Use your favorite fruit jam to fill these delicious Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies. These cookies are easy to make, and you get a taste of fruit jam with every bite. This gluten-free cookie recipe can be made dairy-free, too.

stack of gluten free thumbprint cookies on table.

Coconut sugar, ghee, and gluten-free flour come together to make a delicious gluten-free thumbprint cookie filled with fruit jam! This is a healthy holiday cookie that everyone loves.

You only need seven ingredients including your favorite jam to make these delightful cookies that pair perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee.

  • These gluten-free thumbprint cookies taste delicious without dairy too! Simply substitute the ghee or butter with vegan butter.
  • Open a fresh jar of jam or use up those nearly-empty jam jars that have been taking up room in your refrigerator.
  • Make a batch now and freeze any extra cookies to enjoy later. They’re perfect for the holidays, birthday parties, baby showers, or just when you want something sweet.

Ingredients

Ingredients for gluten free thumbprint cookies.
  • Gluten-free baking flour makes the base of these cookies. I use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour.
  • For the fat, you can use ghee, butter, coconut oil or vegan butter – your choice! Vegan butter or coconut oil makes these cookies fully dairy-free.
  • Coconut sugar adds sweetness. You can also use regular white sugar, if you prefer.
  • 100% fruit jam fills the thumbprint and adds a bite of sweet to each cookie. You can use strawberry jam, apricot jam, raspberry jam, or even orange marmalade! Or, try making homemade Strawberry Compote to fill the cookies.
  • Egg yolk helps make the cookies fluffy and keeps them together; vanilla extract adds depth of flavor to these gluten-free cookies.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

Pictures showing how to make thumbprint cookies.

Step One

Preheat your oven and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl beat together sugar and ghee (or vegan butter) until fluffy.

Please see the recipe card below for the exact measurements and ingredients.

Step Two

Add the vanilla and egg yolks to the butter mixture and mix it in.

Step Three

Add the salt and mix in the flour a half cup at a time until all of it’s incorporated.

Step Four

Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls. Flatten each ball on the cookie sheet and indent with your thumb.

Spoon jam into each indentation in the center of each cookie.

Bake cookies until golden brown and then let them cool on a cooling rack before serving.

I hope you agree that these are the best Gluten-Free Jam Thumbprint Cookies you’ve ever had!

jam-filled thumbprint cookies on a baking sheet for oven.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

  • To freeze the cookies, carefully place the cooled cookies in a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough before it’s baked. After indenting the cookie dough ball with your thumb, put the sheet pan in the freezer. Once the cookies are frozen, put them in a Ziploc bag or airtight container and freeze. Bake as directed.
  • Customize this recipe to your liking and dietary needs. Make these thumbprint cookies dairy-free by using vegan butter instead of dairy butter.
  • Feel free to cut this recipe in half if you don’t want as many cookies. Or, double the recipe to make a big batch for the holiday season.
  • Looking for more gluten-free cookie recipes? Try these Gluten Free White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. Or, if you or your family has nut allergies, try these Nut-Free Cookies.
  • Or, for Valentine’s Day, try these adorable Heart Jam Cookies. I’m also obsessed with these Italian Sesame Cookies!
  • I am going to try making a gluten-free version of these Peppermint Crinkle Cookies.

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze these cookies?

Yes, carefully place the cooled cookies in a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Alternatively, you can freeze the dough before it’s baked. After indenting them with your thumb put the sheet pan in the freezer. Once the cookies are frozen, put them in a Ziploc bag and freeze. Bake as directed.

Can I use regular flour if I don’t have gluten-free?

Yes you can. The cookies will not be gluten-free anymore but if you don’t need them to be gluten-free then regular flour will work too.

Is it okay to use jelly in place of jam?

Yes jelly works too! Just use your favorite jelly or jam and you’re all set.

Can I use maple syrup to sweeten the cookies?

This recipe uses a dry sweetener as opposed to a liquid sweetener. If you prefer a less refined sweetener than white sugar or coconut sugar, you can try date sugar instead.

Can I use oat flour to make these cookies?

I have not tested this recipe using oat flour; I have only tested it using a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum.

gluten free thumbprint cookie with raspberry jam on table.

More Gluten-Free Treats You Might Like

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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gluten free thumbprint cookies on plate.

Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies

Use your favorite fruit jam to fill these delicious Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies. These cookies are easy to make, and you get a taste of fruit jam with every bite. This gluten-free cookie recipe can be made dairy-free, too.

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 2 dozen 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup ghee (or two sticks butter or vegan butter), softened
  • 1 cup coconut sugar (you can also use white sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 2/3 cups gluten-free baking flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour)
  • 1 cup no-added sugar strawberry, raspberry, or apricot jam

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ghee or butter and the sugar. Use a mixer to beat together the ingredients until they are fluffy.
  3. Add the vanilla and egg yolks and mix until combined.
  4. Add the salt and ½ cup of the flour to the mixture and mix until the flour is incorporated into the dough. Keep adding the flour in ½ cup increments until you have added all of the flour and it is mixed well with the other ingredients.
  5. Then, use your hands or a spoon to roll the dough into balls. Each ball should be about a tablespoon of the dough.
  6. Flatten each dough ball onto the baking sheets, using your thumb to form an indentation into each cookie.
  7. After you have formed all of the cookies, add two teaspoons of jam into the indentation of each cookie.
  8. Bake the cookies for 16-18 minutes, or until they have started to turn a golden brown. Let the cookies cool slightly before serving.

Notes

  1. To freeze the cookies, carefully place the cooled cookies in a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough before it’s baked. After indenting them with your thumb put the sheet pan in the freezer. Once the cookies are frozen, put them in a Ziploc bag and freeze. Bake as directed.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 195
  • Sugar: 13.8 g
  • Sodium: 37.3 mg
  • Fat: 8.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 30 g
  • Fiber: 0.5 g
  • Protein: 1.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 35.7 mg

Keywords: jam cookies, gluten-free healthy cookies, raspberry jam cookies

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.