About the Recipe
Gluten-Free Gelt Thumbprint Cookies with Sprinkles are such a fun and festive treat, perfect for celebrating the season! They combine the nostalgic charm of a classic thumbprint cookie with the joyful addition of shiny chocolate gelt, creating a dessert that is both delicious and visually delightful. Picture a soft, buttery cookie base baked to golden perfection, each one indented in the center to cradle a smooth, melty chocolate gelt coin. As soon as the warm cookies are topped with the gelt, the chocolate softens slightly, making it ideal for pressing in a shower of colorful sprinkles or blue-and-white nonpareils to capture a holiday sparkle.
These cookies are not just tasty—they bring a playful, celebratory feel to any dessert table. The buttery dough pairs beautifully with the rich chocolate, while the sprinkles add a crunchy texture and festive pop of color. Whether you enjoy them with a cup of tea, share them at a holiday gathering, or package them in a gift box, Gelt Thumbprints are sure to delight kids and adults alike. They’re easy to customize too: use different sprinkle colors, try dark or milk chocolate gelt, or even add a hint of citrus zest to the dough for an extra layer of flavor. This simple cookie transforms into a seasonal showstopper everyone will love.
Ingredients
¼ cup oat flour
¾ cup glutinous rice flour
¼ cup tapioca flour, plus more for dusting
¼ cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs
Orange zest (from about 1 orange)
1 ½ teaspoons pure almond extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
20 chocolate gelt coins
Cooking spray or simple syrup
1 cup blue and white nonpareils or sprinkles
Preparation
In a large bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment, combine sugar and orange zest with your fingertips for approximately five minutes to release the essential oils of the orange.
Next, add butter and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes creamy, approximately two to three minutes.
Incorporate vanilla extract and salt, then beat until fully combined.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add flour, beating until just combined.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well blended.
Add the butter, then mix on low speed for approximately five minutes, or until fully incorporated. Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract, and mix on medium-high speed until the dough separates from the sides of the bowl and forms a smooth ball.
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Utilize a medium cookie scoop to achieve the correct size cookie. Press and form the cookie dough into a circle ¼ inch thick.
Lightly spray the cookies with cooking spray or brush with simple syrup.
Sprinkle nonpareils or sprinkles on each cookie.
Bake for seven minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden brown.
While the cookies are still warm, press a chocolate coin into each one. Allow them to cool completely.
Notes