Paleo Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

For an easy and delicious paleo dessert, try these Paleo Thumbprint Cookies with homemade raspberry jam and a dark chocolate drizzle!

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The Guidelines of Paleo

The paleo diet, or caveman diet, focuses on whole, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds, inspired by the eating habits of early humans.

Key restrictions include:

• Gluten and Grains: All gluten-containing foods and grains like oats and corn are avoided due to their inflammatory properties.
• Refined Sugar: Modern sugars are not allowed; natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey are used instead.
• Dairy: Dairy is excluded since it was not part of the caveman diet and is believed to promote inflammation.

This paleo thumbprint cookie recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free!

Jump to:

• The Guidelines of Paleo
• Why You'll Love This
• What Is a "Thumbprint Cookie"?
• Ingredients
• Substituions & Variations
• Equipment
• Instructions
• Top tip
• Storage
• FAQ
• Related
• Paleo Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Why You'll Love This

You'll love this paleo dessert recipe for its refined sugar-free homemade raspberry jam, shortbread-like cookie texture, and dark chocolate drizzle—truly the perfect bite!

It's also easy to make; unlike many paleo recipes, this one is straightforward and yields delicious results without revealing its paleo nature. Plus, these cookies are allergy-friendly, containing no refined sugar, gluten, dairy, or nuts!

What Is a "Thumbprint Cookie"?

The thumbprint cookie gets its name from the indentation made with a thumb or teaspoon. Known as "Hallongrotta" in Sweden, meaning "raspberry cave," this 19th-century pastry features a shortbread base filled with raspberry jam or other fruit fillings.

In the U.S., it's called a thumbprint cookie, while in Australia, they're known as "jam drops." Other names include bird's nest cookies, butterballs, and Polish tea cakes. Despite the various names, the recipe's structure remains largely the same, with some variations like using Nutella. These cookies are a holiday staple worldwide.

Ingredients

Here is everything you will need to make these cookies!

For the Raspberry Jam:

• Raspberries: Provide tangy, vibrant flavor and natural sweetness.
• Lemon juice: Balances the sweetness and enhances the raspberry flavor.
• Honey: Adds sweetness and smooth consistency.

For the Cookies:

• Gluten-free baking flour: Forms the base of the dough while keeping it gluten-free.
• Psyllium husk powder: Binds ingredients and adds chewiness.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavors.
• Coconut oil: Adds richness and a subtle coconut flavor.
• Honey: Sweetens and moistens the dough naturally.
• Sugar-free maple syrup: Adds sweetness and depth without sugar.
• Egg yolks: Provide structure and moisture.
• Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and aromatic sweetness.

Dark Chocolate Drizzle:

• Sugar-free dark chocolate chips: Offers rich, slightly bitter chocolate flavor.
• Coconut oil: Helps melt the chocolate and adds a glossy finish.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements!

Substituions & Variations

These tips below can help you adjust the recipe!

• Jam: If short on time, use store bought raspberry jam although it won't be as rich.

Please note that this recipe has not been tested with any other substitutions or variations than the ones listed above.

Equipment

All you need for this recipe is a saucepan, potato masher, two baking sheets, mixing bowls and an electric mixer.

Instructions

Here is how to get it started!

The Raspberry Jam

Store-bought jams often contain cane sugar, but you can make a paleo-friendly raspberry jam by washing two cups of raspberries and add them to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Use a potato masher to crush the berries until boiling, then stir in one tablespoon of lemon juice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add half a cup of honey, and stir for about 10 minutes until it thickens. Let it cool for 15 minutes, and use it for thumbprint cookies or other desserts like Healthy Chocolate Mousse.

Time for the Dough

For the dough, combine 3 cups gluten-free flour, 2 teaspoon psyllium husk powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Psyllium husk helps bind the dough and prevent crumbling, while the absence of baking powder ensures the cookies maintain their shape.

Mix 1 cup melted coconut oil, ⅓ cup sugar-free maple syrup, and ⅓ cup honey. Add 2 egg yolks and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Sift in dry ingredients, then combine with an electric mixer and roll into balls and place on a prepared baking sheet.

Fill, Bake & Decorate

Once the dough is rolled and on the baking sheet, use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to make the signature indentations.

After all the indentations are created, you can add a teaspoon of the homemade raspberry jam to each cookie. Carefully fill each cookie, but be sure not to overfill it. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes until slightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool for roughly ten minutes before drizzling with the dark chocolate. To make the dark chocolate drizzle, combine half a cup of sugar and dairy-free dark chocolate chips and one tablespoon of coconut oil to a microwave-safe glass. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir and microwave again for 30 seconds. Stir again and then allow to cool.

Once the cookies are cooled, drizzle dark chocolate over each and let it harden for 10-15 minutes. For quicker results, refrigerate for 5 minutes.

Storage

Store leftovers in a sealed container in a dry area for up to 4 days! When ready to enjoy, simply eat without any further preparation!

FAQ

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