Gingerbread thumbprint cookies are easy to make.

So many flavors and aromas are associated with Christmas and holiday treats: peppermint, chocolate, anise and orange, to name just a few. In my family, the first and foremost flavor has always been gingerbread.

The soft, spicy molasses-laden cookies, thickly rolled and decorated with icing, are a tradition. But this year I decided to explore other types of gingerbread cookies.

So many thumbprint cookies are out there that I wondered if anyone had made a gingerbread version. A couple did show up online, but they included eggs and butter. Could I adapt a recipe so vegan friends could enjoy them too?

Definitely yes.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozenThe flaxseed meal/water combination replaces 1 egg. The filling can be whatever you like. I tested three: a lemon glaze, cherry jam and Meyer lemon marmalade. They all worked well.1 tablespoon flaxseed meal3 tablespoons water3 cups all-purpose flour2½ teaspoons ground ginger2 teaspoons cinnamon½ teaspoon ground nutmeg1 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt¾ cup (1½ sticks) vegan buttery sticks, at room temperature1 cup light brown sugar½ cup molasses¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)Filling options: About ¾ cup total of fruit jam, marmalade, peanut butter and/or a glazeCombine the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl, letting the mixture sit for at least 2 minutes. Set aside.Place flour, spices, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together.In a larger bowl, cream the buttery sticks and sugar for a minute or two, until somewhat fluffy. Add the molasses and the flaxseed mixture, mixing until combined. Slowly blend in the flour mixture until all the flour is incorporated.Cover and chill the dough at least 1 hour, preferably several hours or overnight.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place a sheet of baking parchment on a cooking sheet.Scoop out dough to make balls that are about 1 inch, and roll them in the granulated sugar. Place balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, turning the pan about half way through. The cookies should be set along the edges and have some cracks in the top but still be soft.Remove cookie sheet to a cooling rack and immediately use a spoon or other utensil to make thumbprints in the cookies while they’re hot. (Thumbs not recommended for hot cookies.) Cool about 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies from the pan to the rack to finish cooling.Once the cookies are cool, spoon about ¼ to ½ teaspoon filling into each center. These cookies should be stored in a single layer.