Vegan Coconut Thumbprint Cookies are a healthy, plant-based thumbprint cookie with a coconut twist. These gluten-free cookies will be a hit at your Christmas gatherings!
I think that the reason thumbprint cookies are so fun is that you get to choose your favorite flavor of jam. It's like personalized cookies. Love blueberries? Fill all of your cookies with blueberry jam. Or stick to the classics like raspberry and apricot.
Just because these cookies are so fun doesn't mean they can't be healthy too! These vegan thumbprint cookies are made with whole food ingredients and naturally sweetened jam.
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Why add coconut?
I saw a recipe for thumbprint cookies that had coconut in them, and I knew coconut would be perfect in these vegan cookies.
It's hard to pack a lot of flavor into healthy cookies, especially with recipes that don't have a lot of fat. By adding coconut, which has a higher fat content, we can get a lot more flavor.
Plus, you get that tasty toasted coconut flavor going on, and it's incredible!
Why I Love Vegan Coconut Thumbprint Cookies
- Dietary needs - these cookies are plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free
- Healthy Holiday Dessert - thumbprint cookies are a holiday classic, but that doesn't mean they have to be unhealthy. With a plant-based jam and a healthy cookie base, you can make a delicious cookie from whole food ingredients
- Customizable - pick your favorite fruits and use them as the jam!
Ingredient Notes
- Nut Butter: a neutral nut butter like almond or cashew is perfect in this recipe.
- Maple Syrup: you can sub date syrup, but this might make the cookies a bit more chewy
- Flax Egg: a mixture of ground flaxseed and water. A flax egg helps to bind the dough together, just like a regular egg would.
- Almond Extract: you can skip this if you don't have it, but I highly recommend including it. Almond extract creates that classic thumbprint cookie flavor
- Apple Cider Vinegar: don't skip this - it helps create rise in vegan baked goods
- Oat Flour: I make homemade oat flour by blending quick oats in a food processor. Store bought oat flour works too!
- Almond Flour: don't skip the almond flour either - it helps lighten up the texture of the dough, so the cookies aren't so dense (especially if you are using store-bought oat flour).
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Coconut: use unsweetened shredded (or desiccated) coconut.
- Jam: I used chia jam. See my notes below on how to make plant-based jam.
How to make Plant-Based Jam
Many store-bought jams have added sugar. And almost every store-bought jam has some sort of preservative. A little pectin to preserve is fine, but jam is sweet on it's own - there's no need to add processed sugars.
The good news is: it's pretty easy to make your own!
I have a sugar-free blueberry jam recipe that has no added sweetener.
That recipe makes jam in the traditional way, which takes an hour or two. You can use this recipe with any fruit you want, not just blueberries!
If you don't want to take an hour to make jam, I suggest making chia jam. Chia jam comes together in about 15 minutes. (So you could make it while the cookie dough is chilling!) And it uses chia seeds to create that gelatinous texture of jam. Plus you end up with some omega-3s and fiber!
Follow a recipe like this for a quick chia jam.
How to make Vegan Coconut Thumbprint Cookies
Step 1. In a medium bowl mix the nut butter, maple syrup, flax eggs, almond extract, and apple cider vinegar.
Step 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir to combine.
Step 4. Stir in the coconut.
Step 5. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 7. Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to shape the dough into balls.
Step 8. Use the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb to press an indent into each cookie.
Step 9. Bake 14-16 minutes then remove from the oven and let cool briefly.
Step 10. Scoop a teaspoon or two of jam into each cookie. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Prayer
God, thank you for these cookies. We expectantly await the birth of your Son. We praise You and celebrate His birth. Amen.
More vegan Christmas cookies
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Coconut Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- ⅔ Cup Nut Butter
- ½ Cup Maple Syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed + 4 Tablespoons Water
- 2 Teaspoons Almond Extract
- ½ Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Cup Oat Flour
- ½ Cup Almond Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Cups Shredded Coconut
- 1 Cup Jam of Choice
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix the nut butter, maple syrup, flax eggs, almond extract, and apple cider vinegar.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir to combine.
- Stir in the coconut.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to shape the dough into balls.
- Use the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb to press an indent into each cookie.
- Bake 14-16 minutes then remove from the oven and let cool briefly.
- Scoop a teaspoon or two of jam into each cookie. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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