Last week, two of my best friends and I arranged to meet at Starbucks the morning before one of them flew back to southern California to start her residency. With the smaller boutique in the shopping mall as the closest location, we each drove over despite the strange summer rainstorm, grabbed our favorite orders, and settled into the comfy couches in the center of the mall next to the children’s play tables to chat and catch up.
With a long list of never-ending topics—a vacation to Japan, a lost job, a trip to Korea, a potential house for sale, a new boyfriend—we talked and talked and talked, pausing for the occasional sip of coffee or tea. It felt like mere minutes had passed when someone mentioned a hungry stomach, but three whole hours had actually flown by!
Instead of battling the lunch rush at the mall’s restaurants, I suggested that we picked up sandwiches to go and headed over to my house instead. (Of course, I bribed them with dessert… Can you guess what?) Besides, more kids had begun to flock to the play tables next to where we sat, and with a limited amount of building blocks, we could sense a few squabbles and tears about to erupt!
So lunches in tow, we dashed back through the raindrops to my front door and collapsed on the couches there instead. And—surprise, surprise!—another three hours passed by in the blink of an eye. We all need friends like that who make us laugh and lose track of time!
But back to the important part… The dessert! I bribed my friends with these gorgeous Clean Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies (did you guess correctly?), and watching them nibble off the first bite made my heart glow. Their eyes widened in disbelief and delight—they couldn’t believe these buttery treats were actually healthy!
Let’s start with the cookie dough. It’s made healthier with whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose and coconut sugar instead of granulated. However, those were the easy swaps…
As a form of shortbread cookies, typical thumbprint cookies contain lots of butter to make them taste so rich, but that adds a ton of extra calories! To make these healthier cookies taste just as buttery as traditional ones, I turned to my secret weapon: extra vanilla extract! Extra vanilla extract enhances and imitates the flavor of butter, so I use it in many of my cookie recipes. (That’s why these chocolate chip cookies are so popular!)
This cookie dough is much wetter than typical shortbread dough, so chilling is mandatory. Chilling helps stiffen the dough and makes it easier to work with, as well as reduces how much the cookies spread while baking.
Even after chilling, the cookie dough will still be a little too sticky to roll between your palms, so use a spatula to drop small mounds onto the baking sheet and make them round. I own these mini spatulas (aren’t they adorable??), and the flatter one is perfect for shaping the dough. Then moisten your fingers with a tiny bit of water to prevent the cookie dough from sticking, and gently press down into the centers to create the wells.
Most jellies and jams in thumbprint cookies contain lots of sugar and other not-so-healthy ingredients, but not this one! I used my 10 minute raspberry jam because it has just 3 ingredients and is naturally sweetened. My family and friends all raved about how much better it tasted than store-bought!
Now it’s time to test your patience and bake the cookies. The cookies will spread while baking, so leave enough room in between them on the baking sheet! Because of the fruit, the filling takes the longest to cool down, so please be careful and don’t burn your tongue…
But I promise they’re well worth the wait!
| Clean Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies | | Print |
- 1 cup (120g) whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free flour* (measured correctly)
- ¾ tsp cornstarch
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar
- ¼ cup (55g) homemade 10 minute raspberry jam
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the coconut sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until incorporated. Chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Drop the cookie dough into 24 small rounded mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least ¾” between them, and use a spatula to shape each into a circle that’s as wide as it is tall. Moisten your thumb and index finger with water, and gently press into the center of each to make a well. Fill each well with jam.
- Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Regular whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted in place of the all-purpose flour. Lightly packed light brown sugar may be substituted in place of the coconut sugar. Any jam may be substituted in place of the homemade 10 minute raspberry jam.
These cookies do spread while baking, so shape the mounds of dough to be as tall as they are wide. Leave enough space (at least ¾”) between them on the baking sheet as well.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
More thumbprint cookies from other food bloggers…
♥ Mini Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies by Pinch of Yum
♥ Cranberry Pecan Thumbprint Cookies by Delish Knowledge
♥ White Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies by Crème de la Crumb
♥ Brownie + Chocolate Chip Thumbprint Cookies by Chelsea’s Messy Apron
These cookies look amazing! I never knew it was possible to make such a clean but still divine cookie. I love raspberry thumbprint cookies; the soft, sweet and vanilla-y cookie with the fruity jam is such a good combination!
Thanks Eve! I agree — it’s an irresistible combination!
Those look fab! I love thumbprints, such a great use for fresh jams and fillings 🙂
Thanks June!
You always make the best cookies! Sounds like a great afternoon, I love those kind of days with friends! My girlfriends from college and I are like that. Can’t wait to make this one!
You’re so sweet Alex; I really hope you enjoy them! Those types of friends are the best. Hopefully you’re living a little closer to them now! 🙂
What brand coconut sugar do you use. Thank you
Madhava — that’s why I linked to it in the recipe! 🙂 I hope you enjoy the cookies Terri!
These are lovely cookies and I am thrilled they are gluten free!
Thanks Amy!
I absolutely LOVE catching up with friends. It’s so true, we just get to talking and before we know it, hours would have flown by! These cookies look so tasty, Amy!
Thanks Lisa! It’s definitely true about catching up with friends. If only there were more hours in the day!
I just made these and they came out great! I used half whole wheat flour and half all purpose flour. I can’t believe they can taste so good and be so much healthier than other recipes! Thanks so much for the recipe Amy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies Paola! Your glowing comment means so much to me! 🙂
What other kinda of sugar can be used instead of coconut sugar? They’re for a party and I know one of the guests is allergic. Thanks!
I’m honored that you’d make these for a party, Sarah! 🙂 Brown sugar is the best replacement for coconut sugar! I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks of these cookies!
Thank you! Should I use the same amount and does it matter if its dark or light?
My pleasure, Sarah! Yes, use the same amount. It doesn’t matter too much whether it’s dark or light, but my taste testers have a slight preference for light brown sugar. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Hi! I like your recipe and would like to recreate it, as well as the healthy sugar cookies. Only problem is I am really trying to avoid using cornstarch as I don’t consider it all that healthy. Would you have any suggestions as to what can be added instead?
Thanks in advance,
Veronika
I really appreciate your interest in my recipes, Veronika! You’re welcome to omit the cornstarch, if you’d prefer. Your cookies will be just a smidge less soft and chewy. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these thumbprint cookies and the sugar cookies if you try either recipe!