I love baking cookies. Well, I really love eating cookies and the homemade variety are far superior, so I find myself baking cookies quite often.

Perhaps it’s because of childhood memories, but I find Jam Thumbprint Cookies quite addictive. The buttery, melt in your mouth cookie, paired with raspberry jam is a perfect combination.

It’s a fairly simple concept, make a basic butter cookie dough, roll them into balls and make an indention in the center of each with your finger or thumb (hence the name, brilliant I know). Then you fill the well you created with your favorite jam. So simple, yet so good.

I am posting a recipe I found specifically for Thumbprint Cookies, however I really think your favorite sugar or butter cookie dough could be used. And if you have children that love these, you might want to experiment with your favorite peanut butter cookie, what kid wouldn’t love a PB & J cookie in their lunchbox? Or maybe a chocolate cookie with some caramel in the center? Yummy.

Happy Gluten Free Baking and Enjoy!

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Jam Thumbprints

I know a lot of people consider these a holiday cookie, but I think they are perfect year round.

• 2 1/4 cups white rice flour
• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 TB milk
• about 1/2 cup of jam

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add egg and mix until blended, about 30 seconds. Scrap down the sides of the bowl if necessary and add dry ingredients, mix until combined.
4. Add milk and mix. The dough might look slightly crumbly, but that is okay.
5. Roll into balls, about 1 tablespoon each. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets and using your thumb (or a small melon baller) make an indention in the center of each.
6. Typically recipes will instruct you to fill the wells with jam at this point and then bake in the oven. However I find that the cookies look prettier if you bake them before adding the jam, especially if using a dark jam.
7. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool on sheet for several minutes before removing to a wire rack (I fill with jam at this point). Allow to cool.

Cooking With Kids, Desserts gluten free cookies, gluten free thumbprints

I have tried to adapt several of my favorite cookie recipes to be gluten free, with some success. My husband had suggested I try to make flourless cookies because he’s tried some from a fancy bakery in the city, but they made him sick. He was hoping I could make a truly gluten free one at home. So, I tried a flourless cookie recipe,and wow, they are really good! They are so simple and easy to make, and the best part is they don’t require any expensive flours.

I came up with this version, which I think makes a perfect, chewy peanut butter cookie. This would be a great recipe to share with family or friends who want to give your kids a treat, but don’t want to buy special ingredients. Grab a glass of cold milk and enjoy!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 cup peanut butter (I use chunky)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• chocolate chips, mini M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl combine all ingredients and stir until blended. I divided the cookie dough and added chocolate chips to one half. Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheets and bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Makes 18 cookies.

source: I was inspired by the flourless peaunt butter cookie recipes on www.allrecipes.com.

Desserts flourless peanut butter cookies, Gluten Free, gluten free cookies, gluten free peanut butter cookies