Candy Thumbprint Cookies

📋 Ingredients

To make vegan candy thumbprint cookies you need the following ingredients:

Flour: The base ingredient that provides structure and texture to the cookies.

Powdered Sugar: Adds sweetness to the cookies and contributes to their soft texture.

Butter: In this case, vegan butter is used instead of traditional dairy butter to add fat and richness to the cookies. It helps create a tender and flavorful texture.

Aquafaba: Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas or other legumes. It acts as an egg substitute in vegan baking, providing moisture and binding properties that help hold the cookies together.

Salt: Enhances the flavor of the cookies and balances the sweetness.

Lemon Extract and Zest: These ingredients contribute a subtle lemon flavor and aroma to the cookies, adding a refreshing element.

Katjes Gummy Candies: These are used to fill the thumbprint indentations in the cookies after pre-baking. They provide a burst of flavor and chewiness to the center of each cookie.

Plastic Wrap or Parchment Paper: These materials are used to wrap the cookie dough ball and chill it in the refrigerator. Chilling the dough helps to firm it up and makes it easier to handle.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

🍴 Substitutions

Are you looking for substitutions or quicker alternatives? We got you!

Flour: You can use whole wheat flour or a gluten-free flour blend if you prefer.

Powdered Sugar: You can use coconut sugar, maple sugar, or any other granulated sweetener of your choice.

Vegan Butter: Coconut oil or margarine can be used as a replacement for vegan butter.

Aquafaba: Applesauce, mashed banana, or commercial egg replacers can be used instead of aquafaba.

Lemon Extract and Zest: You can use orange extract and zest for a different flavor profile.

Gummy Candies: Try using other vegan candies or dried fruits as an alternative filling.

Remember, substitutions will bring their own unique flavors, colors, and textures to the cookies!

🍪 Variations

There are many delicious flavor variations to explore with this cookie recipe! Here are a few ideas to play around with to zing up the flavor of these strawberry cheesecake cookies:

Assembly of vegan thumbprint cookies with Katjes.

Chocolate: Add cocoa powder to the dough and use a vegan chocolate candy in the center.

Spices: Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to the dough for a warm and cozy flavor.

Almond: Add almond extract to the dough and fill the centers with almond butter or marzipan.

Classic Thumbprints: Absolutely, a classic thumbprint cookie using jam is a timeless favorite. Simply fill the dented holes with your favorite jam and bake!

Feel free to mix and match these flavor variations and play with the recipe. Experimenting with different ingredients and flavors is part of the fun of baking! If you end up whipping up a fantastic variation of this recipe, don't forget to drop a comment at the bottom of the blog post! I'm all ears and absolutely thrilled to hear about your baking adventures.

Recipe FAQ

How do I substitute eggs in baking?

There are many ways how to substitute eggs in baking, such as applesauce, flax egg, or yogurt. For this recipe, we use aquafaba instead of eggs. Aquafaba sounds fancy but is just the brine of a can of chickpeas.

Simply put: it is bean water! When you cook beans, the cooking water absorbs some of the proteins and allows the liquid to imitate the qualities of eggs.