Once again, I had a fantastic time with Rainbow Blossom Wellness Center Staff and everyone that attended online! This simple but decadent dessert could win over any valentine on your list. These Cherry Cordial Thumbprint Cookies are as pretty as they are tasty, in addition to being gluten-free, top8 allergy-free, and vegan. Don’t let the three steps worry you; it is all about this dessert’s timing, and we all deserve something delicious during Valentine’s Day!
Ingredients!
Cookies
1 cup Spectrum organic shortening (or Coconut oil)
1 cup packed Dark Brown Sugar vegan (or coconut sugar)
2 ¼ Cup of GF Flour Blend (Can use regular multipurpose flour if can have)
½ Cup Coconut Flour (Can sub almond flour if can have)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Apple sauce Egg (4tbs AS + 1 tbs baking Powder) Or another fruit puree
¼ tsp salt
Cherry Filling
10 oz frozen cherries
2 to 3 Tbs sugar
2 tablespoons of Rum
⅓ cup water
1 tbs corn starch (or potato starch, tapioca starch, etc.)
(Can use a premade cherry pie filling to save time if it is safe for you)
Chocolate drizzle
1-10 oz bag Chocolate chips( or a safe candy coating for you)
1 to 2 tsp shortening
Notes
Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees
Recipe makes 24 small cookies
Let’s Get Started!
In a sieve, sift together the GF Flour, Coconut Flour, and Salt into a bowl, set aside.
With a Mixer, cream together the Shorting, Brown Sugar, and vanilla. Then mix the baking powder into the applesauce to create an “egg” add to the cream mixture, and mix until well incorporated. At low speed, add in half of the sifted dry ingredients, and blend until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and add in the remainder of the flour. Mix until well incorporated, and your batter is a bit crumbly but can press together.
Scoop into small cookie scoop onto a lined baking sheet. Press a thumbprint whole down to the point you feel the cookie pan, but no hole in the bottom of the cookie. There will be some cracking of the dough; go ahead and press together to ensure they are smooth rings. Place the cookie sheets with cookies into the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. Then bake the cookies in a preheated oven at
375 degrees for 11 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move onto a cooling surface. The cookies will feel from the outside that they are crunchy and hard. They are not unless they have overcooked. Do not fill the cookies with the cherry filling until completely cooled.
To make the cherry filling, I use frozen organic black cherries. I put them in a saucepan with the rum, water, and sugar over medium heat until a light boil. Then drain from the cherry juice, and put the juice only back in the saucepan. You can take half the cherry juice in a bowl and whisk in the corn starch to make a slurry. Then add the slurry into the saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often.
It will take approx 5 minutes to get to a thickened level. Once the juice has reduced to the point it is very thick, add the cherries back into the pan and cook 1 more minute. Let Cherry glaze cool for approx 10 minutes before spooning into the thumbprints on the cookies. Allow the cherry filling to cool approx 15 minutes before you top with the chocolate drizzle.
To melt the chocolate, place the shortening in a double boiler. (Can use the microwave and heat for 30-second intervals while stirring in-between time) Then drop the chocolate chips into the double boiler when the shorting has melted. After about 1 to 2 minutes, the chocolate fully melted, and you can use a fork to drizzle the chocolate all over the cookies, so it looks pretty. You can do that however you like or even skip the chocolate if you want to.
We hope this recipe helps to tame your Allergy Dragon. Like this blog, comment, and share this recipe with anyone you think would enjoy it. Check out our March class and register online to make Irish Soda Bread. From all of us at Allergy Dragon, we wish you a Happy Valentines Day!