Food Intolerances? These Gluten- and Dairy-Free Christmas Cookies Are Reason To Celebrate

With all the holiday cheer in the air, it can be a downer to go to an ugly sweater party only to learn that you can't eat any of the festive treats on display. People with food intolerances certainly have to do some planning ahead when it comes to holiday sweets, but the good news is, there are TONS of delicious dairy- and gluten-free recipes out there... even Christmas cookie ones!

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Case in point: These insanely good Chocolate Thumbprint Peppermint Cookies. Whip these simple allergen-friendly noms up before the holiday is season is over. You're going to want plenty of time ahead of you to indulge in more than a couple of batches, we promise.

​Chocolate Thumbprint Peppermint Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup cashew butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon pink salt

Thumbprint Filling:

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2-3 candy canes, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cashew butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk coconut sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to liquid ingredients and stir until well combined.
4. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop out cookie dough onto the baking sheet and leave an inch or two in between each cookie.
5. Use either your thumb or a teaspoon and make an indention in each cookie in the center.
6. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. If the center has risen some, use the teaspoon to create a deeper thumbprint.
7. While the cookies are baking, melt dark chocolate chips over low heat or a double boiler.
8. After cookies have slightly cooled, fill thumbprints with the melted dark chocolate. Top with the crushed candy canes. Let cool until chocolate has hardened, or place in the refrigerator.

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Recipe and photos by Sarah Anderson.