Almond-Orange Thumbprint Cookies (No Eggs, No Gluten)

These Almond-Orange Thumbprint Cookies are super simple cookies ready in under 20 minutes and made with no gluten, no eggs, no dairy, just 5 wholesome ingredients.

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While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!

Almond-Orange Thumbprint Cookies

These Almond-Orange Thumbprint Cookies are super simple cookies ready in under 20 minutes and made with no gluten, no eggs, no dairy, just 5 wholesome ingredients.

4.86 from 7 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 17 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 cookies

Calories: 148.7 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 2 cups Almond Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ ¼ cup Maple Syrup - (note 2)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice - (note 3)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 4)

Optional – recommended for flavors

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Almond Extract - (note 5)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Orange Zest - (note 6)

Filling

• ▢ 3-4 tablespoons Orange Marmalade - (note 7)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cookie sheet with lightly oiled parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, maple syrup, orange juice, oil, almond extract, and orange zest if used. Stir with a rubber spatula, then lightly oil your hands and squeeze the dough to form a consistent cookie dough.
• If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add a little more orange juice one teaspoon at a time, knead until the dough is soft, sticky, but forms a ball. If too wet, add more almond flour.
• Oil your hands, scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough, roll it between your hands, and place it on the cookie sheet. Leave one inch between each cookie ball. Repeat this until you form 12 balls, oiling your hands as needed, as the dough is quite sticky.
• Flatten each dough ball with your hand, then use the back of a measuring teaspoon (or your thumb) to lightly press and create a small cavity in the center of each cookie. When you press, the sides of the cookies will crack; that's normal. You can use your fingers to pat and reshape the sides nicely, or keep it cracked.
• Fill each cavity with about 1/2 teaspoon of marmalade, or up to 3/4 of the cavity. Don't overfill or it run out of the cavity as they bake.
• Bake the cookies on the center rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until the edges are just turning golden brown.
• Let the cookies cool down completely on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes and on a cooling rack for another 30 minutes.
• Serve plain, or dust powdered sugar on top to increase their sweetness.

Notes

Note 1: You can also use almond meal, but the color of the cookies will be darker, and the texture a bit grainy. If nut-free, use sesame flour or sunflower seed flour in the same amount. The recipe doesn’t work with all-purpose flour.

Note 2: Or any liquid sweetener you love, like agave syrup or coconut nectar.

Note 3: Or bottled orange juice, but the taste won’t be as good. Freshly squeezed orange juice contains some pulp and enhances the cookie flavor.

Note 4: Or low-flavor oil of choice, or melted plant-based butter. If oil-free, use almond milk, but the cookies won’t firm up as well.

Note 5: Optional, but this enhances the almond flavor in the cookies. You can also use vanilla extract for a vanilla flavor.

Note 6: Use only if you like orange zest in baking; it adds a tangy, lightly bitter flavor, not everyone enjoys that.

Note 7: I am using no-added-sugar orange marmalade; for sweeter cookies, use orange marmalade that contains added sugar.

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15 °C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

Storage: These cookies soften the next day even more if a strawberry slice is added in the center. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 148.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Sodium: 3.5mg | Potassium: 25.9mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8.1g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 0.7mg | Magnesium: 2mg | Phosphorus: 1mg | Zinc: 0.1mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.

• Almond Flour – This creates the gluten-free base of the cookies, giving them a wonderfully soft and tender texture. Almond meal also works, but the cookies will be a bit darker and grainier.
• Maple Syrup – This provides a clean, natural sweetness to the cookie dough. You can easily substitute it with another liquid sweetener like agave syrup or coconut nectar.
• Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice – This adds moisture and the main bright, citrus flavor. I find that using fresh juice with a little pulp gives the best and most authentic orange taste.
• Mild-Flavor Olive Oil – This adds necessary fat, which helps create a soft texture and brings the dough together. Another low-flavor oil or melted plant-based butter are also great options.
• Almond Extract – This is optional, but I highly recommend it as it really enhances the nutty almond flavor of the cookies.
• Orange Zest – This adds an extra punch of tangy orange flavor. It does have a slightly bitter note, so you can add it based on your personal preference.
• Orange Marmalade – This is the sweet and gooey filling for the thumbprint center. I like using a no-added-sugar marmalade to keep the cookies wholesome.

How to Make Almond-Orange Thumbprint Cookies (in Pictures)

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few more tips for perfect cookies.

• Boost The Flavor – To really make these cookies stand out, I recommend using both the optional almond extract and the orange zest. The extract deepens the nutty almond taste, while the zest adds a bright, tangy orange kick.
• Healthier Filling – For a less sweet cookie, look for an orange marmalade that is made with no added sugar and is instead sweetened with fruit juice.
• Add Chocolate – After the cookies have cooled, you can drizzle melted dark chocolate over the marmalade center. I just pop them in the fridge for a few minutes to let the chocolate set.
• Citrus & Jam Swaps – You can easily change up the flavors! Mandarin or tangelo juice works as a direct substitute for orange. For a tarter cookie, try using 2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice and adding an extra tablespoon of oil. I have really enjoyed pairing lemon with blueberry jam and lime with raspberry jam.
• Fresh is Best – For the most vibrant orange flavor, I always recommend using freshly squeezed orange juice. The little bits of pulp in the juice really make a difference in the final taste of the cookies.

More Thumbprint Cookie Recipes

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Chocolate Almond Thumbprint Cookies

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Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies