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This recipe for thumbprint cookies with jam holds a special place in my heart.
Known as Jam Drops in Australia, thumbprint cookies are a favorite treat for many Australian kids.
These pretty little treats not only look cute and taste delicious, but are also super easy to make, and simple to adapt for a vegan diet.
Vegan thumbprint cookie ingredients
I’ve tried several different types of vegan and dairy-free butters in this recipe, and it pretty much loves them all.
Miyokos vegan butter and Earth Balance Buttery Sticks are my favorite, but feel free to swap out for whichever you like best.
If you’re gluten-free, then Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 gluten-free flour is a great option. If not just plain all-purpose flour will do nicely.
The recipe calls for granulated sugar, but make sure you look for nice fine grains rather than chunky granules. Otherwise, the sugar crystals will melt into the cookie dough when you bake it.
What is aquafaba?
The biggest challenge faced by vegan and plant-based bakers is how to bind your ingredients without chicken eggs.
Aquafaba, the juice from a can of chickpeas, is an unlikely hero here, as it holds your dry ingredients together without flavoring the dough or upsetting any chickens.
Not only is this magic ingredient basically free, but it’s super versatile.
It can be foamed to lighten muffins and cakes, made into vegan mayonnaise, and even frozen in preparation for future baking projects.
Recipe for thumbprint cookies with jam
These cute little thumbprint cookies could not be easier to make. Start by creaming your vegan butter and sugar, then add your aquafaba and vanilla, continuing to blend with a stand mixer or handheld mixer.
Next, add your dry ingredients, and mix. Be careful at this point not to overwork your dough – this could make it tough once it’s baked.
This recipe is a great last-minute baking project because you don’t need to chill your dough before baking.
That being said if you live somewhere especially hot (I tested this recipe in Australia when it was 100F/37C) then popping the cookie dough in the fridge for 10-15 minutes will help the cookies keep their shape.
Scoop heaped tablespoons of dough into your palms and roll them into balls until they are smooth and have no cracks on their surface.
Arrange them on your baking tray, allowing about 1inch/2.5cms between each ball.
Carefully press your thumb into the center of each cookie, creating a deep thumbprint, ensuring the surface of the dough remains smooth and uncracked.
Put 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam into each thumbprint. Be careful not to overfill the cookies, or the jam will bubble over and make a mess on your baking tray.
Bake your cookies until they are a light golden brown color, remove them from the oven to cool, and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Put a 1/2 teaspoon dollop of raspberry jam into each thumbprint. Be careful not to overfill the cookies, or the jam will bubble over and make a mess on your baking tray.
Bake your cookies until they are a light golden brown color, remove them from the oven to cool, and then transfer to a cooling rack.
This recipe makes around 25 cookies. So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy these tasty bites! We won’t judge if you have more than one!
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Thumbprint Cookies with Raspberry Jam | Vegan Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 25 cookies 1x
Description
Delicious ‘buttery’ cookies filled with sweet raspberry jam | Simple and easy to make! | Kids + adults love them!
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon aquafaba
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4–1/3 cup raspberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/176C and line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Into a medium mixing bowl, add softened vegan butter and granulated sugar. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Then pour in the aquafaba and vanilla extract, mix to combine.
- Add the all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt, and using a wooden spoon or scraper, mix the ingredients together until just combined. (See Note regarding chilling).
- Make the cookie dough balls, by scooping a heaped tablespoon of dough into the palm of your hands. Roll your palms together to form the dough into a ball. Keep rolling until the ball is smooth and doesn’t have any cracks on the surface.
- Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, allowing 1 inch/2.5cms between each ball. Then carefully press your thumb down in the center of the ball to create a deep thumbprint. Be careful when making the thumbprints to prevent the cookie dough from cracking.
- Using a teaspoon scoop up some raspberry jam and fill the indent/thumbprint with around 1/2 teaspoon of jam.
- Place cookie sheets into the oven and bake thumbprint cookies until lightly golden, around 10 minutes.
- Remove thumbprint cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to complete cooling.
Store Thumbprint Cookies in an airtight container on the counter and consume within 3 days.
Notes
- Chilling the cookie dough isn’t necessary, but if it’s particularly hot where you live, you might like to chill the cookie dough for 10-15 minutes in the fridge before forming the dough into balls.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutess
Keywords: thumbprint cookies, recipe for thumbprint cookies, thumbprint cookies with jam
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