Oatmeal, jam — a healthier cookie choice

Thumbprints make an impression on vegans, nonvegans

Nutty, oat-y, sweet with maple syrup and a touch of jam, these thumbprints will please vegans and nonvegans alike.

It’s a hearty tasting cookie, and I feel that two or three with a cup of hot tea is a wonderful way to start your day.

They’re quick to mix up, easy to form and fill, and will disappear off your cookie plate in a twinkle.

I first tasted vegan thumbprints at a Zen Buddhist monastery deep in the California wilderness. I’m boldly revealing my not-very-blissful ignorance when I admit to sighing in disappointment when I first saw vegan cookies on the menu. But one bite was all it took for my ignorance to drop away like a veil. These cookies are that good.

Because the location was so remote, homemade cookies were one of our few treats; we became very attached to the kitchen’s cookie offerings.

Since my vegan thumbprint awakening so many years ago, I have learned not to scoff at vegan baked goods, and my life is the better for it. I hope these cookies do the trick for you too.

Notes

The recipe originally called for just almonds, but you can also use walnuts, cashews, pecans or other nuts. Or try mixing a few of your favorites.

I changed the fat to coconut oil and I am completely converted. Coconut oil has a superior nutritional profile to canola oil, but even better, it produces a crisper cookie.

I happened to have a wee jar of apple butter in my cupboard, and on a whim I decided to give it a try as a filling in place of jam. It is perfect, and I highly recommend using it, especially if you are looking for a lower sugar option for jam.