Make these soft, rich and chewy chocolate thumbprint cookies with a handful of simple ingredients. They are perfect for any occasion, especially the holidays or cookie gifting. These chocolate cookies are simple, vegan and melt in your mouth.
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Why This Recipe Works
It is no secret I worship at the alter of chocolate. So, making thumbprint cookies but making them chocolate was a no-brainer. I think you are going to love these little guys.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Flour. Plain old all-purpose here. Use a baking gluten-free flour like Bob's Red Mill (not a sponsored post) if you need to.
Cocoa. I like Dutch processed because it has a deeper chocolate flavour but if you only have natural cocoa powder, that's fine. Just check that it's vegan.
Sugars. We are using both brown and granulated sugar today. Brown sugar gives us that chewy, slightly brownie vibe (it's the molasses in the sugar) while granulated sugar provides straight up sweetness.
Vegan butter / margarine No substitutions here - we are creaming the butter with the sugars so only will butter will do.
Dairy-free milk. A little added moisture to bring the dough together.
Vanilla adds depth to chocolate.
How to Make Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
OK, let's make these decadent yet simple vegan thumbprint cookies.
For the Cookies
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Step 1.
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 2.
In a large bowl using a handheld mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment) beat the butter and sugars together on low-medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla extract and beat, scraping down the sides as needed, until the batter is combined. Around a minute or so.
Step 3.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the milk and mix on low until combined. The cookie dough will be thick but not too sticky.
Sticky dough is when the dough sticks to your hand, leaving a mess. "Tacky" dough sticks but then releases from your hand, leaving no mess.
Steps 4-5.
Roll balls of dough roughly to a heaped half tablespoon in size (40g). If you like, you can pop 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in a bowl and roll each ball through to coat. Place dough balls on the prepared trays about 2-inches apart.
Step 6.
Using your thumb (not my favourite method but it works in a pinch) or a measuring teaspoon, make an indent into each cookie. If you find that the balls are cracking when you make an indent, just gently pinch the dough back together. (Some cracks are bound to happen as the cookies expand in the oven. It's all good! I honestly don't bother)
Step 7.
Bake for around 11 minutes or until the edges are set. The cookies will still look and feel a little soft. Remove from the oven. The indents will have lost some of their shape or puffed up, so use your spoon again to make another indent into the warm cookies. Don't use your thumb! The cookies will be hot.
If you are filling your cookies with Biscoff, carefully fill each cookie with around a half teaspoon of the spread while the cookies are still hot. The Biscoff will melt but set again as the cookies cool.
For the Ganache
Step 8.
If you're filling your cookies with chocolate ganache, allow the cookies to cool completely.
For the Ganache. Place the chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to gently simmer. (you are looking for small bubbles around the outside of the pot, don't let it it boil) Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Add a small pinch of salt and stir it through.
Step 9.
Fill each cookie with a half to full teaspoon of the ganache (depending on the size of the indent) and set aside to set for around 30 minutes.
And you're done.
Filling Suggestions
While I can't go past my homemade chocolate ganache for these cookies, you can mix your cookie filling as you like.
The options are endless!
Recipe Notes
Don't overwork the dough or you'll end up with tough cookies. Mix until the dough comes together and stop.
Despite being called thumbprint cookies, I don't love using my thumb to make the indentation in the cookies. It's messy and you don't get a nice round shape. You will get more uniform cookies by using the end of a wooden spoon or the back of a measuring spoon. I usually go with a half teaspoon.
FAQs
The cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nope. But I'm not going to lie, it is faster and less fussy. However, I have used a handheld mixer in the images above - it works too. No worries.
Try these Chocolate Favourites
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Make This Recipe
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Stand or hand held mixer
Ingredients
For the Cookie
- 1 ½ cups / 225g flour
- ½ cups / 50g cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup / 125g vegan butter
- ½ cup / 110g raw granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup / 75g light brown sugar tightly packed
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 - 2½ tbsp /40 -50ml dairy-free milk
For the Ganache
- 115 g vegan chocolate small buds or . finely chopped
- ½ cup / 125ml vegan pouring cream Oatly pouring cream or coconut cream
For the Biscoff filling
- ¼ cup Biscoff smooth or crunchy
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on low-medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla extract and beat, scraping down the sides as needed, until the batter is combined - around a minute or so. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the milk, and mix on low until combined. The cookie dough will be thick and tacky but not sticky. Note: Sticky dough is when the dough sticks to your hand, leaving a mess. Tacky dough sticks but then releases from your hand, leaving no mess.
- Roll balls of dough roughly a heaped half tablespoon in size (40g). If you like, you can pop 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in a bowl and roll ball each through to coat. Place dough balls on the prepared trays about 2-inches apart.
- Using your thumb or a measuring teaspoon make an indent into each cookie. If you find that the balls are cracking when you make an indent, use your hands to push back together. (Some cracks are bound to happen as the cookies expand in the oven– see my photos. It's all good!)
- Bake for 11 minutes or until the edges are set. The cookies will still look and feel a little soft. Remove from the oven. The indents will have lost some shape or have puffed up, so use your measuring spoon to make an indent again into the warm cookies. Don't use your thumb! The cookies will be hot.
- If you are filling your cookies with Biscoff, carefully fill each cookie with around a half teaspoon of the spread while the cookies are still hot. The Biscoff will melt but set again as the cookies cool.
- If you filling your cookies with chocolate ganache, allow the cookies to cool completely.
For the ganache.
- Place the chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to gently simmer. (you are looking for small bubbles around the outside of the pot, don't let it it boil) Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Add a small pinch of salt and stir it through.
- Fill each cookie with a half to full teaspoon of the ganache (depending on the size of the indent) and set aside to set for around 30 minutes.
- And you're done. The cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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