Gluten Free Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Delicate, buttery thumbprint cookies infused with fragrant vanilla and almond extract, baked to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture using a gluten-free flour blend. Each cookie is filled with a vibrant raspberry jam center that adds a bright, fruity contrast to the rich dough. Finished with a smooth vanilla icing drizzle, these classic cookies offer a beautiful balance of sweetness, nuttiness, and berry brightness—perfect for special celebrations.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 2/3 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
- 1 cup plus 1 tbsp Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend
- 1 cup plus 1 tbsp Gluten Free Almond Flour
- 1/2 cup Raspberry Jam
**For the Icing
- 1 cup Confectioners Sugar
- 1 - 2 tbsp Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Remove the butter and egg from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend and almond flour until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on high speed until it becomes creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the sugar to the butter and cream together until light, smooth, and fluffy.
- Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts, mixing to incorporate. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed just until a very soft dough forms. Stop as soon as it comes together — tenderness is the goal.
- Gently press the dough down into the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm — at least 4 hours. (Overnight is even better.)
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and give it a light spray of non-stick.
- Using a very small scoop, portion out about 1 tablespoon of dough and place it onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie. Please note: I often make these thumbprint cookies for an event, so a small cookie is just perfect for a catered event. Feel free to use a larger scoop if you prefer a larger cookie, but do note that the baking time will change with a larger cookie, as well as each individual oven.
- Press your thumb or forefinger gently into the center of each cookie to create a soft indentation. This does not take much of an indention, just a small one to hold the jam.
- Fill each thumbprint with about ½ teaspoon of raspberry jam. I like to use a “dash” measuring spoon and guide the jam neatly into place with a toothpick.
- Bake for 6½ minutes, just until the outside edges are lightly golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Allow the cookies to cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing.
- To Make the Glaze (If You Choose to Add It). In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth and silky. Add more cream, a teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is smooth and drizzleable.
- Arrange your cooled cookies in neat rows on a large baking sheet.
- Transfer the glaze to a pastry bag (or a small zip-top bag with the corner snipped) and drizzle in gentle rows or criss-cross patterns, letting your hand move naturally.
- Allow the glaze to set at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving or storing.
Notes
When making such small cookies for a group, in my oven, it is best to only do 2 pans as a time in the middle of the oven. Cooking more than that number of pans, they do not cook evenly.
When making very small cookies for a large gathering, you may choose to leave them unglazed — they are still beautiful and perfectly balanced on their own.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!