These scrumptious sugar free keto caramel thumbprint cookies are gluten free, low carb, almond flour free, need just 8 simple ingredients and have just 1 g net carb!
Keto Thumbprint Cookies with Caramel
I made these new keto cookies on a weekend, left them on the stove to set before taking pictures. Left hubby home doing yard work to attend a baby shower and then I get a text from hubby. "Those cookies are one of the best ones I ever ate!"
I texted back, "Don't eat any more! I still need to take pictures for the blog!" For a hubby who doesn't always like my sugar free sweetened desserts, I'll take that as a win!
Carbs in Traditional Thumbprint Cookies
According to the Cronometer app, one thumbprint cookie from Market Basket has 110 calories and 15 grams of carbs per cookie! And that doesn't even have a caramel center! Way to high for one cookie on a keto diet.
Store bought cookies even those labeled as keto or sugar free usually have many different kinds of ingredients to keep it shelf stable, using inflammatory oils and artificial preservatives. Make out keto version the next time you are craving a cookie!
Carbs in our Keto Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Our thumbprint keto cookies have no added sugars and just 3 grams of total carbs. With 2 g dietary fiber these have just 1 g net carb per cookie including the caramel filling in the center!
Keto Nut Flours
You can swap my sunflower seed flour with almond flour if that's all you have on hand. If you're trying to avoid oxalates, using sunflower seeds is lower in oxalates than making these as almond flour thumbprint cookies.
My youngest son has a tree nut and peanut allergy so I try to avoid it in new recipes for the whole family. I like using sunflower seed meal because you can use the same exact amount as almond flour in any recipe and it creates the perfect texture.
You won't find sunflower seed flour in any market, or at least I've never found it. I purchase it on Amazon.
If you can't buy it on Amazon, I would recommend buying raw, unsalted sunflower seeds and grinding them in our food processor. Be sure not to over process or you will end up with sunflower seed butter.
I don't recommend swapping coconut flour in the same amount as almond flour or sunflower seed flour. You would only need ¼ cup coconut flour to 1 cup almond or sunflower flour.
I do not recommend removing the coconut flour in this recipe as it provides more structure to the keto thumbprint cookie recipe so they aren't as crumbly as typical gluten free baked cookies.
Low Carb Sweetener Swaps
You can really use any sweetener of choice you like. The Monk Fruit Allulose blend is the best one I've found to not have any aftertaste.
I'm used to stevia as my keto sweetener but my hubby finds this monk fruit allulose tastes better than using stevia or erythritol.
Here's my Natural Sweetener Guide & Conversion chart if you'd like to swap with other keto sweeteners.
More Sugar Free Thumbprint Cookies
Sugar-Free Jam & Dark Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Keto Christmas Cookies
These delicious cookies are perfect for the holiday season and your holiday cookie tray! No one will notice they are a sugar free keto cookie recipe.
Keto Chocolate Snowball Cookies
Keto Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
Keto Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
What can be swapped with the caramel sauce?
If you don't want to make the sugar free caramel sauce recipe of mine, which only takes 10 minutes, you can swap it with this store bought sugar free caramel sauce instead.
You can also buy these sugar free keto caramel candies, melt and spoon into baked thumbprint cookies.
Sugar Free Low Carb Keto Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Sugar Free Low Carb Keto Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups sunflower seed flour or almond flour could be used
- 4 tablespoon coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoon butter softened
- ½ cup Monk Fruit Allulose sweetener granulated or powdered
- 1 teaspoon caramel extract
- 1 large egg
Caramel Sauce
- ½ cup Sugar Free Keto Caramel Sauce ( 1 teaspoon per cookie)
Optional Chocolate Drizzle
- ⅓ cup sugar free chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Add the sunflower seed flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum and salt to a stand mixer or large bowl. Mix to combine dry ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry; softened butter, sweetener and caramel extract and blend to combine. Taste and adjust sweetener if needed.
- Add the egg and mix to combine.
- Place the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Make a batch of the sugar free caramel sauce and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Roll dough into 20 balls about 1 heaping tablespoon each and place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet pan.
- Use a rounded teaspoon to make an indent or use your thumb in the center of each cookie. Freeze for 15 minutes or overnight.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until just golden brown around the edges. If freezing overnight they will need about 15 minutes of baking time. Do not remove from sheet pan as they will be very fragile and allow to cool for at least 15-20 minutes. If they come out of the oven and have spread, gently make the indent again in center of cookies.
- Place a teaspoon of caramel sauce in center of each cookie and refrigerate or allow to set on counter for 30 minutes. (**Quick tip! If your caramel separates while waiting for the cookies, simply reheat for 30 seconds then stir and it will come back together quick!)
- If using optional drizzle, melt the chocolate chips and butter together. Stir well so no lumps and place in a ziplock baggie. Snip corner and drizzle over each cookie. Set on counter or refrigerate for 3 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
June
It looks like the sweetener used in the caramel sauce is no longer available. Can any powdered sweetener be used?
Brenda Bennett
The link is going directly to Amazon and it is available as far as I can see but yes any low carb powdered sweetener will work. https://amzn.to/3ZX2CnH
atozkitchen
Total WIN: thumbprint keto cookies! Only 1 net carb per cookie, even including caramel filling! Perfect guilty pleasure for those on a low-carb diet-No added sugars and stuffed with flavor. Delicious and low in carbs!
Brenda Bennett
Thanks!