Piña Colada Thumbprint Cookies (vegan)

If you´re trying to soak up the last seconds of Summer, or you just love pineapple + coconut, then these cookies are for you! A chewy coconut cookie base with pineapple jam on top makes for a perfect Piña Colada themed thumbprint cookie.

It took me four tries to get this recipe right. After doing an initial test run, I decided that I wanted to use all coconut oil instead of any vegan butter. And despite two separate attempts at that, it didn´t work out - the texture wasn´t right and the thumbprints wouldn´t hold shape! So I ended up using part butter, part melted coconut oil. I still wanted to include the coconut oil, and this way it would add more moisture to the dough and contribute coconut flavor.

Something I found while researching thumbprint cookies is that they often don´t have baking soda or powder. Which actually makes since! Since we want the cookies to hold their thumbprint shape and not expand much, baking soda isn´t necessary. So basically, this cookie recipe resembles any other regular one with the exception of baking soda. 

Love coconut? Here are my other coconut recipes! 🌴

Jam is the best way I can describe the pineapple center. Similar to jam, it only requires a few ingredients - crushed pineapple, sugar, and lemon juice to keep it fresh. I combined this on the stove top, but I realized it could also just be whisked to combine. Either way, this is super simple!! 

It´s currently raining, so I think I´ve given up on Summer. But that´s okay! These cookies are guaranteed delicious year round :) Head to the kitchen and make a batch ASAP using the recipe down below. They´re chewy, sweet, moist and overall just a bite of sunshine..Stay humble, creative, and kind!❤ 

Piña Colada Thumbprint Cookies

Makes about 22 cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup of cold vegan butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1.5 cups flour
• 2 cups shredded coconut
• 1 Tbs plant milk

For the pineapple ¨jam¨

• 20 oz can of crushed pineapple
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Directions

1.  To make the jam, add the pineapple to a saucepan on low heat. Once the pineapple is warm, stir in the sugar and lemon juice. 
2. After everything is combined, take the pan off of the heat, allow the jam to cool, and then chill it in the fridge.
3. To make the cookies, first cream the butter and sugar on medium speed.
4. Once that mixture is smooth, beat in the vanilla and salt on low, followed by the coconut oil.
5. On low, beat in the flour 1/2 a cup at a time. Once the flour is completely mixed in, beat in the coconut 1/2 a cup at a time on low speed as well.
6. Once the dough is all combined and smooth, chill it in the fridge uncovered for 45 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 and remove the dough from the fridge.
8. Beat the tablespoon of milk into the dough. This will make the dough softer and easier to work with. 
9. Roll the completed dough into balls of about a tablespoon and a half. Use your thumb to make an indent in the center of each cookie (picture above). Chill the shaped cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes, uncovered. This will help them keep their shape in the oven!
10. Place the chilled thumbprints on greased/lined baking sheets and bake them for about 7 minutes.
11. Take the cookies out of the oven and put about a half a teaspoon of jam into each thumbprint´s center. Bake for another 7-8 minutes, until bits of coconut begin to turn golden-brown.
12. Allow the cookies to cool, and enjoy!! Be sure to store them in the fridge :))