Ginger Thumbprint Pawpaw Cookies (Vegan)
Soft, ginger thumbprint cookies hold a silky, tropical, custard-like pawpaw filling in these simple, vegan pawpaw cookies. The cookies are tender, and almost like a shortbread with a little kick of ginger. The pawpaws are not cooked so those who prefer to only eat raw pawpaws can enjoy them. These delicious little cookies allow the pawpaws to shine and take center-stage, really highlighting the beauty of this little-known fruit.
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What is a Pawpaw?
I’m so glad you asked! Pawpaw is a little bit of magical, custard-like sweetness that is native to the Eastern and Central parts of the United States and parts of Canada. Papayas are also sometimes called pawpaws, but these are different- their scientific name is Asimina triloba. They grow on trees around 25 feet tall with large, shiny dark green leaves. The fruit grows on the branches in small clusters, often 2-3 to a cluster. They are a light green that turn green-yellow and then purpleish as they ripen, and are sort of lumpy. They ripen around mid-September (depending on where you live), and become soft and fall from the tree. One of the reasons pawpaws aren’t really sold commercially is because of how easily they bruise when ripe. They are actually the largest fruit native to North America, and have a sort of mango-like, tropical, custard flavor. You can check out this guide to help you make an ID.
Disclaimer- use caution when foraging wild edibles, and always be certain of your identification. While I assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided on this site, I can’t be responsible for the accuracy of your information. Consult multiple websites, books and local experts, and when it doubt, do without.
When eating pawpaws, scoop out the flesh to avoid the skins and seeds. Some people have trouble digesting pawpaws, so make sure you eat a small amount before you go pawpaw-crazy. Other people have difficulty eating cooked pawpaws, and still others are able to more easily digest cooked ones than raw. For that reason, while most of my pawpaw recipes utilize cooked pawpaw, I kept the pawpaw in this recipe raw.
Spreading Pawpaw Love
This year was the first year I really monitored how many pawpaws my tree was producing. Every morning I would go out, and collect all the whole, undamaged pawpaws that had fallen to the ground the night before. And there were just tons and tons of them. I made cookies, caramel, popsicles, and jam, but no matter how many pawpaws I used there kept on being more. After a particularly windy night, I looked at my countertop covered with bowl after bowl of pawpaw, and realized I needed some help. So I reached out to a couple Facebook groups asking if anyone would be interested, and got so many responses. I gave pawpaws to many people who had never tried one. Others loved them but didn’t have a reliable source of their own. Others wanted to plant seeds. It was a totally beautiful moment of a diverse set of individuals, enjoying a little known fruit native to the Americas. As I prepared bag after bag of pawpaws to give away, I thought of all the trees that could grow as a result and jokingly started calling myself “Valerie Pawpaw-Seed”. It was a fantastic way to share food and plants in our current COVID climate.
Check out our other Pawpaw Recipes!
- Sweet or Savory Vegan Pawpaw Cornbread
- Tropical Pawpaw Caramel Sauce
- Vegan Blueberry and Pawpaw Muffins
Looking for Cookies? Try one of these Vegan Cookie Recipes
- Cardamom Hazelnut Vegan Snowball Cookies
- The Ultimate Vegan Christmas Cookie- Vegan Spruce Sugar Cookies
- Molasses, Ginger and Oat Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Almond, Oat and Vegan Apple Cookies
- 5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Peanut Butter Cookies
- Almond Rosehip Shortbread Cookies
- Gluten-Free Vegan Bars with Teff and Chocolate
How to Make Vegan Pawpaw Cookies
Our pawpaw cookies have basically two steps-
- Make the Cookies
- Make the Custard
In the first step you beat the butter and sugar before adding the other ingredients to make the cookie dough. Next you shape the dough into little balls, and spread them out on your baking sheet. Using your thumb, make a deep well in the cookie. Don’t be afraid to push fairly far down, as it will rise some when it bakes.
The custard is also quite easy. It starts by making a puree of the pawpaws (remember, the flesh only- don’t use the skins or seeds). Next use cornstarch and plant-based milk to make a thick paste- it’s not that appetizing looking, but it will help to hold the pawpaw and keep it thick without spreading. Sieve the pawpaw puree to remove lumps, add a little sugar, and whisk it all together. Sieve it again to remove any cornstarch lumps.
After that, it’s just letting the cookies cool before adding a small dollop to each cookie. And there you are- cute little pawpaw thumbprint cookies!
Ginger Thumbprint Pawpaw Cookies (Vegan)
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. soymilk (or other plant-based milk)
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. powdered ginger
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup soymilk (or other plant-based milk)
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- ½ cup pawpaw, blended into a puree
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Instructions
- Start with your ginger thumbprint cookies. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and get a large baking sheet ready. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tbsp. soymilk and let mix a little, before adding the remaining ingredients. Mix until a smooth batter forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Scoop out about 1.5 tbsp. of dough, and roll it into a round ball. Use your thumb to make a deep well in the center of the ball. Repeat with the remaining dough, so you have roughly 15 cookies. Bake for 15 minutes, and then allow to cool fully.
- To make your pawpaw custard, take about 1 tbsp. of the soymilk and mix with the cornstarch to create a slurry. Heat the remaining milk in a small pot until warm, then add the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring often until the mixture becomes very thick, then remove from the stove. Push the pawpaw mixture through a fine mesh strainer, then add it to the cornstarch along with the sugar. Whisk well to incorporate, and strain the mixture again through a fine mesh strainer for a smoother custard.
- Once the cookies are cooled, add about ½ tsp. of the pawpaw custard to the center of every cookie. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge, and enjoy.
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