Cooking and Serving: 27 minutes | 14 cookies
Ingredients
How to make gluten free thumb | Ingredient substitutions
Description
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 27 minutes | Servings: 14 cookies
Ingredients
How to make gluten free thumb
Expert tips
Ingredient substitutions
Instructions
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
These tender gluten free thumb.
that melts in your mouth, and they’re only lightly sweet so the butter flavor.
After the cookie dough is shaped into rounds, we roll each piece in granulated.
sugar to create a super thin, crackly shell in the oven.
Whether you’re filling the cookies with a tangy-sweet jam that we bake in the.
oven, or a smooth, rich chocolate ganache after, the simple cookie dough is the.
same. And it doesn’t need to be chilled or frozen first. Just make sure your.
butter is at cool room temperature, and you’re guaranteed success!
KEY RECIPE INGREDIENTS
It can be helpful to understand the role of each ingredient in the recipe. See.
the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts.
Overhead view of labeled baking ingredients arranged on a light marble surface,.
including butter, gluten free flour, granulated sugar, salt, confectioners’.
sugar, jam, an egg yolk, and a bottle of vanilla extract.
view of labeled baking ingredients arranged on a light marble surface, including.
butter, gluten free flour, granulated sugar, salt, confectioners’ sugar, jam, an.
egg yolk, and a bottle of vanilla extract.
Butter: Adds buttery flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth creamy texture. Be sure.
your butter is at cool room temperature, no more than 68°F, so you can whip.
it until creamy. If it’s greasy to the touch at all, it’s too warm and your.
cookies will spread too much.
Egg yolk: Adds richness and golden color without added moisture, which helps.
prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
Confectioners’ sugar: Adds sweetness and a touch of starch to help soften the.
cookies, and absorbs very quickly into the butter mixture.
Vanilla: Adds depth of flavor.
Salt: Balances sweetness and brightens buttery flavor.
Gluten free flour blend: Provides all of the structure in the cookies, so be.
sure to use something well-balanced and smooth, with a superfine rice flour.
as a base. My favorite blends are Better Batter’s classic blend and Nicole’s.
Best multipurpose with added xanthan gum. Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 should also.
work with an added 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum, since the blend doesn’t contain.
Granulated sugar: Adds more sweetness to these lightly sweet cookies, and.
adds a gentle sugar crunch the outside.
Jam: Adds a fruity tangy flavor and a chewy texture to these smooth, simple.
Chocolate: Melted chocolate adds a rich flavor contrast to the simple butter.
cookie base as an alternative to jam. Don’t bake the chocolate in the cookies.
or it will melt into the cookies, rather than staying in the center.
Cream: Adding cream to the melted chocolate filling softens it into a ganache.
so you can bite straight through the center of the cookie.
A larger group of thumb.
filled with chocolate and others with a dark red jam.
larger group of thumb.
with chocolate and others with a dark red jam.
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE THUMB
You can make the raw cookie dough in a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer.
Cream the butter
Beat room temperature butter alone for about 2 minutes until it’s creamy to.
increase the volume of the cookies in the oven.
Finish the cookie dough
Add the egg yolk, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt and beat until well.
combined and dark yellow. Beat in the gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum.
just until well-combined.
Room temperature butter partially creamed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted.
with a paddle attachment.
temperature butter partially creamed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a.
Yellow batter mixture of egg yolk beaten into butter inside the same stand mixer.
bowl with the paddle attachment resting above it.
batter mixture of egg yolk beaten into butter inside the same stand mixer bowl.
with the paddle attachment resting above it.
Cookie dough formed mixer bowl with some dough clinging to the paddle attachment.
dough formed bowl with some dough clinging to the paddle attachment.
The cookie dough should be thick but not stiff, which makes it easy to handle.
Scoop it into pieces about 1 tablespoonful each. You can use a small cookie.
scoop (a #60 scoop works great) for even portions, or eyeball it with two.
spoons. Place them at least 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheet so they don’t.
spread into each other.
Roll each mound gently between your clean palms to form a round shape. Just.
shape the dough, don’t pack it tightly or your cookies will be more brittle.
Roll in granulated sugar.
To add sweetness and create a crispy outer shell, toss the rounds gently in a.
small bowl of granulated sugar, and place on the.
Press holes in the rounds.
Press down in the center of each round of cookie dough to create a hole about.
1/2-inch wide and 3/4-inch deep. I like to use a small dowel, the tapered bottom.
of a whisk, or my pointer finger (oddly, your thumb is too tapered to work.
well). Press down until you feel the baking sheet underneath, since the cookie.
dough will rise in the oven and a shallow hole will close up.
A hand holding a small metal cookie scoop above a parchment-lined baking sheet.
with evenly spaced scoops of light yellow dough.
hand holding a small metal cookie scoop above a parchment-lined baking sheet.
with evenly spaced scoops of light yellow dough.
A hand holding a round ball of light yellow dough above a parchment-lined baking.
sheet with more dough balls arranged on it.
hand holding a round ball of light yellow dough above a parchment-lined baking.
sheet with more dough balls arranged on it.
A hand holding a small metal bowl filled with granulated sugar, tilting a dough.
ball in the bowl to cover it in granulated sugar.
hand holding a small metal bowl filled with granulated sugar, tilting a dough.
ball in the bowl to cover it in granulated sugar.
A hand pressing an indented center into dough balls on a parchment-lined baking.
sheet using a metal whisk end.
hand pressing an indented center into dough balls on a parchment-lined baking.
sheet using a metal whisk end.
Fill with jam, if using.
Warm the jam gently for a few seconds in a microwave just until it’s pourable.
Fill the holes all the way up to the top. Otherwise, keep the holes bare.
Bake just until the cookies are no longer glistening wet and the undersides are.
very lightly golden brown (10 to 12 minutes).
Any empty cookie holes may have begun to close up. When the cookies are still.
warm, use the same tool you used to make the hole to press it down again gently.
Let the cookies sit undisturbed for about 10 minutes on the baking sheet or.
until they’re stable enough to move.
Fill with chocolate ganache, if using.
Warm cream until simmering, pour over chopped chocolate, and let sit until the.
chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth, and pour into any empty cookies.
Shake from side to side to help settle the ganache, and let sit until mostly.
set. It will be only slightly less firm than the butter cookies themselves.
A hand holding a small glass container pouring slightly warmed jam filling into.
the indents of the dough balls.
hand holding a small glass container pouring slightly warmed jam filling into.
the indents of the dough balls.
A baking sheet lined with parchment paper holding 10 raw dough balls with jam.
filling in the centers before baking.
baking sheet lined with parchment paper holding 10 raw dough balls with jam.
filling in the centers before baking.
A baking sheet lined with parchment paper holding baked cookies with jam.
baking sheet lined with parchment paper holding baked cookies with jam centers.
CHOP COLD BUTTER TO SOFTEN IT
need butter at cool room temperature. Right out of the refrigerator, butter is.
around 35°F. The proper temperature to make the cookies is about 65°F, where it.
gives when pressed firmly, but doesn’t feel greasy to the touch.
To raise the temperature without overwarming the butter, remove the wrapper and.
chop it into 8 to 10 pieces another and let it sit for about 30 minutes. You can speed the process up in a.
few ways, but most of them with make the butter greasy.
DON’T CHILL THE COOKIE DOUGH.
If you make and shape the cookie dough and then chill it before baking, the.
cookies won’t spread at all and won’t have that melt-in-your-mouth texture. If.
you do chill the raw dough, make sure it comes fully to cool room temperature.
(about 68°F) before baking.
GENTLY RESHAPE EMPTY COOKIES
If you’ve baked your cookies without jam filling so you can fill with chocolate.
after, press the holes down gently once more while the cookies are still warm.
using the same tool as before. This way, you can fit plenty of chocolate ganache.
DAIRY FREE
To replace the butter, try block-style vegan butter. My favorite brands are.
Miyoko’s Creamery and Melt. You can also try butter-flavored Spectrum.
non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening in place of the butter. Be sure the.
shortening is at cool room temperature, and it should become fluffy when you.
If you’d like to make chocolate ganache filling, try using canned coconut cream.
in place of heavy whipping cream. Be sure your chocolate is dairy free, and.
don’t use melted chocolate alone or the filling will be hard to bite through.
EGG FREE
In place of the egg yolk, you can try 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 grams) of neutral.
oil and 1/8 teaspoon extra xanthan gum.
Side-angle view of thumb.
some filled with chocolate and others filled with dark red jam.
with chocolate and others filled with dark red jam.
GLUTEN FREE THUMB
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins.
Cook Time: 12 minutes mins.
Close-up view of baked gluten free thumb.
filled with chocolate and others with a dark red jam.
view of baked gluten free thumb.
with chocolate and others with a dark red jam.
Buttery gluten free thumb.
sugar, butter and an egg yolk. With jam before baking or soft chocolate filling.
FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH
8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature (65° to.
⅓ cup (38 g) confectioners’ sugar.
1 (25 g) egg yolk, at room temperature.
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt.
1 ¼ cups (175 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend.
FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH
8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature (65° to.
⅓ cup (38 g) confectioners’ sugar.
1 (25 g) egg yolk, at room temperature.
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt.
1 ¼ cups (175 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend.
Notes
* ½ teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
* ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
* 2 ounces strawberry jam, (alternative jam suggestions: apricot or
raspberry, with or without seeds)
TO FILL WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE (ALTERNATE)
* 2 ounces chocolate, chopped (semi-sweet or dark)
* 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) heavy whipping cream
* Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached
parchment paper and set it aside.
* In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted
with the paddle attachment, place the butter and beat until creamy (about 2
* Add the egg yolk, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt and beat to combine
well (1 minute more).
* Add the flour and xanthan gum, and mix until fully combined. The cookie dough
should be thick but not stiff.
* Scoop the dough into portions about 1 tablespoon each with a 2-inch cookie
scoop (a small #60 cookie scoop works best) or 2 spoons. Place in mounds
about 1 1/2-inches apart on a prepared baking sheet.
* Roll each mound of dough lightly into a ball, without packing the dough, then
roll each ball in the granulated sugar to coat on all sides, and replace on
* Using an index finger, small dowel or the back end of a wooden spoon, poke a
deep hole in the center of each ball about 1/2-inch wide and 3/4-inch deep.
* If you plan to fill the cookies with chocolate ganache, leave the holes
* Do not chill the cookie dough.
* Warm the jam slightly in the microwave to make it thickly pourable. Using a
small spouted measuring cup or a small spoon, fill each of the holes with the
* Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the
cookies are set and just beginning to brown around the edges, 10 to 12
* Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet, undisturbed, for at least 10
minutes or until firm.
TO FILL WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE
* If your cookies are hollow, check for any holes that have begun to close up,
and press them down again gently with your finger or the same dowel you used
* Place the chopped chocolate in a small heat-safe bowl. Heat the heavy
whipping cream in a small, heavy-bottom saucepan or a microwave safe bowl
just until it begins to simmer.
* Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and allow the mixture to sit
for about 3 minutes, or until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until the
chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
* Using a spouted measuring cup or a small spoon, pour the ganache into the
open well of each cookie. Allow the filling to set at room temperature or in
the refrigerator and serve.
My favorite gluten free flour blends are Better Batter’s original blend gluten
free flour and Nicole’s Best multipurpose blend (with added xanthan gum). Bob’s
Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour should also work, but add an additional
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to the dry ingredients or the cookies will be too
To make your own blend using one of my “mock” recipes, please see the all
purpose gluten free flour blends
Nutritional information note
Nutritional information is approximate for cookies filled with jam.
Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 1g
| Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 218IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an
sugar, butter and egg yolks—and a dollop of jam on top. The best cookies are
often the simplest ones! #glutenfreecookies #glutenfreerecipes
butter and egg yolks—and a dollop of jam on top. The best cookies are often the
simplest ones! #glutenfreecookies #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreeChristmas
Place the baked and filled cookies gently into a sealed glass container at room
temperature and they’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can
freeze them, but they are relatively fragile so they’re not ideal for making too
large round white serving platter with a pile of small round thumb
cookies with dark or apricot colored jam in the center
round white serving platter with a pile of small round thumb
with dark or apricot colored jam in the center
they’re made with only flour, sugar, butter and egg yolks. In these cookies,
though, the ingredients are balanced differently to make a cookie that’s softer
and a bit more fragile, since we’re not pushing the dough through a cookie press
like with spritz butter cookies.
Why are my cookies crumbly?
These cookies are supposed to be more delicate than sugar cookies, which are
made with a full egg, not just an egg yolk, and a lot more flour for a sturdier
cookie. For a similar cookie that’s less fragile, try our gluten free drop sugar
Can I add jam to my cookies after baking?
Yes, you can leave the holes open as if you were going to add the chocolate
filling, but add the jam after baking instead. But the jam will remain wet,
unlike when you bake the jam inside the cookies.
Why did my cookies spread so much?
If your butter was too warm, your cookies will spread a lot in the oven. You’ll
be able to tell because the butter won’t become fluffy during beating, and the
cookie dough will feel greasy. The proper temperature is cool room temperature,
between 65° and 68°F. If your butter is too warm, it won’t beat properly and the
cookies may spread more in the oven.