Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies

Buttery, delicious, and simple to make. This is the best way to describe these gluten-free thumbprint cookies. Fill these easy gluten-free cookies with your favorite type of jam or turn them into lemon curd thumbprint cookies using my foolproof recipe for homemade lemon curd. These cookies make a wonderful addition to any holiday cookie plater but clearly can be enjoyed year-round.

For something extra lemony, check out my Gluten Free Lemon Cookies or my Gluten Free Lemon Linzer Cookies (just picture two delicate gluten free shortbread cookies sandwiched together with some lemon curd....)

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: This recipe for gluten free thumbprint cookies seems to be very forgiving. I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure, Bob’s Red Mill 1-1, and my own gluten-free flour blend. Every blend produced delicious thumbprint cookies. All those gluten-free flour blends are multi-purpose blends and do contain xanthan gum.

Almond Flour: The addition of almond flour helps with the structure and crumb. If you are on a nut free diet, substitute the almond flour with additional gluten-free flour.

White Sugar: This recipe for lemon curd thumbprint cookies uses very little sugar and gets most of its sweetness from the filling. You can either use white sugar or substitute it with an equal amount of brown sugar. I do not test any of my recipes with sugar substitutes.

Butter: I use unsalted, room-temperature butter for the recipe. It should be around 65F which is a lot colder than many of us consider room temperature. The butter should not appear greasy.

Filling: To fill the baked gluten-free thumbprint cookies you can use your favorite jam like strawberry jam, apricot jam, raspberry jam, my foolproof lemon curd (gluten-free lemon curd thumbprint cookies are shown in the pictures of this post), or even Nutella.

Egg Yolk: The added egg yolk makes the dough tender and smooth and is also a binder.

Powdered Sugar: I love giving the baked thumbprint cookies a light powder of sugar dust. A little dusting makes them look so special.

How to make Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookie Dough

You can make the dough for Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies in a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer. Make sure the butter and the egg yolk are at room temperature.

Step 1: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and set it aside. In a medium bowl whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, and salt.

Step 2: In the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl combine the room temperature butter and granulated white sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy, around 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the room temperature egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.

Step 4: With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and the paddle attachment halfway through. The dough should appear soft and smooth.

Shaping of Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies

To avoid cracks in the thumbprint cookies, I recommend shaping the dough before allowing it to rest for 30-60 minutes before baking.

Step 1: Using a small cookie scoop (#40 small scoop - 1.5-2 teaspoons) divide the gluten-free cookie dough into 12 equal pieces.

Step 2: Roll the cookie dough balls between the palms of your hands into smooth balls with no cracks.

Step 3: Using a melon baller or a round tablespoon, the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb (hence the name thumbprint cookies) to indent each cookie.

Step 4: Cover the indented dough and chill for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 days) in the fridge. At this point, you may also freeze the shaped and indented thumbprint cookies and bake them at a later date.

Baking & Filling

Many recipes call to fill the gluten-free thumbprint cookie dough before baking. Personally, I prefer filling them once baked and still warm. If you fill them after baking, please be aware you may need to "re-indent" them.

Step 1: Once you are ready to bake your buttery cookies, preheat the oven to 350F. Since the cookies should not spread (or only very little) you can bake all 12 at once. Make sure to arrange them evenly on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 2: Bake in a fully preheated oven for 12-14 minutes. The cookies should be lightly golden and may even look underbaked. These cookies will not brown much.

Step 3: Remove the cookies from the oven and place the cookie sheet on a wire rack. "Re-Indent" the cookies with the same tool you used when shaping them.

Step 4: While still warm, fill them with your filling of choice. Allow cooling completely before giving these gluten-free jam thumbprint cookies light dust with powdered sugar.

Serve these delicious cookies and enjoy!

How to store and freeze thumbprint cookies

Once fully cooled, you can store the gluten-free thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you make gluten-free lemon curd cookies, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The lemon curd filling needs to be refrigerated but can sit at room temperature up to 4 hours. Check out the recipe and detailed instructions for my lemon curd for more informations.

The best way to freeze thumbprint cookies is unbaked and unfilled. Make sure you shape them before freezing them in a single layer on a baking tray. Once fully frozen transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the freezer for up to ONE month. This comes especially in handy during the holiday season. When ready to bake, arrange the frozen gluten-free cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow them to thaw while you preheat the oven. It is okay if they are still slightly frozen before baking. You may need to increase baking time by 1-2 minutes.

FAQ about Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies