Gluten-free Chocolate Orange Thumbprint Cookies
Photography by Simeon Crofts
DIETARY – Gluten-free/Vegetarian/Nut-free
I recently asked you guys what recipe you’d like to see next on the blog and the overwhelming response was for gluten-free treats! In the past, our most popular treat recipes have been chocolate-based, so I thought it was time to release another indulgent cocoa recipe for all you sweet tooths out there.
Thumbprint cookies are named after their design, which is quite literally made using your thumb. They are really simple to make, and the cavity can be filled with any sweet treat of your choosing. I personally love a chocolate orange combo, so decided to fill mine with orange marmalade and homemade dark chocolate ganache, but you can use whatever you desire. Some other delicious fillings include Nutella, peanut butter, salted caramel or fruit curd.
The cookies are butter-based, so will be soft and oh-so crumbly with a brownie-like flavour. The trick really is to chill the dough before rolling and before baking to make the dough easier to handle and to help them retain their thumbprint shape in the oven. The addition of xanthan gum to the recipe helps to keep the shape and stops the cookies from becoming the shape of a fried egg while cooking! If your gluten-free flour already contains xanthan gum, you can leave out the extra.
If you choose to make ganache, opt for high quality dark or milk chocolate to mix with the cream; you’ll get a much better flavour. I’ve included the saucepan method below, but you can also make ganache in the microwave by combining the chocolate and cream and heating in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until all the chocolate has melted. Stir well to achieve a thick, silky-smooth ganache. Tip: Don’t make the ganache too early as it will start to set quite quickly and become difficult to pour.
Once your cookies are filled and chilled, add a sprinkle of grated orange zest or more chocolate to decorate. You can even add a few chopped nuts if you desire. Happy baking!
Gluten-free Chocolate Orange Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 200g salted butter
- 50g caster sugar
- 50g icing sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 180g gluten-free plain flour
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- 50g cocoa powder
- 50ml double cream
- 50g dark chocolate
- 50g orange marmalade or jam
Method
- Cream the butter and two sugars together using an electric hand or stand mixer for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low and add the egg yolks. Beat for 1 minute, stopping to scrape round the edges when needed.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, xanthan gum and cocoa powder and mix.
- Turn your mixer on to a low speed and add the flour slowly, in increments, until just combined. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated, then place the dough on to a lightly floured surface.
- Knead the dough and form into a ball. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- When ready, pre-heat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan)/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap the clingfilm, leaving it on the bottom to prevent the dough from sticking to your kitchen surface. Roll tablespoons of the dough into balls using your hands. Place each one on to the baking sheet and use your thumb to press a deep indent into the middle of each. Continue until all the dough is used up.
- Chill the cookies on the tray for at least 1 hour.
- When ready, bake for approximately 18 minutes until dry and firm to the touch.
- Allow to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the ganache once the biscuits are cooled by heating the cream until hot but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the bowl of chocolate. Shake it so the cream evenly covers the chocolate, then allow it to stand for 10 minutes.
- Using a spatula or spoon, mix the cream and chocolate until smooth and silky. Set aside while you carry out the next step.
- Spoon around ½ tsp of the orange marmalade or jam in the bottom of each thumbprint mark in the cookies. Then, spoon the ganache over each one until it is almost level with the top of the cookie.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
- These cookies will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.