Almond Butter Date Thumbprint Cookies

T-minus two days until Christmas! Seriously, wasn’t it just Thanksgiving? These next few weeks can just SLOW DOWN, thank you.

I don’t know about you, but I’m always trying to hold on to every last minute of the holiday season. And luckily this year, I have these thumbprint cookies to help me do just that. 

Fun fact: If you follow me on Snapchat (riggs-taylor), you know it took me 3 tries to get these cookies right. After the first two batches came out looking more like sticky pancakes than cookies, I started to think there was actually something wrong with the oven.

But thankfully the third time was the charm for these beauties, and they came out perfectly! My mom’s side of the family takes Christmas cookies very seriously, so for the past few years I have been trying to come up with some gluten-free versions of our traditional ones so I can join in on the fun, too.

Last year I made Peanut Blossoms, Gingerbread Men, Pecan Tassies, and Mexican Hot Chocolate Balls! But these thumbprint cookies are slowly becoming my new favorite. The almond butter + date combo is seriously rocking my world, you guys.

On another note, we got the pictures back from our Holiday Gathering dinner at Folsom and Pine Farm this week and I am literally obsessed with every single one.

A (seriously talented) local Columbus photographer named Jenna Souers was so generous to join us on the night of the dinner and her photos perfectly captured the magic of the evening.

I’m going to do a full post soon recapping the event, but for now, I’ll leave you with some teasers!

P.S. Shoutout to our incredible new friends Leda and Sam from Events Held Dear for making this place look like a straight-up fairytale. Seriously, if you’re looking for event planners/stylists in the Columbus area, call these two.

Immediately. They’re amazing at what they do, and are even more amazing people. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw the greenhouse!

Stay tuned for the full recap post soon! And in the mean time, I hope each and every one of you has a great holiday filled with love from friends and family! And of course, some yummy eats  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

ALMOND BUTTER DATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Yields: 12 cookies

  • 3/4 cups almond butter (or other nut/seed butter)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 flax eggs (make by combining 2 tbsp flaxseed meal with 5 tbsp water – allow to set for ~5 minutes before using. 1 regular egg can also be used)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • For date paste:
  • 5 large medjool dates, pitted, cut in half
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine almond butter, maple syrup, flax eggs, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Add coconut flour and baking soda and continue to mix until dough forms.

Form dough into 1 inch balls and place on baking sheet.

Using your thumb, make a small indentation in each cookie (this is where the filling will go).

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

While cookies are baking, make date paste by placing dates and 1/2 tbsp water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat to soften. Once dates are softened (this will only take a minute or two, so watch carefully!), remove from pan and place in a small bowl with remaining 1/2 tsp of water and 1/2 tbsp maple syrup. Using a fork, mash dates until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.

Remove cookies from oven and make thumbprint on initial indentations again if necessary (they will rise a bit during baking).

Remove cookies to a wire rack and fill holes with date paste.

Enjoy!

  • Preparation time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 8-10 minutes
  • Total time: 28-30 minutes