One of my all-time favorites, the Thumbprint Cookie. I loved to make these as a child. I loved to press my thumb down into the middle of the cookie. Filling a warm cookie with jelly or jam and a glass of ice cold milk made the best bedtime snack.
This year I am adding a healthy twist to the Thumbprint Cookies – I am replacing the walnuts (not that they aren’t healthy) with flaxseed meal. I saw a recipe on Eating Well called “Fig & Flax Thumbprint Cookies”, so I decided to add the flax twist to my own.
Here is my traditional recipe:
Thumbprint Cookies
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (gluten-free flour mix – Bette Hagman’s)
1 or 2 tsps xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped nuts
Your favorite jellies / jams
Heat oven to 350. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. Work in flour, xanthan gum, and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls into 1 inch balls.
Beat egg whites slightly. Dip each ball into egg white, then roll in chopped nuts. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Press thumb deeply into center of each. Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from baking sheet; cool. Fill thumbprints with jelly / jam before serving.
Make sure to check back tomorrow for the updated version!
Filed under: Family, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free Recipes



My son and me, November 2000. This is before we were gluten-free/diagnosed Celiac.

Thumbprint and kiss cookies are some of my dh’s favorites. Hmm…think I’ll hook my chef (dd24) up with your blog so she can bake for her daddy.
Thank you. I hope your hubby likes them!
I can’t believe these are GF! They’re beautiful, Kim.
Thanks Julie!
Yummy! I’ve only made thumbprints once, but they’re so much fun =D.
Thanks Lauren!