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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Gluten-free Easter Thumbprint Cookies

    Published: Apr 11, 2022 · Updated: Dec 13, 2020 by Katie Olesen · This post may contain affiliate links, through which I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Gluten free easter cookie with bite taken.
    A tray of gluten free Easter themed thumbprint cookies with Cadbury egg on top.
    Wooden plate with easter thumbprints topped with Cadbury mini eggs.

    These Gluten-free Easter Thumbprint Cookies are so adorable! A buttery shortbread cookie is rolled in coconut, topped with delicious buttercream frosting and a Cadbury mini egg. These cookies are easy to make and perfect for kid helpers!

    A tray of gluten free Easter themed thumbprint cookies with Cadbury egg on top.

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    Gluten-free buttercream thumbprints are a favorite at Christmas and now you can have them for Easter, too! This gluten-free recipe is so easy to make with just a few ingredients. Piping the "grass" on top is so easy and fun for all ages! That little bit of icing and Cadbury mini egg offer the perfect bite of sweetness.

    For another festive Easter treat, check out these gluten-free Easter cookie bars! And if you love these, be sure to check out this gluten-free jam-filled thumbprints, too!

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    Ingredients for gluten free Easter thumbprints measured out in bowls.
    • Gluten-free Flour: Most 1:1 blends for baking should work well in this recipe. These have been tested with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Namaste Perfect Blend.
    • Sweetened Flaked Coconut: You can substitute granulated sugar or chopped pecans for the coconut, if desired.
    • Butter: Substitute Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks for dairy-free.
    • Buttercream icing: You can substitute store-bought canned frosting if you don't want to make homemade buttercream frosting. Many are both gluten and dairy-free, making it a great option for ease and affordability.
    • Powdered Sugar: You'll need powdered sugar whether you make homemade frosting or use store-bought. The store bought frosting might need a little sugar added to make it thick enough to pipe the grass.
    • Cadbury Mini Eggs: These eggs are gluten-free. Little jelly beans would be cute too!

    How to Make Easter Thumbprint Cookies

    Mixing the cookie dough.
    1. Separate the eggs.
    2. Cream butter, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla.
    3. Add in flour and salt.
    4. Blend until well combined.
    Rolling the dough into balls and coconut, pressing thumbprint in center.
    1. Whisk egg whites until frothy.
    2. Roll a ball of cookie dough in egg whites.
    3. Then roll in coconut.
    4. Press a thumbprint in the center.
    Piping grass on top of the baked cookies.
    1. Place cookies on parchment lined baking sheet.
    2. Bake until golden brown.
    3. Make green buttercream icing. (Or mix green food coloring in canned frosting.)St
    4. Pipe grass onto cooled cookies.
    5. Top each cookie with Cadbury mini egg.
    Pressing a mini egg on top.

    How to Pipe Grass with Buttercream

    For the grass icing, you'll need a piping bag and a grass tip #233.

    Piping the grass is pretty easy, even if you're inexperienced with piping. Also, it's forgiving because it doesn't have to be perfect, since grass is such an organic shape anyway. This article from Wilton demonstrates how to pipe the grass.

    1. Prepare a piping bag with the grass tip #233.
    2. Fill the bag ½ full with medium consistency icing.
    3. Hold the bag straight up with the tip ⅛ inch above the cookie.
    4. Squeeze the bag to form grass as you gently pull the bag away from the cookie.
    5. Stop applying pressure to the bag as you pull up and away. The longer you put pressure on the bag, the longer the strands of grass will be.
    6. Keep repeating this step until center of the cookie is filled with grass.
    Gluten free easter cookie with bite taken.

    Storing the Cookies

    While these cookies are best fresh, they will keep up to 3 days at room temperature if kept in an airtight container. You can also freeze them if needed. Thaw overnight at room temperature.

    Top Recipe Tips

    • If you're using canned icing, add ½ cup powdered sugar along with 1 drop of food coloring and stir until the icing is evenly colored. The extra powdered sugar thickens the icing enough to form grass.
    • Practice your piping technique on a plate before starting on the cookies.
    • If you don't like how the icing on the cookie looks, scrape the icing off and try again! It's very forgiving and a great way to practice piping technique!
    • Make sure cookies are completely cooled before adding icing.
    Wooden plate with easter thumbprints topped with Cadbury mini eggs.

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    Recipe

    Wooden plate with easter thumbprints topped with Cadbury mini eggs.

    Gluten-free Easter Thumbprint Cookies

    Katie Olesen
    These Gluten-free Easter Thumbprint Cookies are so adorable! A buttery shortbread cookie is rolled in coconut, topped with delicious buttercream frosting and a Cadbury mini egg. These cookies are easy to make, perfect for kid helpers!
    5 from 1 vote
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 40 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Diet Gluten Free
    Servings 36 cookies
    Calories 154 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark.

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cup 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, such as King Aruthur Measure for Measure or Namaste Perfect Flour Blend
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup butter, softened
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 eggs, separated
    • 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, chopped pecans or granulated sugar

    Buttercream Frosting

    • ½ cup butter, softened
    • 2 cups powdered sugar, 8 ounces
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • 1-3 tablespoons cream, or milk
    • 1 drop green gel food coloring

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
    • Cream butter and brown sugar.
    • Add egg yolks and vanilla. Blend until creamy.
    • Add gluten-free four and salt. Mix until well blended.
    • In a small bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy. Place coconut in another small bowl.
    • Scoop 1 Tablespoon of dough into a ball.
    • Roll in egg whites and then coconut. Roll again between your hands to form a nice round ball.
    • Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet.
    • Make an indent in the center of each ball with your thumb.
    • Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely before icing.

    Make Buttercream Frosting

    • Cream softened butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until combined.
    • Add vanilla and blend.
    • Add 1 tablespoon of cream/milk at a time until buttercream is of medium piping consistency.
    • Stir 1 drop of green gel food coloring into the icing. Stir until icing is uniformly green.
    • Prepare a piping bag with a #233 grass tip. Fill halfway with icing.
    • Pipe grass on top of each cookie.
    • Top with a Cadbury Mini Egg.

    Notes

    You may substitute canned icing if desired. If using canned icing, stir in ½ cup of powdered sugar to thicken the icing enough for piping. 
    Store airtight at room temperature up to three days. May freeze if desired.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookieCalories: 154kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 95mgPotassium: 27mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 256IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and star rating below!

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    1. Kathy

      April 11, 2022 at 7:28 pm

      Great twist on thumbprint cookies. They look delicious.

      Reply
    2. Daniela

      April 11, 2022 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      What a fun idea! Love the detailed instructions

      Reply
      • Katie | Wheat by the Wayside

        April 15, 2022 at 7:33 am

        Thank you, Daniela!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Katie! I'm the blogger behind Wheat by the Wayside. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2018 and have been following a strict gluten-free diet ever since. The goal of WBTW is to share tried and tested, easy, and delicious gluten-free recipes to give you confidence in the kitchen! 

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