

    These look great. Would the dough hold up if I made some of them jam filled?
    Thanks for vegan and gluten free treat recipes!

    1. Richa says:

      Yep!

  7. Leah says:

    Can these be made oil-free?

    1. Richa says:

      Yes use more Maple syrup. Add a scant 1 tbsp and add more if needed