These grain-free, AIP/Paleo Thumbprint Cookies are a holiday classic! They’re made with a simple dough and come together quickly with no dough chilling required.
What’s not to love about these amazing AIP/Paleo Thumbprint Cookies? They’re cute, delicious and fun to make! You’re going to want to add these to your holiday cookie lineup!
Here are the main ingredients in these cookies:
- coconut oil – make sure your coconut oil is fully melted so that it’s in liquid form.
- maple syrup – don’t substitute this! maple syrup is the perfect consistency to bring together the dough which contains very absorbent coconut flour.
- gelatin – the egg replacement used to bind the dough. The cookies will be a crumbly mess without it!
- coconut flour and arrowroot starch – I don’t recommend any substitutions to this flour combination.
- apple cider vinegar – used to activate the baking soda, but don’t worry, you won’t taste it.
- vanilla extract – you’ll want to ensure it’s pure vanilla without any “natural flavors”
- jam/berry filling – I used the berry filling from my linzer cookie recipe made with frozen berries, lemon juice and honey. It’s the perfect AIP filling for these cookies.
Here are some possible variations of these Paleo Thumbprint Cookies
- Berry Filling – this is my favorite filling and what I used in the photos shown here. For this variation, you can try this strawberry or raspberry filling found in my Linzer cookie recipe.
- Salted Caramel – fill with a homemade AIP/Paleo salted caramel filling instead of jam
- Chocolate sauce – try using a homemade carob or cacao (AIP reintro) sauce for the filling such as those found in this chocolate “chip” cookie recipe
- Assorted Glazes – for a light and bright spring and summer version, try these filling options for a coconut-free pastel glaze or this coconut-butter based lemon glaze. They’re especially fun and decorative for delicious Easter treats.
- Vegan option – use my sugar cookie dough and follow the instructions to roll the dough as listed in this recipe to create vegan thumbprint cookies
Paleo Thumbprint Cookie FAQs
Can I freeze these?
Yes, these cookies (once baked), freeze well for up to 2 months. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
How do I store these?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I make these coconut free?
Yes! Use this sugar cookie recipe as the dough to make these coconut free.
If you try these AIP/Paleo Thumbprint Cookies I would love if you could give the recipe a star rating and short review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious
Here are some other AIP/Paleo Holiday Cookies you might enjoy:
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Paleo Crinkle Cookies
- AIP Speculaas
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Dairy-free AIP/Paleo Snickerdoodles
Paleo Thumbprint Cookies (AIP, grain-free)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies 1x
Description
These grain-free, AIP/Paleo Thumbprint Cookies are a holiday classic! They’re made with a simple dough, filled with a delicious berry filling, and come together quickly with no dough chilling required.
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp gelatin
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- jam or berry filling of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine arrowroot starch, coconut flour, baking soda, sea salt and gelatin.
- In a separate bowl, combine melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients until the dough comes together.
- Measure out 12 small tablespoon-sized pieces of cookie dough and roll into balls.
- Place balls on prepared cookie sheet and use the back of a teaspoon measuring spoon to press an indentation into the center of each cookie.
- Bake in middle rack of oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool 2-3 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cookies have cooled, spoon your filling of choice into the indentations.
Notes
Ensure that the coconut oil is completely melted. The liquid from the coconut oil and maple syrup gives the dough moisture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Fabulous! Great recipe, thanks!!
These were pretty good but didn’t form very well, how can that be improved? I also found them super sweet, is any way to cut back on the maple syrup?
Hi Claire, I’d recommend using damp fingers for the shaping. In terms of sweetness, if you reduce the syrup there won’t be enough liquid content so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Would it work if I used tapioca starch instead of arrowroot starch? I just happen to have a lot on hand I’d love to use up!
Google says theybare interchangeable as a thickener, but not always in baking…
TIA 😊
Hi Janel, often they can be interchangeable, especially in smaller quantities. I haven’t tested this recipe with tapioca starch and am hesitant to recommend it at such a high quantity as I’m not sure it will work. Let us know if you do try it! Thanks!
These are THE BEST AIP COOKIES EVER! I repeat, these are THE BEST! I can’t thank you enough for this recipe! I have a huge sweet tooth so transitioning to an AIP diet has been really hard. I’ve tried probably 10 different AIP cookies recipes with no success until I tried your recipe! AIP has been way easier since finding this recipe ♥️ the cookies are delicious and taste just like a regular shortbread/ thumb cookie.
I love love love these cookies. Simple and cant recommend them enough!
i keep seeing AIP recipes that need gelatin. Im wondering if this is similar to KNOX gelatin? or is it a different product. also, If it is gelatin similar to Knox – Gefen makes a vegan gelatin that works exactly like KNOX but is not pork or beef.
Yep, just like Knox!
These are perfection
These are SOO good, I’m obsessed with them!
Great flavours, I had already started making your linzer jam for this before I realised they’re both your recipes and you recommended it hahaha. Ah I shoulda checked comments mid-mixing! Mine was extremely dry too and I didn’t even add water, thought I should stick to the recipe first before messing with it. A la Lois I could squish them into tiny balls but they cracked & crumbled again once I started shaping the middle. Edges turned out rock-hard so the low moisture content was noticeable. I did have completely melted coconut oil too so I think I’ll try extra water next time.
Thank you for the recipe (& allll others) ! I made your linzers last week and they were a huge hit at my non-AIP-bar-me household! Just need my next bag of Otto’s to get across the Atlantic now and mass production will begin
Nicole,
These cookies were so good!! I will definitely make them again.
One question: my dough was very dry and wouldn’t come together at first. I added some water (perhaps 2tbsp) but it was still dry. I managed to roll it into a ball but when I pressed down to make the thumbprint, it crumbled up. My cookies didn’t come out pretty but the taste and texture were so good! My daughters asked me to make them again. Should I just keep adding more water next time? Thanks!
Hi Lois, glad you enjoyed. Was your coconut oil you used completely melted so that? The liquid really comes from this and the maple syrup so it needs to be completely melted. I’m not sure why they would need that much more moisture but if the addition of water worked out well, no harm in doing that again.
Thank you Nicole! I will try again. I am new to AIP cooking (hoping to heal my 5 year old Alopecia and eczema), I have tried several recipes from you and they were all wonderful. Thank you for your amazing work!
Hi Nicole, I don’t eat gelatine, is there anything else I could use instead?
Hi Lorenna, it’s the only AIP egg replacement I’ve tried in this recipe! You could try agar agar but I can’t guarantee results!
Hi Nicole! I realize this is AIP but we do not eat beef – can we substitute an egg in this recipe or any other form of non-beef gelatine and if so how much ?
Hi Nadine, i’ve suggested someone else try agar agar – i can’t guarantee results as I haven’t tried myself.
Hello! I tried to make these today and they spread out so I couldn’t fill them with anything. The dough also didn’t come together right. The oil was all separated. Any suggestions?
Hi Meghan, thanks for your note. I just checked the recipe and realize I made a typo in the amount of flour. Sorry about that! It’s been updated now. This is likely what the issue was.
Thanks!