These Vegan Thumbprint Cookies are insanely addictive and perfect for the holiday season. With a buttery shortbread cookie base, a sweet raspberry filling and a drizzle of almond flavored glaze, just try to stop at one!
These little cookies are the most delicious holiday treat, and they must be made at least once every year! They are so vibrant, thanks to the raspberry center, and have that perfect shortbread cookie crunch in every bite.
Made with very few ingredients, this is about as simple as a cookie recipe gets. I adapted these raspberry almond thumbprints from my vegan shortbread cookies, by adding a little almond extract, making an indentation and filling with raspberry jam.
The icing drizzle is completely optional, but it makes them fancy without much effort. Everyone will adore them! I have a similar recipe for lemon shortbread cookies made with lemon curd that are perfect in the spring or summer.
If you love raspberry flavored desserts, you should check out this simple recipe for Vegan Raspberry Bars, one of my personal all time favorites.
How to make vegan thumbprint cookies
(This is simply an overview with photos, scroll down to find the complete, printable recipe.)
- In a large bowl, stir the flour and powdered sugar together. Add the softened vegan butter and almond extract and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until well combined. It may look crumbly, especially if your butter was too cold. Use your hands to mush it all together if necessary, the warmth will help the dough come together.
- Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
- Make an indentation with your thumb or forefinger in the center of each ball. You can also flatten the balls first a bit for a flatter cookie. Either way is just fine.
- Fill with about a teaspoon of jam, enough to fill the hole.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes, then bake in the oven for 15-16 minutes. Freezing first helps the cookies not spread while baking, so i don’t recommend skipping it. The cookies won’t look done and they will be very light in color still, not brown at all. They firm up a ton as they cool, so don’t over bake and burn them.
Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once cool, drizzle with easy icing.
Tips for success
- Use vegan butter that is softened, but not at all melted. If it’s too cold, the dough will have a hard time coming together, but if it’s melted, your cookies will spread in the oven. Just softened is what you want.
- Measure your flour correctly, by using the spoon and level method. Spoon flour into a measuring cup, don’t shake it down or pat it, then level off the top with a knife.
- Use seedless jam – Unless you don’t mind seeds. You can also use a variety of jams or fillings, such as apricot, strawberry, blueberry or even vegan caramel or ganache.
How to store
Store leftover cookies in a covered container at room temperature for 5-6 days. Or freeze them for longer, they are wonderful straight out of the freezer.
More vegan Christmas cookies you’ll love
- Vegan Snowball Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Vegan Ginger Cookies
Raspberry Almond Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
Thumbprint Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/4 cups vegan butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- *if butter is unsalted, add a tiny pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
Simple Almond Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2-3 teaspoons water, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir the flour and powdered sugar together. Now add the softened butter and almond extract and mix with a hand mixer on low-medium speed until combined. The dough will look crumbly and soft but should smush together when squeezed in your hands. If it looks really crumbly, that means your butter was too cold. Use your hands to mush the dough together, the warmth from your hands will help it come together.
- Shape the dough into 1 inch balls, about a tablespoon each, and place on baking sheets.
- Make a small indentation with your thumb or finger in the center of each cookie, then fill with about a teaspoon of jam. For flatter cookies, flatten the balls a bit first, then make the indentation.
- Place the baking sheet with the cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking, then place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-16 minutes. This helps the cookies bake perfectly and not spread or flatten. The cookies will still be light in color and appear a bit underdone when you take them out of the oven, but they firm up as they cool.
- Let cool for a few minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze: Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth, adding water as needed to thin the icing. You want it to be pretty thick and not too thin. Add the glaze to a small bag, cut a small tip from a corner and drizzle over the cooled cookies. Let them set, then store cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
- Gluten free - Use a gluten free flour mix. I haven't tried this myself, but it usually works quite well.
- Different flavor - Feel free to use a different jam in the center, if desired, such as apricot, strawberry, cherry, blueberry or omit the almond extract and fill with vegan caramel or ganache.
- Butter - I used Country Crock brand, but have used Earth Balance as well. Any brand of vegan butter should work well. If you happen to get the unsalted sticks, add a tiny pinch of salt to the dough.
Thank you for the base recipe. This is a nostalgic cookie for me that I’ve wanted to make for a while. I did modify these, but not in a way that should have caused the difficulty I encountered. I changed the extract to lemon and the jam to strawberry for a strawberry lemonade cookie. For me, the dough was SO crumbly that my dough would not hold together. The proportions also seemed off: I made 30 gram cookies with a half-teaspoon of jam and my cookies were well filled. Ended up adding a tablespoon of water to the final baking round and was able to make the dough come together.
Would these work if I swapped 1:1 gluten free flour?
Hi Chris. Yes, I think that would work these cookies! Enjoy!
Do these freeze well? I want to start making cookies for christmas and would like to be able to freeze them then thaw for Christmas day celebrations.
Yes, these ones freeze well. Thanks!
Hello!
I would love to try these cookies, though I’m wondering if there’s a way to swap the buttery sticks for coconut oil?
Thanks for your help!
I haven’t tried swapping the butter for coconut oil, so I’m not sure if it would work or not. Sorry!
Very good. I used strawberry jam. I think I will bake for 17 minutes next time.
Strawberry sounds so good! I’m glad you loved the cookies! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
So easy to make and delicious. I used Cranberry Lemon jam and Boysenberry Jam and both were amazing! I didn’t do the glaze and they were the perfect amount of sweet.
Hi Johnna. Your jams sound delicious! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
I love this recipe and have made it many times. One of those cookie recipes where you can’t eat just one. It’s a favourite.
Hi Tina. These are definitely easy to eat! I’m so glad you are loving the recipe! Thanks for sharing your positive feedback and review!
does anyone know the weight of the butter? I don’t have sticks, just the tubs so a weight would be very helpful 🙂
1 1/4 c vegan butter in weight is 10oz
Can I skip the almond extract? Or use vanilla extract instead? I have nuts allergies at home .
Yes, you can use vanilla extract! Happy cooking!
I found them too sweet with the glaze so I left it off the 2 nd tray . And they were perfect .
At what temperature do you set your ve
I think you asking what temperature the oven is set at. If so: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
These cookies are incredible! Thank you for another amazing recipe, Nora!
I’m so glad you love the cookies! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and comments!
Yummy !
Thank you for your great review! I’m glad you love the cookies!
These cookies are great. I made them with vanilla extract instead of almond, and I used a passionfruit jelly that was given as a gift. I didn’t use a hand mixer; I mixed together with a spoon and then with my hand. I’m looking forward to sharing them with friends.
I am so glad you love the cookies! I love the way the flavors can be changed, and yours sound delicious! Thank you for sharing your wonderful comments!
Do these freeze well?
Yes, they freeze very well.
Making my 4th batch of these since Christmas! They are an addictive hit around our home!
Thank you 🙂
Thank you, Trista! Enjoy, and happy cooking!
Hi, Nora! I loved the blueberry muffins and the Thumbprint cookies. They were so good! Thank you, Nora, for the recipe!
PS I’m 8 years old.
Hi Misty! Thank you so much for leaving a comment! I’m so happy you loved the muffins and cookies!
Nora, these were amazing! I swapped out the raspberry jam with vegan chocolate ganache. These for sure will be my go-to Christmas cookie. We can’t stop eating them! All of your recipes that I have tried have just been perfect, thank you!
Hi Allysa. I’m glad you love the cookies! Thank you for sharing your ideas, and for using my recipes!
I haven’t made yet but want to – can you use almond paste instead of extract and if so, how much paste?
I’ve never used almond paste so I’m not quite sure!
These were amazing! I made them and gave them to my neighbors for Christmas – none of them knew they were vegan. At first, I thought the amount of jam was going to be too much, but it wasn’t at all. I also used Cherry jam that I had and they were great.
Cherry jam sounds delightful. So glad everyone enjoyed them!
Hi Nora, I made the thumbprint cookies and they spread in the oven. My butter is as very soft, do you think that was the issue? I used peach preserves- it’s what I had in my pantry.
Yes, if you start with very soft or melty butter, they are more likely to spread in the oven. Try to start with it colder next time, or chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking, that will help as well if your butter is too soft. Thanks!
Delicious! My brother in law said it reminded him of the non vegan recipes his mom used to make as a kid. Can’t wait to use it again this Christmas. Thank you, Nora!
You’re welcome!
So simple and delicious!
Our first time making these cookies. My 10 year old boys and I love them!! They couldn’t believe how yummy they were :)) Thank you Nora!:-)
You’re welcome!
I made these for the first time last Christmas. This year my family is begging for them again. The only problem? I can’t stop eating them! YUM!
Made the raspberry thumbprints using Country Crock sticks of vegan plant butter. They taste amazing! I will definitely make these again.
Made these this evening. Forgot to freeze them pre-bake but they still turned out excellent! Lovely buttery shortbread! My only change is I made two different flavors – fig and pomegranate.
Sounds wonderful, so glad you enjoyed the cookies!