These Paleo Christmas cookies have a bit of a shortbread base with melted dark chocolate in the thumbprint center and then sprinkled with salt. You won’t be able to stop eating them!
If I were a cartoon character, the fantasy side of me hopes I would be considered a beautiful princess such as Elsa, Rapunzel, Aurora, etc. (all of my girl’s icons)…but the reality is I would really be more like Cookie Monster. Not because I look like a blue hairy monster (although sometimes I could compete with that look :), it’s more because I LOVE cookies, and hate wearing super fancy dresses.
Cookies are my favorite type of treat. I have always said I would include fresh baked cookies with my “last” meal. Even though I don’t eat very many sweets, cookies have always been a weakness of mine – especially at Christmas time. I could pass on ice cream any day of the week, but I swear homemade or bakery-style cookies call my name, asking me to eat them!
As you can imagine, with my love of cookies, I am not going to waste me-time on a bad tasting cookie – healthy or not….and I have just found my new FAVORITE cookies. Seriously, these Salted Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are to.die.for (obviously not literally)!!!
I made a batch of them, and am embarrassed to admit how many I ate – so I won’t :). They are also grain free, gluten free, vegan, paleo friendly, and free of refined sugar, and I promise you will have no idea. I know, I know it sounds way too good to be true, but I assure you it is true, and I wouldn’t lie to you.
Tips, tricks, and substitutions for these Paleo Christmas cookies:
- The arrowroot starch may be subbed with cornstarch if you aren’t on the Paleo diet.
- Watch the cookies carefully. They go from not done to over baked very easily. Notice on my photos how they aren’t even brown at all? That keeps them really soft.
- If you can eat candy canes, crushed ones are really pretty sprinkled over the top of the cookies instead of the salt. They taste a bit different, but I sometimes make a few like that for my children and enjoy these ones that are a bit more sophisticated and healthy for myself.
I would love to know if you have any questions about the cookies and if you try them. Please comment below!
If you like these Paleo Christmas cookies, you may also like these recipes:
Paleo Christmas Dessert Recipes
The Best Paleo Christmas Cookies – Leave Some for Santa!
9 of the Best Ever Paleo Christmas Recipes for a Four Course Meal
PrintSalted Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Paleo Christmas Cookies Recipe {Gluten-Free, Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Vegan}
These Paleo Christmas cookies are soft with the perfect texture. You really can’t even tell they are Paleo, Gluten-Free, Clean Eating, Dairy-Free and Vegan!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 18
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Paleo
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- Course sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Mix the almond flour, arrowroot powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a large bowl
- Roll the dough into 16 small round balls
- Place the dough on a cookie sheet and make an indent in the middle with your thumb
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned
- While the cookies are baking melt the coconut milk and chocolate together
- When the cookies are done baking and still warm reinforce the thumb indent if needed
- Pour a small amount of the chocolate mixture into each cookie indent (you may have some chocolate leftover)
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, sprinkle them with course sea salt (a little bit of salt goes a long way)
Keywords: almond flour, arrowroot powder, coconut oil, chocolate chips, Paleo cookies
These are the bomb! The addition of the salt is perfect. They are really filling, so one is enough. I think I’m going to try the cookie and use paleo raspberry jam, just like thumbprints.
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I’m so glad you like them. Thanks for commenting!
Rebecca…..these sound fabulous. I have my old fashioned TEA CAKE recipe, but we do not eat flour, grains or any processed sugar. My partner and I am in the middle of a colon cleanse thru Saturday. Will be free to bake again on Sunday and these cookies are first on the menu.
Thank you for all your special recipes.
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Would honey work just as well as maple syrup?
I’m not sure because I haven’t tested it myself with honey but I would think they wouldn’t be quite the same but fairly similar?
We really enjoy these! Are used tapioca starch in place of the arrow route. I also use melted butter in place of the coconut oil. I added a little bit of Stevia to sweeten the cookies a bit more for my picky kids! And I also only bake them in eight minutes as I was going for a softer cookie instead of a crisp your cookie. Enjoyed by all! Thank you
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Thanks for the comment. It’s always so good to know of substitutions that work. I’m so glad you like them!
Could I use a gluten free flour blend instead of almond flour? We’re dealing with several food allergy’s in our home.
Maybe? I’m not sure. I haven’t tried it myself and almond flour is kind of it’s own special thing. If you do decide to try it, sub the gluten-free flour to both the almond flour and arrowroot flour, cause that’s my attempt to come as close as possible to a traditional flour.
Can’t wait to make these! I’m not a fan of arrowroot, can I use tapioca or potato starch in place of it?
I am so glad you liked them!
So happy I came across this recipe. I made them tonight and they are wonderful. I didn’t expect them to be crispy; they remind me of shortbread cookies. Super yummy. Thank you!
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I am so glad you liked them!
I made these yesterday and they are amazing! Thank you for the great cookie recipe that will now be part of my Christmas cookie baking. Yummy!
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I am so glad you liked them! They are a favorite at our house as well :).
Can you add peanut butter to these or would it change the texture?
I think peanut butter might change the texture. You could try decreasing the coconut oil and adding peanut butter, but I can’t vouch for the results. You could add peanut butter to the chocolate center, decreasing the coconut milk and adding peanut butter. Both sound awesome, peanut butter and chocolate is my fave!
Let me know if you give either one a try :).
Is it one cookie based on your nutritional info?
Yea, the serving size is one cookie.
Hello!=)
The recipe looks great!
Can I use any other starch in stead of the arrowroot?
Corn starch should work as a substitute.
these look amazing and the ingredients are great. i have to try them!
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Yes you do :)!