Almond Butter Thumbprint Cookies
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These healthy almond butter thumbprint cookies are nutty and deliciously sweet cookies that bake crunchy around the edges and are chewy in the center. Topped with a fruit-sweetened raspberry jam and a drizzle of nut butter, kids and adults alike love these cookies.
Also, try these chocolate thumbprint cookies and these coconut macaroon thumbprint cookies!
This delicious almond butter thumbprint cookie recipe comes from our friend Michelle who runs the website Sunkissed Kitchen. She is an expert at creating healthy recipes that taste great.
As the mom of a strong-willed boy who doesn't share her enthusiasm for eating vegetables, Michelle has had to get creative in the kitchen. By incorporating foods such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies into her recipes, she creates meals her whole family loves.
These almond butter thumbprint cookies are made with simple, whole foods ā dates, oatmeal, chia seeds, coconut oil, almond butter, and raspberries. They make a delicious snack or healthy breakfast that kids and adults will both love and are perfect for busy weekday mornings.
Ingredients notes
- To make the jam filling you'll need dates, raspberries, and chia seeds. If you want to skip a step, you can use store-bought jam instead.
- Oats: You'll blend these a little so you can use either old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats. Avoid using steel-cut oats.
- Almond butter: Although it will change the flavor of these cookies, you can experiment with using different nut butters.
- You'll also need chia seeds, coconut oil, baking soda, and sea salt.
There are three parts to making these cookies, but each is very simple.
- The date paste: You'll use this both in the jam and in the cookies. Simply soak dates in hot water to soften them and then blend them until smooth. Any leftover date paste can be spooned over yogurt or used to sweeten a smoothie.
- The jam: Boil some raspberries with some of the date paste you made for a few minutes. Then, add chia seeds and let the jam thicken.
- The thumbprint cookies: Start by blending oats to break them up a bit and then mix them with date paste, almond butter, coconut oil, sea salt, and chia seeds. Scoop balls of the dough and press a thumbprint-sized well in the center. Fill the well with jam and then bake. That's it!
Creating recipes that are refined sugar-free is what Michelle does best.Ā One of her best ātricks' is to use dates to sweeten desserts, as she does with these almond butter thumbprint cookies. It's the same healthy swap that she uses in her gluten free date bars and chocolate chia pudding.
Her passion for creating healthier desserts led her to writing an eBook filled with tons of delicious sugar free desserts, including these almond butter thumbprint cookies, which are also known as AB & J Breakfast Cookies. Be sure to sign up for her mailing list to receive updates on the book's release!
Variations to try
These almond butter thumbprint cookies are a delicious treat. If you want to experiment and make them your own, here are a few ideas to try:
- Use your favorite nut butter in place of almond butter
- Try adding hemp hearts instead of chia seeds.
- Switch up the berries in the jam. Try blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries.
If you love these almond butter thumbprint cookies, also try these almond butter and jelly brownies!
Recipe FAQs
Can I use oat flour instead of blending the oats?
No oat flour is too finely ground. When you blend the oats you want a consistency that still is a bit chunky.
How long do these cookies last?
These cookies will keep well for a week when stored in a container in your fridge.
Can I freeze these almond butter thumbprint cookies?
Yes! These cookies freeze excellently. Freeze them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once they are frozen, you can move them to a freezer-safe container. Let them thaw for a few minutes at room temperature before enjoying them.
Almond Butter Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Date Paste
- 6 ounces dates
- Ā½ cup hot water
Raspberry Chia Jam
- 4 Ā½ ounces frozen raspberries
- Ā¼ cup date paste
- Ā½ tablespoon chia seeds (see notes)
AB & J Breakfast Thumbprint Cookies
- 1 cup oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- Ā¼ cup almond butter
- Ā¼ cup date paste
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Ā¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Ā¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Almond butter (to drizzle)
Instructions
Date Paste
- Add boiling water to dates in a bowl, and allow them to sit for 2-3 minutes to soften.6 ounces dates, Ā½ cup hot water
- Add the dates and the water to a food processor bowl, and process until very smooth and the color lightens. This will make slightly more date paste than you need for this recipe, but it is difficult to make less. See the notes section for ideas about how to use the leftovers!
Raspberry Chia Jam
- In a small saucepan, add the raspberries and date paste. Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes and then remove the pot from the heat. Add the chia seeds, mix well, and set aside to thicken.4 Ā½ ounces frozen raspberries, Ā½ tablespoon chia seeds, Ā¼ cup date paste
Almond Butter Thumbprint Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the oats to a blender and pulse 6-8 times. The oats need to be broken up, but not blended into flour.1 cup oats
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the date paste, almond butter, coconut oil, sea salt, and baking soda. Add the oats and chia seeds, and stir until combined.Ā¼ cup almond butter, Ā¼ cup date paste, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, Ā¼ teaspoon baking soda, Ā¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- On a parchment paper-lined baking tray, scoop out 1 tablespoon balls of the dough. A small cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon works well for this.
- Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball of cookie dough. A rounded Ā½ tablespoon makes the perfect-sized hole. Add a heaping Ā½ tablespoon of jam to the center of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies for 12 minutes and then remove them from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool completely; they will firm up once they have cooled.
- Once the cookies are cooled, you can drizzle them with almond butter. Raw almond butter is easier to drizzle, but you can also spread a little almond butter on top when you're ready to serve.Almond butter
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our dessert recipes!