Lemon Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies
[Vegan]

For the Cookie:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the flax egg by adding 3 tbsp of water to 1 tbsp flax meal. Stir together and let sit for 5-8 minutes, until a yolky consistency has formed.
3. Melt the coconut oil and set aside.
4. Combine all the dry ingredients together. Slowly add in the coconut oil, flax egg, and molasses. Stir to combine.
5. Once a cookie consistency has formed, evenly scoop the cookie dough into balls (roughly 2 tbsp of cookie dough per cookie). Roll into balls, place on the baking sheet and gently flatten with the palm of your hand. Using your thumbs, gently push a hole in the middle. Make it quite deep as the cookies will rise a little and if it is a shallow hole it will cover over during the baking process.
6. Bake for 11 minutes.

For the Lemon Curd Filling:

1. While the cookies are baking, prepare the lemon filling.
2. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, coconut cream, and maple syrup to a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a slight boil.
3. Next, add the arrowroot powder, and whisk constantly while adding to avoid clumps. Boil for another 2 minutes, while whisking until the mixture begins to thicken. You want the filling to be thick but not gluey. Keep it thick but still smooth and fluid.
4. Take it off the stove and let it sit while the cookies finish baking.
5. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then gently transfer them to a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool before adding the lemon filling. Add a spoonful of the lemon filling to each cookie. To let the lemon filling set in the cookie, let the cookies sit for at least 10 minutes with the lemon filling in them. Option to dig in right away but the lemon filling will be a little runnier than if you wait to let it set. Either way, they will taste delicious.
6. Store cookies on the countertop in a sealed container once completely cooled.