These healthy and Gluten-Free Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies are made with cashew butter and topped with homemade raspberry chia seed jam! Perfect for a holiday dessert.

These HEALTHY & Gluten-Free Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies are made with a cashew butter base and topped with homemade raspberry chia seed jam! [VEGAN]

I first made these healthy raspberry jam cookies for Cookie Week. I shared favorites like Gluten-Free + Vegan Gingerbread Cookies, and Dairy Free Hot Chocolate Cookies.

If you're planning a Christmas cookie plate, save these pretty purple treats for your next baking session.

These have a chewy cashew butter cookie base and they're topped with simple raspberry chia jam for the center.

Why You'll Love These Cookies

These cookies are a twist on classic peanut butter cookies. Instead of peanut butter, they're made with creamy cashew butter. It has a mellow taste that's the perfect base to sweet berry jam.

Better yet, these vegan cookies are super easy to make. The dough needs just one bowl and a few simple ingredients.

Cashew Cookie Dough Ingredients

Here's what you need for the cashew butter cookie dough:

Cashew butter. Choose an unflavored, unsweetened creamy nut butter.
Flax egg. Combine 1 tablespoon of flax meal with 1. 5 tablespoons of water. If you're new to vegan eggs, use this guide to flax eggs.
Maple syrup. Use the real stuff for the best flavor and nutrition.
Coconut sugar. This is a great unrefined sweetener. You can also use granulated or brown sugar.
Coconut flour. To thicken the cookies for a cake-like texture.
Vanilla powder. You can also use vanilla extract.
Baking soda. This helps the cookies get nice and fluffy in the oven.

Raspberry Chia Jam

If you've never made chia jam before, get ready because this stuff will knock your socks off. You only need 3 ingredients (plus optional vanilla) and zero refined sugar!

That's right, it's time to say goodbye to that insanely sugary filled jam from the supermarket and welcome this high protein, low sugar jam into your life.

Here's what you need to make the jam:

Raspberries. Use fresh or frozen!
Maple syrup. An unrefined sugar to sweeten your jam naturally.
Chia seeds
Vanilla powder. This is optional but nice with raspberries

Ingredient Substitutions and Swaps

This recipe is totally customizable for what you like. Here are a few swaps to try:

Sensitive to cashews? Swap out another nut/seed butter. Almond or even a nut-free butter like sunflower seed butter would work.
Don't like raspberry? The cookies are delicious with strawberries, blueberries or even peaches during the summertime!
Add chocolate: why not swap the raspberry jam for soft chocolate ganache?

More Holiday Cookies to Try

If you make these vegan and gluten-free Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, let me know what you think with a comment below!

Prep: 35

Cook: 10

Total: 45

Ingredients

for the cookies

1/2 cup cashew butter
1 flax egg
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup coconut flour divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

for the raspberry chia jam

2 1/2 cups raspberries fresh or frozen
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder

Instructions

Preaheat the oven to 350ºF.
Start by baking the jam. Add all the jam ingredients into a small saucepan and stir together. Bring to a low boil and continue to simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 - 20 minutes.
While the jam is cooling, prepare the cookies. Beat together the cashew butter, flax egg, syrup and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add half the coconut flour, along with the vanilla and baking soda, and mix until combined. Beat in the remaining coconut flour.
Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough into your hands and roll into balls. Place on a baking sheet and repeat until no dough remains. Use your thumb to make an indent in the center of each ball and bake for 9 - 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes. Once cooled, add 1 teaspoon of jam into the center of each cookie and serve immediately!

Video

Nutrition

cuisine: American

course: Dessert

Gluten-Free Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Why You'll Love These Cookies

Cashew Cookie Dough Ingredients

Raspberry Chia Jam

Ingredient Substitutions and Swaps

More Holiday Cookies to Try