Jam Thumbprint Low Carb Cookies are very easy to make, pretty, and tasty. They are such a holiday classic I don't think I've ever been to a cookie exchange where someone didn't make these. This easy recipe is low carb, keto, gluten-free, eggless, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
Trays and trays of cookies are a Christmas tradition in my home. We bring a tray to my cousin's house, put out a tray when we decorate the tree, bring another tray to the Christmas pageant at my children's school, and put out one more tray on Christmas day. If I want low carb cookies so I don't cheat on my eating plan it is my job to bring my own, such as these Jam Thumbprint Cookies.
With that many trays of cookies needed I need easy recipes to fall back to. I don't have time to make hundreds of cut out sugar cookies decorated with a fancy icing. These jam thumbprint low carb cookies are so much simpler. The dough is pulsed in the food processor, blobs are dropped into coconut, they are put on a parchment-lined tray and pressed by a thumb. Add a dollop of jam and that's it.
This is a great recipe to let kids help with. If they are too little to work the food processor or scoop the dough they can still roll the dough balls in coconut and then press the thumbprint with a couple of tiny thumbs.
How to Make Jam Thumbprint Cookies
This recipe uses my easy 6-ingredient base cookie dough with almond flour, coconut flour, butter, vanilla, gelatin, and sweetener. You simply process all of those in the food processor for a couple of minutes and end up with a flavorful dough versatile enough to make all sorts of cookies!
After making the dough roll rolls of it in finely chopped coconut and place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
Expert Tip: You could also roll these in finely chopped nuts or skip the topping altogether. They are delicious with or without it.
Press down with your thumb to make a well. This is how these became known as thumbprint cookies.
Bake the cookies until golden brown. Cool completely.
Press down the well again, if desired, so they can hold more jam. Fill with your favorite flavors of jam, jelly, or even chocolate ganache.
How to Store Jam Thumbprints
I put wax paper between layers of these Jam Thumbprint Low Carb Cookies when stacking so they stay nice and neat. It works perfectly. From the beginning of December through the end of the Christmas season you can find several large plastic containers of cookies in my freezer. Now that my daughters like to bake they've been making as many cookies as I have.
Do I Have to Use Parchment Paper
I always use parchment paper when baking cookies. I buy one huge two-pack at Costco and even with all the baking, I do for the blog one pack lasts me years. It is a worthy investment to make sure your cookies don't stick and it saves on clean-up. It also helps when making multiple batches because you can slide the parchment off of the baking tray (if it's edgeless like my airbake cookie sheets) so that it cools faster. Scoop the next batch onto a fresh piece of parchment and then slid that onto the cooled cookie sheet.
What Type of Jam Should I Use?
I used Polaner All Fruit Peach, Strawberry, and Blueberry Jams. You only put ½ teaspoon on each cookie. This type of jam adds about 1.33 carbs per cookie. Using a reduced carb jam will reduce that number even more. Aren't the different colors of these low carb cookies pretty?
Want to make your own jam? Try this Keto Blueberry Jam! Or Sugar-Free Strawberry Jam.
Feeling like chocolate instead? Try these Keto Nutella Cookies.
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Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 oz cold salted butter cut into pieces (1 stick)
- 1 cup almond flour
- â…“ cup coconut flour
- â…“ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 2 teaspoon gelatin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- â…“ cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- about ¼ cup no sugar added or reduced carb jam ***
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine the butter, almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, gelatin, and vanilla in the food processor and pulse until it comes together in a ball of dough. Divide into 28 balls and roll each in the coconut. Put on a parchment-lined lined baking sheet and press down making a little well with your thumbs.
- Bake for 14-17 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Use a small upside down measuring spoon to press down the center of each cookie. Put ½ teaspoon of jam into the well of each cookie. Cool completely. Store in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
A few of our other favorite low carb cookies are:
English Toffee Cappuccino Cookies
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
There is something for everyone whether you prefer chocolate, cinnamon, nuts, or a combination!
Lauren says
Mine easily formed into balls and looked great when I pressed my thumb into them. Howewer, when I took them out of the oven most of the cookies had flattened and spread way out. What did I do wrong?
Taryn says
Did you use cold butter and a food processor? Using a food processor is the best way to cut in the cold butter. Next time, you could chill the dough before baking.
Karen says
Love this recipe! Love that it has no eggs or cream cheese and doesn’t need to be refrigerated before baking like some thumbprint recipes. Plus, it tastes great even without the shredded coconut and it looks more difficult to make than it really is. Thank you, Taryn!
Amber Burkett says
Can I use monk fruit sweetener instead I'm allergic to the other ones and can I use an egg instead of gelatin
Taryn says
Yes. If you use an egg they will be cakey instead of crisp but still yummy.
Mary says
2 Tbsp of cream cheese works in a pinch. When you're craving sweets and don't have gelatin. It just makes a very soft cookie which still very delicious.
Taryn says
Good to know. I would've suggested using 2 egg yolks.
Aliye says
I used cornstarch instead of gelatin since I couldn't find kosher gelatin in town. I'll have to order online because I'm definitely baking these again!
Mary says
Making these with cream e cheese because I had no gelatin. I'll let you all know what's up when they're done
Melody says
I'm absolutely in love with this recipe, they are delectable!! I'm making my second batch already from yesterday..lol! It says 28 balls formed from one recipe? The best I can get is 24, and they are still very small. I was wondering if the quantity was correct on one single batch recipe?
Mary says
Mhm. I could get 28 but I don't want to... Should be labeled micro mini jam thumbrint cookies 😂
Nikki Stone says
Hi, there! I realize this is an old post, so, hopefully I'm seen! I love coconut, but, I'm a purist in some things. Jam cookies is one of those things. Can I sub half almond/half baking blend for the coconut flour and skip the rubbing in coconut flakes? I'll make coconut macarons to get my coconut intake!
Taryn says
Yes, that should work.
Claire says
Perhaps I am missing where you say this, so I apologize, but how many is a serving? Thank you so much for creating delicious recipes!
Taryn says
I have the serving set as 1 cookie for the nutrition facts. But, these are small so I think eating 2 or 3 is perfectly acceptable. 😉
Lori says
These cookies taste great! I did switch out the sweetener with Puyre as that is what I had. And maybe that was my mistake, but this batch came out so crumbly. Other than the sweetener, I followed the recipe to a "T". Another commenter mentioned adding more butter. Is that something I should try next time? They whipped up so easily I would love to keep making these for my diabetic husband. Thanks for your time!
And Merry Christmas!!
Taryn says
Switching the sweetener may have caused them to be crumbly. You can definitely just add a little more butter.
Edith B. says
I just wanted to tell you that these cookies are so awesome. I love them, and even my husband, who swears he hates coconut likes them a lot. They will be part of our Christmas Eve traditions from now on. And now, I will make your sugar frosted cookies... the kids will decorate theirs with real sugar icing, but I feel better that at least the cookie part is healthy. God bless you and Merry Christmas!
Christina says
Hooray! I've made the full o carb version for years. I've been craving them! Thank you! Now I can have my cookie and eat it too!
Christy Kovach says
Made these today after drooling over the recipe for a week or so. I used THM Super Sweet Blend (a little less than half the amount called for) b/c that's what I had. I doubled the recipe. I needed 1/2 stick more of butter to form the dough (guessing my area is drier). They were absolutely amazing. HANDS DOWN the BEST cookie I've eaten (minus oreo-type cookies in my pre-sugar-free days....LOL). Thank you.
Elizabeth says
These look so good! But, do I have to use the gelatin?
Taryn says
Yes, it acts as the binder since this doesn't have eggs.
Elizabeth says
Ok Thank you!
Kate says
I love jam thumbprint cookies but just can't get myself to like coconut flour in baked goods. Gives them a dry, dusty taste to me. Is there anyway to make these with all almond flour? Thanks.
Taryn says
I haven't tried yet but I think it would work. Just add twice as much as the part of coconut flour.
Mary Ann Smith says
Could I please have the recipe for your sweetner blend. These recipes look awesome! Thank you
Taryn says
Yup! It's right here: joyfilledeats.com/sweetener
Edith B. says
Hi! This recipe sounds delicious! I can't wait to try it. I also love your sweetener blend; if I don't powder it, should I still use 1/3 cup or should I use less? Thanks!
Taryn says
I used 1/3 cup without powdering it for this recipe.
Edith B. says
Thanks! Merry Christmas!