The Holiday season has arrived which means these Gluten Free Dairy Free Thumbprint Cookies are making their debut!
During this time of year, cookies are being baked all across the world! Gotta leave a plate of cookies and a glass of milk out for Santa! I have a few tried and true favorites, but this Holiday Thumbprint cookie recipe is new to me. Moreover, these gluten free dairy free cookies are a perfect choice for those with dietary restrictions, offering a scrumptious option for everyone to enjoy.
A New Holiday Favorite
I’d be lying to you if I said I have enjoyed Thumbprint cookies all throughout my childhood and the truth is this is my first experience with them! I’ve never really been a fan. Maybe that’s because they were all made with wheat flour and my interests were in the gingersnaps, snowballs, and shortbread cookies. Oh, and anything Christmas crack, bourbon-soaked or dipped in chocolate!
These will now and forever be in my Christmas cookie rotation. I can’t believe it took 30+ years, but I’m finally enjoying these perfect Christmas cookies. And I highly recommend you do too!
The Basis of this Holiday Thumbprint Cookie
Food Blog – Eating Bird Food
I stumbled across this recipe when attempting to create a gluten-free cookie to bring to Thanksgiving. After some brainstorming and Google searching, I found a wonderful recipe by Brittany the creator of the food and recipe blog, Eating Bird Food.
It brings me so much joy to share this recipe, inspired by Brittany’s recipe for Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies, with you. Using Brittany’s recipe as my base, I slightly adjusted this almond flour cookie based on my preferences.
I love this recipe because it’s so easy and simple! However, I am also partial to almond flour, I think it’s super underrated in the food world, especially for desserts. Honestly, this recipe is better with almond flour vs regular wheat flour.
Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookie Dry Ingredients
Almond Flour: A little unknown secret, I love almond flour. It’s just so tasty. Make sense, I love nuts.
You won’t miss the flour in these cookies, the almond flour makes these cookies so deciding, nutty, and buttery.
Salt: The salt is the finishing touch for this delicious cookie dough, and a little goes a long way. There is something about the combination of sweet and salty that is Holiday Thumbprint Cookie perfection.
Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookie Wet Ingredients
Butter: Well of course butter! More butter for the buttery cookie effect. As Brittnay’s recipe states, you can use a different fat here, i.e. coconut oil, or margarine. But, I am all about the butter.
Sugar: I genuinely enjoy using coconut sugar when baking. The flavor is nutty with a slightly caramel taste. I also love the caramel color of coconut sugar, resulting in a nice golden-brown coloring in my cookie.
Vanilla Extract: Let’s give these cookies a little extra flavor shall we? I enjoy the taste of vanilla, but you can try any other flavor combinations. For example, swap vanilla for almond extract or even lemon, orange, or perhaps rum!
I love to swap vanilla extract for orange or lemon. I’ll even add a bit of citrus zest to the dough, too!
Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookie Fillings and Toppers
Jam: And last but certainly not least, the jam!
I have my favorite brands, i.e. Bonne Maman, Stonewall Kitchen, or Dickinson’s. Homemade jam would taste wonderful on these cookies too. To make your cookies even more festive try a deep red jam like raspberry or cherry!
Optional: Powdered Sugar for Dusting: This is an optional extra step because these cookies are divine without them.
I love this addition because it really adds to the festive feelings I have during this time of year. The deep red of the jam represents Santa’s suit and the white powdered sugar represents snow or the white trim on his Santa suit.
Another option that would be super yummy, is a white chocolate drizzle over top!
Sharper Nutrition Fix: Cookies and Mindful Eating
Take care to Mindfully Eat even when it’s not the Holiday Season; but this is a great time of year, when people are gathering and celebrating over large meals, to come back to the topic of Mindful eating. If you haven’t tried it, give it a go with these Holiday Thumbprint Cookies! It’s truly a mind-blowing experience.
Harvard School of Public Health has a great article on Mindful Eating. They discuss what it is, how it works, and even current research on the topic. If you are interested, check out the article!
Below are some quick and easy tips to remember this holiday season!
More Recipes to Try
Love these cookies? Try some other dessert recipes!
With an increasing number of people adhering to gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and vegan diets, this recipe offers a wonderful opportunity to accommodate a wide range of dietary preferences and ensure everyone can indulge in a delicious treat.
A Collection of Dairy Free Dips From Registered Dietitians
Whether you’re lactose intolerant, vegan, or simply looking to explore new flavors and healthier alternatives, you are in for a treat. I’ve gathered a selection of dairy-free dips that will make your taste buds dance with delight.
These delectable recipes have been carefully crafted by registered dietitians, ensuring not only great taste but also nutritional balance. Omitting dairy doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or texture. From Fiery salsas to Edamame Hummus to Chocolate Fruit Dip, these dishes are rich in flavor and cater to various dietary needs.
Now, let’s explore the world of fantastic tastes and discover how versatile and yummy dairy-free dips are in this exciting recipe round-up.
Salsas
Grab your favorite bag of tortilla chips and dive into these two salsa recipes!
This Peach Salsa has Peaches, tomatoes, jalapenos, herbs, and lime. It is bright, citrusy, and nutritious. Sarah Harper is the creator and voice behind The Addy Bean: A Flexitarian Food Blog.
Sarah is a Registered Dietitian based in Oregon. Her blog features a collection of flexitarian recipes, as well as articles on nutrition and cooking education.
This Low Sodium Salsa with Canned Tomatoes is an easy, delicious, and guilt-free salsa recipe by Kiran Campbell, a Registered Dietitian with an emphasis on adult heart-healthy nutrition.
Low Sodium Salsa by Kiran Campbell Nutrition
Bean Dips
You don’t need cheese as an ingredient to enjoy a delicious bean-based dip. These bean dips are perfectly paired with fresh veggies, crackers, or in a sandwich or wrap!
Loaded with veggies and spices, this Mashed White Bean with Salsa Verde is ready in just 5 minutes. Recipe by Lexi Cole, RD, CCMS one of the Dietitians with the To Taste Team, Culinary Dietitians committed to teaching the essential culinary skills that can help you take control of your health!
This Vegan Hummus Layered Dip is an easy snack that elevates hummus to a new level with fresh Mediterranean flavors. Recipe by Melissa Traub a Registered Dietitian who loves to share how to cook healthy plant-based meals!
This Tomato and Chickpea Dip is great for Fussy Eaters. It is packed with veggies and flavor. Penelope Henderson is a Registered Dietitian and the creator behind The Food Blog and Podcast Nutrition 2 Nourish & Flourish, helping families feed fussy eaters.
Tomato Pepper Chickpea Dip from Nutrition 2 Nourish & Flourish
This Simple Flaxseed Hummus is quick, easy, and delicious. Brittany Poulson is a Utah-based Dietitian with a passion for helping families build confidence in the kitchen.
Creamy Hummus without Garlic is a low FODMAPS recipe full of flavor and is ready in just a few minutes. Tori uses ice cubes to create an extra fluffy hummus. Tori is a Registered Dietitian who creates approachable plant-based meals that are simply delicious. She aims to inspire and encourage plant-based cooking.
This tofu hummus requires less oil than your typical hummus. The tofu makes this dip smooth and creamy and higher in protein! Moushumi Mukherjee is a dietitian interested in sharing foods that are comforting and healing.
This Easy Edamame Hummus is garlicy, lemony, and delicious. Best of all it is ready in just 10 minutes, max! Kristi Ruth is the creator behind Carrots and Cookies, a food blog focusing on recipes that appeal to tweens and teens.
Edamame Hummus by Carrots and Cookies
Other Veggie Dips
These veggie-based dips come together beautifully without sour cream, cream cheese, or other dairy products.
This beautiful deep purple dip is plant-based creamy, lemony, and oh so yummy. Jackie Newgent is the creator of this mouthwatering recipe and photo. She believes in “eating deliciously and eating nutritiously (…) natural, plant-based eating is the best approach to a healthy life…and a healthy planet!”
This recipe is creamy, decadent, and amazing for parties. Packed with protein, this dip is ready in under an hour. Recipe creator Alexis Joseph is a food writer, blogger, Dietitian, and Co-Founder of the restaurant group Alchemy Brands.
This plant-based dip is not lacking in flavor. Cannellini beans give this recipe its creamy texture and plant-based protein. The creator of this recipe, Kelly Jones MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, focuses on performance nutrition for busy student-athletes to busy parents trying to fit in a quick spin class.
Dairy Free Spinach Artichoke Dip by Kelly Jones Performance Nutrition
This vibrant dip combines the sweet-smoky flavor of roasted red peppers with the wholesome goodness of walnuts. The creator Celine Thompson MS, RDN is the author behind the fertility recipe blog, Fueling Fertility.
Roasted Red Pepper Dip with Walnuts by Fueling Fertility.
This simple guacamole is a spin-off of the famous Chipotle guacamole recipe! It is healthy, quick, easy, and easy to adapt! Elysia is the creator of the food blog Haute & Healthy Living. She is on a mission to share how to make healthy eating simple, fun, and delicious.
Chipotle Guacamole Recipe from Haute & Healthy Living.
Condiments & Other Sauces
These condiments and sauces are dairy and gluten-free!
A beautifully green condiment, sauce, dressing, or dip, this Cilantro Cashew Dressing is extremely versatile. Enjoy this recipe as a dipper for veggies, baked tofu, crackers, or pretzels! Sarah Harper, the voice and Dietitian behind The Addy Bean, loves to wow her family with her super creamy plant-based dips!
This Honey Mustard recipe is oil-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and has only 2 ingredients! Summer Yule is the content and recipe creator for her food blog Summer Yule Nutrition & Recipes. She has easy recipes that include, but are not limited to, air-fryer and Instant Pot recipes.
This Horseradish Aioli is creamy, fiery, and dairy-free! While this recipe does use mayonnaise, you could use a vegan mayo to make this recipe 100% plant-based. This is another great recipe by Sarah Harper, the Dietitian and voice of The Addy Bean: A Flexitarian Food Blog.
Horseradish Mayonnaise by The Addy Bean
Dessert
I love a good dessert dip. Grab your favorite fruit or cookies and dive right in.
Feast your eyes on this creamy Pumpkin Pie Hummus. This dip contains chickpeas, pumpkin puree, peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla! Julie is the voice and Dietitian behind The Healthy Epicurean. Based in the Midwest, Julie loves helping people make connections between good food and good health.
This dip is rich and creamy with a touch of sweetness. Best of all it is no bake, nut, gluten, and dairy-free! Kelsey is a Registered Dietitian and a mom. Kelsey shares her passion for cooking with quick and easy recipes, grocery tips, and time-saving kitchen hacks.
Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip by Kelsey and Coopers Kitchen
This Dairy-Free Cake Dip is just like Dunkaroos and you only need three ingredients. Chrissy is a Registered Dietitian and A Level I Triathlon Coach! She loves to share dairy-free recipes, product tips and so much more.
3 Ingredient Cake Batter Dip by Dairy Free for Baby
Enjoy this thick and creamy Chocolate Vegan Fruit dip any time of the year. This recipe has wholesome ingredients like dates, silken tofu, peanut butter, and cocoa powder. Nicole Addison is a Toronto-based Dietitian and is a lover of all things food and nutrition. She is on a mission to help individuals rediscover the joys of cooking!
Finishing off this collection of delicious dairy-free recipes with a Date Caramel with Almond Butter. This dip contains just 5 ingredients and is ready in under 30 minutes.
Date Caramel with Almond Butter by The Addy Bean
Get cooking!
I challenge you to select your favorite recipe and give it a go! These dairy-free dips are sure to please. Share our favorite recipe in the comments!
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