3-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookies (Vegan) (2024)

Nothing is easier than these 3-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookies to welcome the holiday season with delicious Christmas shortbread cookies.

Bonus, these Vegan Thumbprint Cookies are made with no eggs or dairy!

Table of contents

Let’s bake some super easy last-minute Christmas cookies, starting with a batch of these raspberry thumbprint cookies made with the most simple 3 ingredients!

How To Make 3-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookies

It’s fascinating how many shortcuts you can take in classic recipes, and you know how much I love making easy cookie recipes with minimal ingredients!

So let me share how to make these lovely shortbread cookies with 3 ingredients and just 20 minutes.

Ingredients

The purists will tell you that the recipe is actually a 4-Ingredient Thumbprint Cookie recipe because of a dollop of jam added to the center.

But, the cookies are made of the most basic 3 ingredients, so that’s what I’m counting here!

Anyway all you need to make these jam thumbprint cookies are:

• All-purpose Flour – you can also use a gluten-free all-purpose blend to make vegan, gluten-free thumbprint cookies. However, if you prefer to use almond flour, try my almond flour thumbprint recipe instead.
• Vegan Butter – or any butter you like if you are not on a vegan lifestyle yet. You can also use a vegan spread.
• Sugar – any granulated sugar works well, white sugar, unrefined cane sugar, or even coconut sugar for a healthy twist. Just keep in mind that coconut sugar changes the color of the batter into a brownish cookie batter.

Beating The Butter And Sugar

First, in a stand mixer bowl using the paddle attachment, beat the softened vegan butter and sugar together until creamy and white in color.

It takes just about 1 minute on the medium-high speed setting. You can also use an electric beater for this step and bring ingredients into a large bowl.

Adding The Flour

Finally, fold in the flour and combine on the low-speed setting until the batter comes together into a nice, soft cookie dough.

Fixing The Dough

If your dough is too dry, which can happen if you add slightly too much flour, add more almond milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

You should be able to squeeze the dough in your hands and form a ball. It should be soft but not sticky or runny ever.

Shaping The Cookies

First, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Next, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil paper with coconut oil. Set aside.

Now scoop out about one tablespoon of cookie dough and roll it between your hands to form a ball.

Place each cookie dough ball into a shallow ball filled with extra granulated sugar and roll to cover the sides.

Place the cookie ball on the prepared cookie sheet leaving one thumb of space between each cookie.

Then, use your thumb to press on the center of the ball. This flattens the cookie in the middle, forming the popular thumbprint shape in your vegan thumbprint cookies.

Filling The Thumbprint

Now, fill the thumbprint cookies with your favorite ingredient. It can be:

• Raspberry Jam
• Strawberry Jam
• Apricot Jam
• Peanut Butter
• Piece of Dark Chocolate

Baking

Bake the 3-ingredient thumbprint cookies in the center rack of the oven for about 10-12 minutes or until just golden brown on the sides.

Cool completely on a cooling rack and add some extra jam in the center of the cookie if some evaporated.

Have you made these thumbprint vegan cookies for Christmas? Share a review or comment below to tell me how it goes!

About Carine

Hi, I'm Carine, the food blogger, author, recipe developer, photographer, and published author of a cookbook and founder of The Conscious Plant Kitchen with my husband Damien.Learn more about us.