Last weekend, about two weeks after he passed, we held a memorial service for Grandpa. Although people traditionally wear black at these events for a more somber mood, we donned brightly colored Hawaiian shirts as a celebration of his life—and because Grandpa wore a Hawaiian shirt nearly every single day.
Grandma kept the service fairly small, mainly inviting a few of their closest friends, who all showed up as festively dressed as us. We held it outdoors in the warm Southern California sun, with a large photo of Grandpa next to the plaque with his name, along with bouquets of flowers, a special wooden bowl he made in his workshop, and his favorite seat pillow that he carried everywhere he went.
Dad spoke first, sharing many of Grandpa’s personality traits and stories to go along with them. Grandma went next, doing more of the same, followed by Mom, who read two Bible verses. At Grandma’s request, my brother and I dusted off our high school instruments, the trumpet and flute, and played Amazing Grace towards the end.
To conclude the ceremony, we set out a plate of homemade cookies I brought down with me on our drive. Since Grandpa loved elderberry pie more than any other dessert, I created this special recipe in honor of him…
Elderberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies. It’s nearly impossible to get elderberries in California, but I managed to find jars of elderberry jam to make these. They’re sweet, buttery, and (as many of our guests confessed) absolutely irresistible—and just 46 calories!
To make these healthy thumbprint cookies, you’ll start with white whole wheat flour. It sounds strange, doesn’t it? However, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, similar to all-purpose flour, but it still has the same health benefits (like extra fiber!) as regular whole wheat flour.
Note: I included my favorite gluten-free option in the Notes section of the recipe, if you prefer!
Instead of refined sugar, you’ll sweeten these cookies with coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is exactly what it sounds like: an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts! However, it does not actually taste like coconuts. It has a rich, caramel-like flavor, similar to brown sugar, and many grocery stores have started stocking it on their baking aisle. (You can also find it online here!)
Because the cookie dough is rather sticky when you first mix it all together, you’ll pop it in the fridge for a little bit to help it stiffen. Chilling is mandatory! After, you’ll roll it into tiny spheres, and gently press your index finger or thumb into the center to make a well.
You’ll fill that space with elderberry jam (or jelly!). I found mine online here! If you can find fresh elderberries, you can actually make your own jam by substituting them for the raspberries in this easy 10-minute recipe of mine. And as Grandpa always said, huckleberries or blackberries were a great substitute, too!
We love you Grandpa, and we’ll think of you whenever we bake (and eat!) these cookies. ♡ And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your cookies and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Healthy Thumbprint Cookies | | Print |
- 1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons (60g) elderberry jam (or jelly)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg white, and vanilla. Stir in the coconut sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until incorporated. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- To prepare the filling, add the jam to a small bowl, and stir with a spoon until it’s smooth. (It should take a few minutes!) Transfer the jam to a small zip-topped bag, and cut off a small piece of one corner.
- Roll the cookie dough into 24 small spheres, and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Using your index finger or thumb, make an indentation in the center of each, and pipe in the jam from the zip-topped bag. (If the dough cracks, gently pinch it back together with your fingers.) Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack. (If the cookies stick to the baking sheet, slide a knife underneath each first!)
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
The cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft.
Brown sugar or granulated sugar may be substituted for the coconut sugar.
I found my elderberry jam/jelly online here. If you prefer to make homemade jam without refined sugar, use this easy 10-minute recipe of mine, and substitute fresh elderberries for the raspberries. (Grandpa would also say that blackberries or blueberries are a great substitute for elderberries!)
Any jam or jelly may be substituted for the elderberry jam. Blackberry jam is the closest in flavor to elderberry jam, but my family also loves raspberry jam!
This recipe is easily doubled!
{gluten-free, clean eating option, low fat, low calorie}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Information
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
♡ Peanut Butter Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
♡ Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies
♡ Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
♡ Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
♡ Peanut Butter & Jam Thumbprint Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Peanut Butter Blossoms
♡ Dark Chocolate Blossoms
♡ Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Raspberry Oatmeal Cookies
I loved how these cookies turned out! They were so soft and chewy, and they made the whole house smell like cookies during baking. I used a whole egg instead of just the white, and baked for 12 minutes for a slightly crispier outside. Will be making these again, thanks Amy!
I’m so glad you loved these cookies, Daphne! That’s the BEST kind of compliment, if you already think that you’ll make them again. I’m truly honored — thank you for taking the time to let me know!! 🙂
Hello! can i substitute the flour for oat flour?
I’m honored that you’d like to try my recipe! Yes, you should be able to substitute oat flour for the white whole wheat flour. Just be extra careful when measuring it since it’s a bit more absorbent than wheat-based flours, so it can quickly dry out the cookie dough. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these thumbprint cookies!
they turned out amazing! They spread out a bit and didn’t keep their shape but they tasted really good, my family devoured them! I also added the whole egg instead of just the egg whites 🙂 I’ll definitely be making them again!
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed these cookies! That truly means a lot that you already think that you’ll make them again. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
Well, I tried making this recipe following the suggested ingredient amounts, but the amount of butter/coconut oil listed was not nearly enough to make it doughy. Instead, it just looked like a clumpy bowl of flour. I had to add way more coconut oil to make it resemble dough. Also, this recipe doesn’t make enough dough for 24 cookies.
We’ll see how they taste though.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made them today, they are so good!!!!!! I used 1 cup of dark brown sugar, they are very tasty!!!! I did not refrigerate them, so the dough was a little stickiy. Next time I will refrigerate them. I greased the cookie sheets. These little whole wheat cookies are so rustic and homey. Thanks again
I’m so glad you loved these cookies, Patricia! That’s the best compliment there is, if you’ve already considered making another batch in the future. Thank you for taking the time to let me know — it truly means a lot!
Hi, wondering if they can be made vegan with a flax egg? Thank you 🙂
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Sydney! I don’t really like the taste of flax, so I’m not personally sure about using that as an egg replacer. However, my brother is actually allergic to eggs, and Ener-G is my favorite substitute! Ener-G is a flavorless shelf-stable powder that keeps for ages. It works perfectly as an egg replacer in nearly all of my recipes, including this one! For my recipes, use 1 ½ teaspoons Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water for each egg white (and you’ll need an additional ½ tablespoon of coconut oil or vegan butter, such as Earth Balance, for each egg yolk — although that doesn’t apply to this particular recipe!).
I’d love to hear what you think of these cookies if you end up making them!
I just baked a batch today with a few modifications: I didn’t have white whole wheat flour, so I subbed 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 all purpose; and I used 1 whole egg like someone else suggested and baked for 12 min. My cookies came out browner than your pictures (maybe from the whole wheat flour?). When I tried the first cookie, I thought they were pillowy and rustic, but maybe too healthy-tasting. But then I ate three more, and my husband ate a bunch too and said he loved them! 😂
It’s so hard to find healthy cookie recipes that aren’t dry or tasteless. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and for your blog and videos! I really appreciate it!
I’m so glad you and your husband liked these cookies, Jen! That’s one of my favorite kinds of compliments, if you both went back for more than one cookie! 😉 If you used coconut sugar, then that may be why your cookies look darker than the ones in my photos. (I used light brown sugar for the batch I photographed because I knew my family and friends who were receiving these cookies preferred it over coconut sugar!)
I really appreciate your kind words about my blog and videos too. It truly means a lot — thank you!! ♡
These cookies taste as good as they smell! I used a whole egg and replaced the coconut sugar with 1/4 cup each of white and brown sugar and it turned out great!! Thanks for the amazing recipe and beautiful story of your grandfather, Amy!
I also used strawberry preserves in place of the elderberry jam and overall love how versatile this recipe is!
You’re such a sweetheart, Camille! I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies, and your kind words about the story I shared truly mean the world to me. Thank you for reading it and taking the time to let me know — you’re a true gem! ♡
Hi Ami, I am planning to make these cookies tomorrow. Can you help me with egg replacement, I went through the questions but I don’t have time to order Ener-G so any other thing that I can use.?
Lots of love
Neelam
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Neelu! Ener-G is the main egg replacer that I have experience with, so that’s the only one I can personally vouch for. I think other readers have had decent luck with flax eggs, but since I’m not a big fan of flax’s flavor, I haven’t tried it.
In a pinch, you can try substituting 2 tablespoons of milk (any type!) for the egg white. If the cookie dough still seems dry compared to the texture that you see in my video directly above the recipe, add more milk ½ teaspoon at a time until you can incorporate all of the flour mixture and your cookie dough matches the consistency of mine in the video. The texture of your cookies will be slightly different, but it should be subtle enough that you won’t notice too much. 🙂
I’d love to hear what you think of these thumbprint cookies if you try making them!
Any alternative for corn starch?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe! I’m so sorry for my delayed response. I’ve been out of the office and with my family a lot more than I anticipated since mid-June, and I fell behind on replying to comments as a result.
I haven’t tried to substitute anything for the cornstarch, so I’m not personally sure. However, you can omit it! Your cookies won’t be quite as soft.
If you end up making them, I’d love to hear what you think of these thumbprint cookies! 🙂