SHORTBREAD THUMBPRINT COOKIES! (PROTEIN FILLED AND GLUTEN FREE)

Today I was determined to create a recipe that had that a crumbly, delicate but melt in your mouth texture that shortbread has. I knew that I wanted something healthier than the original highly processed flour, based cookies that I had as a child.

These were the answer to that craving!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup coconut flour

3/4 cup grass fed butter or coconut oil, softened

1/4 cup almond flour

1/4 cup vanilla pea protein from Smart138 Foods.

1/4 cup date paste (you can make this ahead, in food processor, blend 1 cup pitted dates with 1/2 cup hot water and store the rest in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze).

Strawberry jam or other jam of preference.

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together in a mixer, except the jam. Mix until cookie dough forms together.

Empty on to a non stick surface like a silicone cookie sheet. Place another non stick silicone cookie sheet on top and roll out, keep it thick to make sure you have enough depth to press your thumb in the middle of each cookie.

Use a simple circle cookie cutter, small enough in diameter to create at least 8 cookies.

Press your thumb lightly in the middle of each cookie to create an indentation.

Add 1 tsp. of jam in the middle of each cookie.

Bake at 300 ºF for approx. 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges and the top are lightly browned.

Let cool for 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container.