One of my all-time favorites, the Thumbprint Cookie.  I loved to make these as a child.  I loved to press my thumb down into the middle of the cookie.  Filling a warm cookie with jelly or jam and a glass of ice cold milk made the best bedtime snack. 

This year I am adding a healthy twist to the Thumbprint Cookies – I am replacing the walnuts (not that they aren’t healthy) with flaxseed meal.  I saw a recipe on Eating Well called “Fig & Flax Thumbprint Cookies”, so I decided to add the flax twist to my own. 

Here is my traditional recipe:

Thumbprint Cookies

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (gluten-free flour mix – Bette Hagman’s)
1 or 2 tsps xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped nuts
Your favorite jellies / jams

Heat oven to 350. Mix thoroughly butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. Work in flour, xanthan gum, and salt until dough holds together. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls into 1 inch balls.

Beat egg whites slightly. Dip each ball into egg white, then roll in chopped nuts. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Press thumb deeply into center of each. Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from baking sheet; cool. Fill thumbprints with jelly / jam before serving.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for the updated version!  🙂