Description
These Keto Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies are a delicious low-carb treat perfect for the holiday season. Made with almond flour and warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, these soft and chewy cookies have a unique cocoa undertone. Each cookie is filled with a rich sugar-free white chocolate filling and topped with a hint of cinnamon, making them an indulgent yet keto-friendly dessert option.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (224 g) almond flour
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) butter, softened
- ½ cup (91 g) Swerve Brown or other brown sugar replacement
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) sugar-free white chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Cinnamon for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 325ºF (163ºC) and line two baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper to ensure the cookies don’t stick and bake evenly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, baking powder, and salt until fully combined. This creates the spiced base for your cookie dough.
- Cream Butter and Sweetener: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the Swerve Brown sweetener until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1 minute. This step incorporates air to give your cookies a tender texture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined, ensuring an even dough consistency and enhancing flavor.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually beat in the almond flour mixture until the dough comes together. The dough should be cohesive and slightly sticky, ready for shaping.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into one-inch balls and place them a few inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press each ball down with the heel of your hand to about ½ inch thickness to form the cookie shape.
- Create Thumbprint Indents: Use a rounded tablespoon or similar rounded utensil to press a large indent into the center of each cookie, creating space for the filling.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, until the edges begin to turn golden brown. To ensure even baking, switch the position of the pans halfway through the baking time.
- Refine Indents and Cool: Remove cookies from the oven while they are still soft and puffed. Gently press down the indentations again to keep the wells well-defined as the cookies cool on the pan, which allows them to firm up properly.
- Prepare Filling: In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, combine the sugar-free white chocolate chips and butter. Stir constantly until the mixture is fully melted and smooth, then remove from heat.
- Fill and Garnish: Use a small spoon to dollop the melted white chocolate filling into the well of each cookie. Lightly sprinkle cinnamon over the top for added flavor and festive appearance.
- Set and Serve: Allow the filled cookies to set completely, letting the filling firm up before serving or storing.
Notes
- Storage: Store cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerate for up to 10 days to maintain freshness.
- Freezing: These cookies freeze well for several months; thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Sweetener Options: You can substitute Swerve Brown with another brown sugar replacement suitable for keto diets.
- Butter Temperature: Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for easier mixing and better dough texture.
