Recipe: {Jam & Sunflower Thimbles} V+GF+P Optional

I was feeling ambitious this morning so my husband took the baby for a walk and I baked these cookies from Green Kitchen Stories with my toddler. It was nice to spend some one on one time with him since I’ve been bonding and breastfeeding with baby the past couple of weeks. This recipe is pretty quick and simple and I already had the ingredients on hand. I’ve always loved thumbprint cookies as a kid but they were loaded with refined sugars and who knows what other ingredients and additives. These cookies are just as yummy and I feel good giving them to my little man!

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped sunflower seeds
• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp arrowroot
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp butter, room temperature (or coconut oil)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 egg, separated (or 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water)
• 1/2 cup jam of choice (we used Raspberry Lavender jam from Sqirl)
• add 1/2 cup almond milk for vegan

Preparation

1. Set the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Spread out the sunflower seeds on the baking sheet and let them roast very quickly in the oven, just a few minutes.
2. Put half of the sunflower seeds in a food processor together with the oats and mix until you have a coarse flour.
3. Add the rest of the dry ingredients the sunflower and oat flour and stir to combine.
4. Whisk together butter, maple syrup, vanilla and egg yolk (save the white for later) in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until the dough comes together.
6. Scoop out about 15 portions of the dough and roll them between your hands into balls. If they crack easily you can add a splay of cold water to the dough.
7. Whisk egg whites in a small bowl and chop the rest of the sunflower seeds coarsely.
8. Dip and roll each ball in the egg white and then in the sunflower seeds.
9. Place them on the baking sheet and use your thumb to carefully press into the center of each cookie.
10. Fill the indents with 1 teaspoon jam.
11. Bake for 10-14 minutes. Let cool slightly before moving them to a wire rack.