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Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies {Gluten-Free}

These peanut butter thumbprint cookies are delicious, soft peanut butter cookies filled with all-fruit preserves in the center. These gluten-free peanut butter and jelly cookies are easy and incredibly delicious! Betcha can’t eat just one!

overhead photo of peanut butter thumbprint cookies with a jar of jam in the middle and peanuts sprinkled around the platter and cooling rack of cookies underneath

Ingredients you’ll need 

Adapted from Martha Stewart Recipes *Makes 3 dozen cookies

  • Oat flour- make sure it’s certified gluten-free
  • All-purpose GF baking flour- King Arthur measure-for-measure gluten-free flour recommended for best results
  • Leavening ingredients- baking powder and baking soda
  • Salt
  • Creamy peanut butter- go with no-stir creamy peanut butter for best results, like Jif Naturals
  • Unsalted butter- softened to room temperature
  • Brown sugar
  • Egg- for binding the cookie dough
  • Vanilla extract- go with a good quality vanilla here
  • Additional granulated sugar-for rolling cookie balls
  • All-fruit preserves- for filling (flavor of choice, but I love grape for this recipe)

How to make peanut butter thumbprint cookies

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend butter and peanut butter until smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat and all-purpose gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 3. Add the brown sugar to the peanut butter mixture and blend until smooth. Next, add the egg and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients, and mix until combined.

Step 4. Scoop level tablespoons of dough, and form into balls. Roll into tablespoon-sized balls, then roll in the sugar to coat.

Step 5. Transfer cookie balls to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are puffy, about 10 minutes.

collage photo of the steps for making this recipe: dough in mixer; scooping dough; rolling cookies in sugar; and cookies on a baking sheet

Step 6. Remove from oven, and make indentations in centers by pressing with the handle end of a wooden spoon. The cookies will crack a little on the sides and that’s totally fine. It is characteristic of thumbprint cookies made with peanut butter. The texture will still be awesome. Return to oven, and bake until edges are golden, 6 to 7 minutes more. While the cookies are still warm, fill each cookie indentation with 1/2 teaspoon of fruit preserves.

jar of grape jam with a spoon with baking sheet of cookies filled with jam in the background

Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool completely.

jam thumbprint cookies fresh from the oven on a baking sheet

How to make oat flour for gluten-free thumbprint cookies

Making your own oat flour is as simple as processing whole oats in a food processor until you have the texture of flour. It will be slightly more coarse than regular flour but will work beautifully for this recipe. Not to mention, it’s cheaper than buying it already ground! If you end up with extra oat flour just put it into a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months to use in other recipes, like these scrumptious pumpkin oat flour pancakes!

Recipe Tips

  • You definitely want to use very smooth and creamy no-stir peanut butter for this recipe for the best cookie texture. Natural peanut butter is great, but the oil will separate from the ground nuts creating a pasty texture. I love it for my toast, but not for baking. I use the Jif Naturals creamy peanut butter with great results.
  • I also recommend using lighter color baking sheets when making cookies so you don’t end up with uneven cooking and burned bottoms. I love the Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial baking sheets. I get amazing results with these pans every time. If you only have darker pans and don’t want to buy new ones, using a silicone baking mat can help with better heat distribution.

Storing

Cookies can be stored in a single layer for up to 1 week. I like to store gluten-free peanut butter and jelly cookies in the freezer in a sealed container, they are delicious straight from the freezer and will be good frozen for up to three months. Making ahead and freezing is a great way to get a head start on holiday baking or to just have them on hand when the pb&j craving strikes.

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Carmelitas

Awesome Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (and a bonus GF pancake recipe)

overhead photo of peanut butter thumbprint cookies with a jar of jam in the middle and peanuts sprinkled around the platter

Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Gluten-free peanut butter and jelly cookies are delicious, soft peanut butter cookies with fresh fruit preserves.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 104kcal
Author: Amee

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour
  • 1/2 cup all purpose gluten-free baking flour King Arthur recommended
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter use the no-stir peanut butter to achieve the right texture.
  • 1 stick unsalted butter softened
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar you can also use coconut sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • organic cane sugar for rolling
  • Filling:
  • 6 tbsp all-fruit preserves grape recommended

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend butter and peanut butter until smooth and creamy.  In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Add brown sugar to peanut butter mixture and blend until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients, and mix until combined.
  • Scoop level tablespoons of dough, and form into balls. Roll into tablespoon-sized balls, then roll in the sugar to coat.
  • Transfer cookie balls to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.  Bake until cookies are puffy, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, and make indentations in centers by pressing with the handle end of a wooden spoon. Return to oven, and bake until edges are golden, 6 to 7 minutes more.
  • While cookies are still warm, fill each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon of fruit preserves.
  • Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool completely.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @ameecooks or tag #ameecooks!
Amee Livingston
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3 Comments

  1. These are unbelievable!! So delish, kids and hubby all love them. Only change I made was using 1/2 almond butter since I had that on hand. Thanks for the recipe, I will be making more soon ๐Ÿ™‚

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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