A B & J Thumbprints

These gluten free, vegan cookies are VERY almondy, and delicious beyond belief! If you're a fan of good ol' PB&J these are for you, all grown up!

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 40
• Yields: 40 cookies

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  ground flax seeds
• 1⁄2 cup  warmed  almond milk
• 2⁄3 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 2  tablespoons  agave nectar (or honey if not vegan)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon stevia powder
• 2⁄3 cup shortening
• 2⁄3 cup almond butter
• 1⁄2 tablespoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄3 cup  ground almonds
• 1  cup  brown rice flour
• 1⁄2 cup  rice flour
• 1⁄2 cup glutinous-rice flour
• 1  tablespoon  tapoica  starch
• 1⁄2 teaspoon guar gum
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  jam

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. In a small dish, whisk together flaxseed and almond milk. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar, agave, stevia, shortening and almond butter.
4. Add flax mixture and the extracts, beating well.
5. Whisk together ground almonds, flours, starch, guar gum, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
6. Add to the creamed mixture and stir in well.
7. Shape into small balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Press your thumb or fingertip into the centre of each cookie and fill with jam.
9. Bake (one sheet at a time) 10 minutes, then cool 10-15minutes on the sheets before carefully transferring to a cooling rack.