These Grain-Free Lemon Thumbprint Cookies are like a lemon bar in cookie form! Soft and chewy almond flour shortbread cookies studded with homemade lemon curd. Gluten free, paleo, and naturally sweetened.
Lemon Curd
Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies
Prepare the Lemon Curd
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolk. Add in the maple syrup, lemon juice and lemon zest, and whisk again until smooth.
Warm a saucepan over medium-low heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to thicken; about 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to not let the egg mixture boil. Do not overcook, as the eggs will become lumpy. It should have the texture of loose pudding.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a glass jar. This set makes for silky smooth lemon curd and removes and overcooked egg whites. You can now use it in the cookies. Cool any leftover lemon curd, then store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Make the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, stir together almond flour, arrowroot powder (if using), baking soda and salt. Add the melted coconut oil and maple syrup. Continue to stir until batter forms. This makes it take a minute or two while the almond flour hydrates. You do not need to refrigerate the dough but if it seems sticky or hard to work with you can refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough, roll it into balls. Slightly flatten the balls with your hand. Use a teaspoon or your thumb to create an indentation in the cookie. I like to make a wider hole for more lemon filling. If your dough cracks and it bothers you, dampen your fingers and smooth out the sides. Fill the indentation with 1-2 teaspoons of lemon curd.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Be careful not to overcook as the cookies will not change color much, but they will brown on the bottom. My oven took 12 minutes. Let cool on the tray for 10 minutes.
Store the cookies on the counter or in the fridge for a couple of days, loosely covered. They’ll soften slightly as they sit due to the moisture in the cookie. Do not store in an airtight container.
*The arrowroot is optional but recommended. It adds a lightness to the cookie. I’ve tested this recipe using just almond flour and it’s a little less crisp and more dense but still delicious.