Gluten-Free Christmas Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

‘Tis the season for indulgent holiday treats!
I was just saying to my husband this weekend that I feel like I miss out on pigging out around the Holiday’s ever since I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and quit gluten. Not that I’m necessarily complaining! But truth be told the thing I miss the most, CHRISTMAS COOKIES!

Every year I try a new recipe and adapt it to gluten free. This year I took the classic thumbprint cookie but gave it some major twists! Typically this is vanilla cookie with a jam filling in the thumbprint. But I decided to make a chocolate cookie, with a cream cheese frosting filling! Then of course I topped it off with some crushed candy canes to give them a holiday flair…
and OMG these did not disappoint!

Truly, I am completely biased – but these are my new favourite Christmas cookie. Everything I love in a dessert in one indulgent bite.

Yes, these aren’t the healthiest thing to ever hit the blog. But they might just be the tastiest!!
And that’s what the holidays are for, so ENJOY!

PS – if you aren’t gluten free you could easily use traditional flour.

Gluten-Free Christmas Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

 

You’ll need

  • 2 sticks of room temperature butter (1 cup total)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder (I use this one.)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups Gluten Free Flour (I used this.)
  • 1/4 tsp. salt (omit if butter is salted)
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda

 

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 4 oz. (1/2 cup/pack) of room temperature cream cheese
  • 1/8 cup of room temperature butter
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (I used this.)
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla

* note: If you don’t like cream cheese frosting or if you are dairy free, use any frosting or jam for filling!!

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Beat the butter and sugar together until soft and creamy.
  3. Add 1 egg yolk, cocoa powder, and vanilla and continue to mix.
  4. In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix until just combined and a dough forms.
  6. Scoop about 2 tsp of dough and roll into a ball.  Place on cookie sheet and press the center down with your thumb.
  7. Cook for 7-8 minutes.  They may not seem done but I like mine undercooked a bit. They end up being perfect!
  8. Gently press the center down again with your thumb to make sure you have a good indentation.
  9. I placed my tray in fridge for 30 minutes to cool completely before filling with frosting.
  10. In meantime make frosting. Mix all ingredients until frosting is formed.
  11. Crush candy canes into sprinkle like pieces.
  12. Once cookies are cooled, put icing into a piping bag or use a big ziploc with the corner tip cut off.
  13. Pipe a small amount of icing in center of cooled cookies.
  14. Top with candy cane sprinkles.
  15. ENJOY!!