Name: Dairy Free Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Dairy Free Butter, Softened; 2/3 cup Granulated Sugar; 1 Large Egg Yolk; 1 tsp Vanilla Extract; 1/2 tsp Almond Extract; 2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour; 1/4 tsp Salt; 1/3 cup Seedless Raspberry Jam; 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar; 2 tsp Unsweetened Oat Milk; 1/4 tsp Almond Extract

Classic thumbprint cookies have always been one of my favorite treats to bake on weekends.

Traditional versions rely heavily on regular butter, so I wanted to make a version that anyone who avoids dairy can enjoy.

These dairy free raspberry thumbprint cookies are soft, rich, and filled with sweet fruit jam in every single bite.

You do not need any hard-to-find ingredients to make them, just basic pantry staples and a good dairy free butter.

A simple sweet drizzle on top brings all the flavors together and makes them look beautiful on a plate.

Why This Recipe Is a Keeper

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture – The egg yolk and plant butter create an ultra-tender shortbread base that crumbles softly in your mouth.

Bakery-Quality Flavor – A touch of almond extract in the base and glaze gives these cookies a rich, professional bakery taste.

Sweet and Tart Balance – Bright seedless raspberry jam cuts through the rich cookie base to give you a perfectly balanced bite.

Truly Dairy-Free Friendly – You get all the classic buttery goodness of traditional thumbprints without using any real dairy products at all.

Here’s What You’ll Need

For the Cookies

1 cup Dairy Free Butter, Softened
2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Large Egg Yolk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1/3 cup Seedless Raspberry Jam

For the Glaze

1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
2 tsp Unsweetened Oat Milk
1/4 tsp Almond Extract

How to Make It

Step 1

In a large bowl, beat the dairy free butter and sugar for 2 minutes until creamy and light. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla and almond extract.

Step 2

Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until a soft dough comes together. It should feel smooth and not stick to your hands.

Step 3

Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon balls and place them 2 inches apart on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Press your thumb or the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon into the center of each ball, pinching any cracked edges back together.

Step 4

Chill the shaped cookies for 30 minutes so they keep their shape in the oven. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 5

Fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam, mounding it slightly.

Step 6

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the edges are set. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 7

Whisk the powdered sugar, oat milk and almond extract into a smooth glaze. Drizzle it over the cooled cookies and let it set for 20 minutes.

Recipe Tips

Pick the Right Dairy-Free Butter

You will get the best results if you use block-style dairy-free butter instead of the spreadable kind from a tub.

Tub spreads contain extra water and oil that can cause your cookies to spread out too flat in the oven.

Sticks of dairy-free butter have the right fat content to help your thumbprint cookies keep their neat shape.

Prevent the Edges From Cracking

From my experience, pressing down with the back of a round 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon works much better than using your actual thumb.

Make sure to press down gently right after rolling each ball while the dough is still warm and soft from your hands.

If you see tiny cracks appear around the rim, simply smooth them together with your fingers before you put the tray in the fridge.

Never Skip the Chilling Step

I recommend leaving the shaped dough in the fridge for the full 30 minutes before baking.

Dairy-free butter softens much faster at room temperature than standard dairy butter does.

Chilling firms up the fat so the cookie walls stay tall and your jam wells do not collapse in the oven.

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