Gluten free oat thumbprints are paired with a homemade cranberry ginger jam. They’re perfect for enjoying during the holidays and winter season when you need something sweet.
As I’ve grown older I’ve become a fan of giving gifts made with my own two hands, usually in the form of something edible. From cookies to granola to jam, I love being able to create with others in mind. What about you? Do you like creating gifts? Or are you a fan of buying just the perfect item for a loved one?
These cookies are a great option for gifting, especially if you need a gluten free/dairy free option! They’re inspired by the first cookie I ever developed for the shop portion of Sweet Miscellany way back in the day. This version is updated to be completely gluten free though it still relies on that magical flavor that is produced when coconut oil and local honey mingle. If you don’t eat honey, you can easily swap in maple syrup! To lean into the holiday theme, I’ve filled them with a homemade ginger and meyer lemon cranberry jam, but honestly they’re the perfect vehicle for any jam that you love.
Oat Thumbprint Cookies with Cranberry Ginger Jam
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 15 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Gluten free oat thumbprints are paired with a homemade cranberry ginger jam. They’re perfect for enjoying during the holidays and winter season when you need something sweet.
Ingredients
for the jam:
- 1 heaped cup of fresh cranberries
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- Juice and zest of 1/2 a meyer lemon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 3–4 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 2 tbsp apple cider or apple juice
for the thumbprints:
- 1 cup oat flour (spoon and level into measuring cup)
- 3 tbsp arrowroot flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of the other half of the meyer lemon that was used for the jam
- 1/3 cup crushed/coarsely ground oats for rolling
Instructions
Make the jam first. Combine all of the jam ingredients in a small pot set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until most of the cranberries have burst. At this point, turn the heat down to a low simmer and gently mash any remaining whole cranberries. Cook for 3-5 more minutes until the jam has thickened. Store the jam in a clean jar and allow it to cool completely before filling the thumbprints. Makes about 1 cup of jam.
To make the thumbprint cookies, Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Combine the flours and salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut oil, honey, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until the dough starts to form a ball.
Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon measure, take scoops of the dough, roll them into a ball in your palms, then roll them in the coarsely ground oats. Put the balls of dough on the lined baking sheet, then gently create an indention with your thumb in each cookie. Fill each thumbprint with the cranberry jam (you’ll use around ½ to 1 tsp of jam per cookie).
When all of the cookies have been formed and filled, bake them for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are firm and the bottoms are just starting to turn golden. Cool completely before eating or storing. Makes about 15 cookies.
Notes
- You will have more than enough jam to fill the thumbprints, so if you’d like to make more cookies than the recipe yields, you’ll need to double or triple just the thumbprint portion of the recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: dessert
When I first went gluten free, the holidays were fraught with mourning over the trays, boxes, and packages of holidays sweets that I could no longer eat. Even our family christmas cookie recipe was off limits. It was a sad time indeed for this self-proclaimed sweet tooth and baked goods connoisseur. Upon realizing pining over things I could no longer eat was a complete waste of time, I set about making my own versions of treats and haven’t looked back since. Though it does take a little more effort than buying a box of something off the shelf, you’ll be so much more satisfied with the end result when you make it with your own two hands.
