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
Hi Amy.Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply but i’ve baking like mad! I made these cookies again today with all the same flours and measuring system i’ve used in the past when they didn’t work,then by some miracle they worked! I have no idea why.The were so delicious.I ate the entire batch! Thanks Amy! 🙂
I’m so glad you loved them Renae!! I’m thrilled they turned out! 🙂 I wonder if the weather factored into it, at all? Maybe if it was an overly hot or humid or cold day??
Can I use powdered sugar instead of coconut sugar in this recipe?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Gail! I don’t recommend powdered sugar since it creates a different cookie texture. Granulated sugar and brown sugar are both fine though! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these cookies!
Thank you for your response.
Will be making these cookies very soon!!
My pleasure Gail! I’m so excited to hear how your cookies turn out!
Could I substitute other jams in place of elderberry? Strawberry, for instance?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Summer-Grace! I’ve actually answered this already in my video, as well as the Notes section of the recipe underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think if you try these cookies!
So sorry! 😉 I will make them as soon as I can!
No worries — it happens all the time! 😉 I’m so excited to hear how your cookies turn out Summer-Grace!
When you are mentioning 46 Calories/ serving, how much is the serving?
thank you ! 🙂
The full nutrition information is actually included directly beneath the recipe. It can be easy to miss! 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies!
If I use oat flour, is it ok?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Mina! Oat flour should work. Just be really careful with measuring it, and remember that the cookies will probably have a subtle oat-like flavor. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
They seem to be burnt on the bottom after cooking them at the minimum, but they looked delicious…just not as edible.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Rosey! Did you use a dark metal baking sheet, by any chance? And did you use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat?
These look great! Do you think I could substitute the cornstarch with arrowroot starch with the same results?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Joy! I haven’t tried that modification, so I’m honestly not sure how it’ll turn out. I’d love to hear what you think of these cookies if you try making them! 🙂
They where very tasty! I was looking for a healthier version and this was perfect. In Argentina we put dulce de membrillo in the center, which I recommend.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies, Maia! It truly means a lot that you’d call them perfect. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! 🙂 I love the sound of dulce de membrillo! I had to look it up, but it sounds like so much fun. I need to see if I can find it in any specialty stores near me — I’d love to try it sometime!