Nothing is easier than these 3-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookies to welcome the holiday season with delicious Christmas shortbread cookies. Bonus, these Vegan Thumbprint Cookies are made with no eggs or dairy!
Let’s bake some super easy last-minute Christmas cookies, starting with a batch of these raspberry thumbprint cookies made with the most simple 3 ingredients!
Ingredients and Substitutions
The purists will tell you that the recipe is actually a 4-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookie recipe because of a dollop of jam added to the center. But, the cookies are made of the most basic 3 ingredients, so that’s what I’m counting here!
Anyway all you need to make these jam thumbprint cookies are:
- All-Purpose Flour – You can also use a gluten-free all-purpose blend to make vegan, gluten-free thumbprint cookies. However, if you prefer to use almond flour, try my almond flour thumbprint recipe instead.
- Vegan Butter – Or any butter you like if you are not on a vegan lifestyle yet. You can also use a vegan spread.
- Sugar – Any granulated sugar works well, white sugar, unrefined cane sugar, or even coconut sugar for a healthy twist. Just keep in mind that coconut sugar changes the color of the batter into a brownish cookie batter.
How To Make 3-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookies
It’s fascinating how many shortcuts you can take in classic recipes, and you know how much I love making easy cookie recipes with minimal ingredients! So let me share how to make these lovely shortbread cookies with 3 ingredients and just 20 minutes.
- First, in a stand mixer bowl using the paddle attachment, beat the softened vegan butter and sugar together until creamy and white in color.
- It takes just about 1 minute on the medium-high speed setting. You can also use an electric beater for this step and bring ingredients into a large bowl.
- Finally, fold in the flour and combine on the low-speed setting until the batter comes together into a nice, soft cookie dough. If your dough is too dry, which can happen if you add slightly too much flour, add more almond milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. You should be able to squeeze the dough in your hands and form a ball. It should be soft but not sticky or runny ever.
- First, preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Next, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil paper with coconut oil. Set aside.
- Scoop out about one tablespoon of cookie dough and roll it between your hands to form a ball.
- Place each cookie dough ball into a shallow ball filled with extra granulated sugar and roll to cover the sides.
- Place the cookie ball on the prepared cookie sheet leaving one thumb of space between each cookie.
- Then, use your thumb to press on the center of the ball. This flattens the cookie in the middle, forming the popular thumbprint shape in your vegan thumbprint cookies.
- Bake the 3-ingredient thumbprint cookies in the center rack of the oven for about 10-12 minutes for 350 °F (180 °C) until just golden brown on the sides.
- Cool completely on a cooling rack and add some extra jam in the center of the cookie if some evaporated.
Thumbprint Filling Options
Now, fill the thumbprint cookies with your favorite ingredient. It can be:
- Raspberry Jam
- Strawberry Jam
- Apricot Jam
- Peanut Butter
- Piece of Dark Chocolate
Add-Ons
You can add some extra flavors to this thumbprint cookie dough. When beating butter and sugar, add some of the below for a boost of flavor:
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract – delicious with raspberry jam.
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract- always good with any thumbprint cookie filling.
- 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract for a peppermint thumbprint cookie, delicious if you add a dark chocolate piece in the thumbprint!
Storage Instructions
These vegan thumbprint cookies can be stored for up to 1 week in a cookie jar at room temperature. You can freeze leftover thumbprint cookies and thaw them the day before at room temperature.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
If you like vegan cookies, you’ll love these ones:
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3-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Softened Vegan Butter (Unsalted) - we used vegan butter
- ½ cup Soft Brown Sugar - + extra to roll cookie dough balls (note1)
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
Optional
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Filling
- ¼ cup Raspberry Jam
Instructions
- In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the vegan butter and sugar for 1 minute until smooth, creamy, and fluffy. You can also use a hand beater and beat ingredients into a mixing bowl.
- Fold in the flour and optional ingredients if used, like vanilla and salt. Keep beating on the low-speed setting until well incorporated.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl if needed to bring all the ingredients together. The thumbprint cookie dough should look crumbly but not dry. It is soft and holds well if pressed in your hand. If too wet, add more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time. If too dry, add 1 teaspoon of water.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Oil the paper with coconut oil or vegan butter. Set aside.
- Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place each cookie dough ball into a bowl filled with sugar. Roll the ball to stick the sugar around it.
- Place each cookie dough ball onto the prepared cookie sheets and use your thumb to press down the center of the cookie dough ball.
- Fill each thumbprint with 1/2 teaspoon jam or a piece of dark chocolate.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15-18 minutes in the center rack of the oven or until the thumbprint cookies are slightly golden brown.
- Cool them down fully on a wire rack and cool down for an extra 20 minutes.
Storage
- Store in a sealed cookie jar at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze and thaw the day before at room temperature.
Hello
I’m just asking can you use whole meal spelt flour instead of the all purpose flour
Not really, the cookies will be very dry. White spelt would work, but not wholespelt
To die for! I haven’t made Thumbprint in yrs and never used brown sugar. To enhance the flavor I added 1/2t real organic vanilla and 1t organic pumpkin pie spice. To top them I added my homemade strawberry chia jam. I never leave feedbacks. I know, shame on me but I do tweet you all. But I just had to rate you at 5 Amazing Stars
Well done, presto, perfection
Thank you!!!