There is no shortage of sweet treats during the holiday season, making it hard to keep our health on track. With all of the delicious aromas mixed into holiday cookies -- vanilla, peppermint, molasses, ginger, pecans and chocolate --the dessert table could use a healthy makeover that doesn’t compromise flavor. We challenged Caitlin Bus, Registered Dietitian with Renown Healthy Heart Program, to come up with a healthier cookie recipe to share with your family and friends this holiday season.
These vegan thumbprint cookies are soft, slightly chewy, nutty and sweet, made with almond flour, a hint of maple flavor and topped with raspberry jam (or the jam of your choice). Even better, these holiday cookies require just eight simple, healthy ingredients and are gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, oil-free and optionally sugar-free too!
Wholesome Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Course: Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free
Cuisine: Holiday
Servings14 cookies
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Ingredients
1 ¼ cup (120 g) almond flour
¼ cup (32 g) oat flour
3 tbsp (40 g) granulated sugar of choice (brown sugar, coconut sugar, or Erythritol)*
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup (64 g) almond butter (runny, not firm)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup cold water
4 tsp maple syrup
Jam (raspberry or preferred fruit)
Instructions
Add all dry ingredients (almond flour, oat flour, sugar and baking powder) to a bowl and stir with a spoon. Add the almond butter, vanilla extract and cold water. First, stir with a spoon, then use your hands to shape the dough into a ball.
Then add the maple syrup and mix again. If the dough is a little sticky at first, just let it rest for a couple of minutes.
Shape the dough into 14 balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Using your thumb, or a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon, make an indentation into each ball.
Fill 1/2 tsp of jam into each indentation. Transfer the cookie sheet into the refrigerator and chill the cookies for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight).
Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and bake the cookies for about 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Enjoy!
*Notes
Oat flour: You can most likely use any other starch; including tapioca starch.
Granulated sugar: Another option would be 1.5 Tbsp monk fruit
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