Cheesy thumbprint appetizers with hot pepper jelly are the ultimate crowd-pleaser! These buttery, sharp cheddar bites have a sweet-spicy jewel of pepper jelly nestled right in the center. They’re like the fancy cousin of a cheese cracker, but SO much better—and honestly, easy to make.
Love More Recipes? Try My Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies or this Blueberry Cheesecake Swirl Cookies next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Savory, tangy, and perfectly balanced, these Cheesy Thumbprint Appetizers with Hot Pepper Jelly are a bite-sized delight. Flaky, cheesy dough forms the base, while a dollop of sweet and spicy pepper jelly adds a burst of flavor. Elegant yet easy to make, they’re the perfect mix of creamy, crispy, and zesty for any gathering.
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Cheesy Thumbprint Appetizers with Hot Pepper Jelly
- Total Time: 33–37 minutes
- Yield: 30–36 bites
Description
These cheesy thumbprint appetizers feature buttery, extra-sharp cheddar bites with a tender, shortbread-like texture and a vibrant dollop of sweet-spicy hot pepper jelly. Perfect for parties, holidays, and game day!
Ingredients
For the Cheese Dough:
- 2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional, but I love it!)
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, adds a subtle smoky note)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup hot pepper jelly, stirred to loosen (red or green—your pick!)
Substitution Notes:
- Cheese: You can use sharp white cheddar, Gruyère, or even pepper jack for extra kick
- Jelly: Try apricot or fig jam with a pinch of chili flakes for a different twist
- Butter: Must be cold! No substitutions here—it’s what makes these tender and flaky
Instructions
Dump flour, salt, garlic powder, and paprika in your food processor. Pulse it a couple times. Add your cold butter pieces and pulse until it’s all crumbly like coarse sand. Toss in the cheddar and pulse until everything clumps together. If it’s too dry and won’t hold when you squeeze it, add a teaspoon of cold water at a time. Stop pulsing the second it comes together or you’ll overwork it.
Heat your oven to 400°F. Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. I use a cookie scoop so they’re all the same size but honestly just eyeball it. Put them on your baking sheet about an inch apart. They barely spread so don’t stress about spacing too much.
Bake them for 8-10 minutes until they’re set but still pretty pale. Pull them out and immediately press down in the center with your thumb—or whatever round thing you’re using. Make it deep. Like really go for it. I learned the hard way that shallow indentations just puff back up and then you’ve got nowhere to put your jelly.
Give your jelly a good stir so it’s not too stiff. Spoon about half a teaspoon into each little well. Don’t go crazy with the jelly or it’ll bubble over and burn on your pan. Bake another 8-10 minutes until the edges are golden and the jelly’s bubbling. Your kitchen will smell amazing.
Leave them on the pan for a few minutes so the jelly can set. Then move them to a rack or just leave them there, whatever. Eat them warm if you want that melty cheese situation, or room temp if you want them to hold together better. I like them both ways.
Notes
- Shred your own cheese! Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make the dough grainy. Freshly shredded melts better and tastes sharper.
- Use parchment paper, not a greased pan. These are cheesy, so they release easily from parchment. Grease can make them spread weird.
- Work quickly when making indentations after the par-bake. The bites are still soft and pliable, so it’s the perfect time to create those wells.
- Avoid overfilling with jelly. Less is more here! You can always add a tiny bit more after baking if you want.
- If your dough is too crumbly, add a teaspoon of cold water at a time. If it’s too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour.
- Cook Time: 18–22 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Cheese Dough:
- 2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional, but I love it!)
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, adds a subtle smoky note)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup hot pepper jelly, stirred to loosen (red or green—your pick!)
Substitution Notes:
- Cheese: I’ve done these with white cheddar and they were great. Gruyère would be fancy but expensive.
- Jelly: My mom uses apricot jam with crushed red pepper when she makes them
- Butter: Has to be cold, straight from the fridge
Why These Ingredients Work
Sharp cheddar is key here because mild cheddar just tastes like nothing once it’s baked. You need that tangy, almost salty bite to stand up to the sweet jelly. The cold butter is what makes these crumbly and tender instead of tough—same concept as pie crust or biscuits.
Flour’s just there to hold everything together. Not too much or they’ll be dense and cakey. The garlic powder and paprika are technically optional but come on, they make such a difference. That little bit of savory complexity is what has people asking “what’s in these?” And the pepper jelly is obvious—it’s gorgeous, it’s sweet, it’s spicy, and it gets all caramelized and bubbly in the oven.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Food processor (you could use a pastry cutter but why)
- Baking sheet with parchment paper
- Measuring stuff
- Your thumb, or a melon baller, or the back of a measuring spoon
- Cooling rack if you have one
How To Make Cheesy Thumbprint Appetizers with Hot Pepper Jelly
Step 1: Make the Dough
Dump flour, salt, garlic powder, and paprika in your food processor. Pulse it a couple times. Add your cold butter pieces and pulse until it’s all crumbly like coarse sand. Toss in the cheddar and pulse until everything clumps together. If it’s too dry and won’t hold when you squeeze it, add a teaspoon of cold water at a time. Stop pulsing the second it comes together or you’ll overwork it.
Step 2: Shape the Dough Balls
Heat your oven to 400°F. Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. I use a cookie scoop so they’re all the same size but honestly just eyeball it. Put them on your baking sheet about an inch apart. They barely spread so don’t stress about spacing too much.
Step 3: Par-Bake and Create the Indentations
Bake them for 8-10 minutes until they’re set but still pretty pale. Pull them out and immediately press down in the center with your thumb—or whatever round thing you’re using. Make it deep. Like really go for it. I learned the hard way that shallow indentations just puff back up and then you’ve got nowhere to put your jelly.
Step 4: Fill with Jelly and Finish Baking
Give your jelly a good stir so it’s not too stiff. Spoon about half a teaspoon into each little well. Don’t go crazy with the jelly or it’ll bubble over and burn on your pan. Bake another 8-10 minutes until the edges are golden and the jelly’s bubbling. Your kitchen will smell amazing.
Step 5: Cool and Serve
Leave them on the pan for a few minutes so the jelly can set. Then move them to a rack or just leave them there, whatever. Eat them warm if you want that melty cheese situation, or room temp if you want them to hold together better. I like them both ways.
You Must Know
Cold butter is non-negotiable. Room temperature butter will give you greasy, flat, tough bites. I keep mine in the fridge until the last possible second.
Don’t overmix once the dough comes together. You’re not making bread. A few pulses and you’re done. Overworked dough = tough cookies.
Press those wells deep. I cannot stress this enough. They will puff up slightly when you bake them again, and if your well is shallow you’re screwed. If they do puff, just squish them back down with a spoon when they come out.
Personal Secret: I buy a block of cheese and shred it myself. The pre-shredded stuff has that anti-caking powder all over it and it makes the dough taste weird and feel gritty. Two minutes with a box grater is worth it.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Cold cheese is easier to shred and less messy
- Add water super gradually—too much and your dough gets sticky and gross
- Move fast when pressing the indentations, they firm up quick
- Less jelly is more—half a teaspoon is enough
- Keep your hands a little damp so the dough doesn’t stick while you’re rolling
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
- Add cayenne if you’re into spice
- Throw fresh herbs in there—thyme or rosemary
- Gruyère makes them taste expensive
- Green pepper jelly looks cool and tastes great
- My friend uses fig jam and says it’s incredible
- Roll smaller balls for cocktail party size
Make-Ahead Options
Make the dough up to two days ahead and stick it in the fridge wrapped in plastic. If it gets rock hard, leave it out for 10-15 minutes before you try to roll it.
Best trick ever: roll all the balls, freeze them on a tray, then throw them in a freezer bag. They last two months. When you want to bake them, don’t even thaw them, just add a couple minutes to the baking time. I always have a bag in my freezer now.
You can also par-bake them, do the thumb thing, and freeze at that point. Then finish whenever you need them.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
- They should crumble slightly when you bite into them, like shortbread
- Microwave the jelly for 10 seconds if it won’t spoon easily
- Rotate your pan if your oven’s uneven
- Warm or cold, they’re both good
Serving Suggestions
I bring these to everything now. Christmas? Check. Watching football? Check. Book club? Check. They’re versatile like that.
Throw them on a nice plate with some fresh herbs and people think you really tried. They’re good next to a cheese board, with a salad, or honestly just by themselves with wine. White wine or champagne is perfect with them.
You could dust more paprika on top if you want to get fancy, or put extra jelly on the side for dipping.
How to Store Your Cheesy Thumbprint Appetizers
Airtight container on the counter for two days. They stay crispy.
Fridge for five days, also in a sealed container. They might soften a tiny bit but still taste good.
Freezer for two months. Put parchment between layers. Reheat at 300°F for 6-8 minutes and they’re basically fresh again.
Allergy Information
Contains:
- Dairy (cheese and butter)
- Gluten (flour)
Dairy-free: Haven’t tried it with vegan cheese and butter so I can’t tell you if it’ll work.
Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour. I’ve heard Bob’s Red Mill is good but I haven’t tested it myself.
Nut-free: Yeah, no nuts here.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
My dough is too crumbly and won’t hold together—what do I do?
Add water a teaspoon at a time. Different cheeses have different moisture so sometimes you need more liquid. Just go slow.
The jelly bubbled over during baking—how do I prevent that?
Use less. Seriously, half a teaspoon is plenty. And make your wells deeper. The jelly puffs up when it heats so it needs space.
Do these need to be served warm?
Nope. Warm is good because everything’s gooey, but room temperature works too. The jelly sets up and looks prettier actually. Your call.
Why did my thumbprints puff back up during baking?
It happens sometimes. Just press them down again right when you take them out while they’re still hot and soft. Problem solved.
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Tell me how they turned out! Red jelly or green? Any tweaks?
