These are not your typical thumbprint cookie, these are SAVORY thumbprint cookies- filled with a layer of cream cheese and then topped with a dollop of pepper jelly. Your favorite appetizer just got a whole lot better!
If you love pepper jelly, you’ll love these savory thumbprint cookies! They’re prefer for a savory twist on a cookie and they’re a tasty snack or appetizer to share with friends!
If you are in need of any more appetizers, I recommend my honey sriracha turkey meatballs (can just stick toothpicks in them for easy grabbing!), my healthy salmon dip, definitely my air fried buffalo cauliflower gnocchi, and my crispy potatoes!
Ingredients You will Need for Pepper Jelly Savory Thumbprint Cookies:
- Almond flour – this is the main ingredient of our savory cookie. I wouldn’t sub this out.
- Nutritional yeast – this gives our cookie a cheesy flavor without any dairy! If you prefer cheese you could probably sub this with grated parmesan.
- Vegan butter – I use this in the cookie to give them a buttery flavor, but again, without the dairy. You can sub with regular butter if you prefer.
- Spices – I use oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. I think it makes the perfect flavor combo but of course you can play around with the spices if you want!
- Cream cheese – for the topping of course! You can use vegan cream cheese, whipped cream cheese, less fat/non fat cream cheese, whatever you prefer!
- Pepper jelly – I used a classic habanero, but you can play around with any fun flavors you find or prefer!
Tips for the Perfect Savory Cookies:
- You can add your water a little at a time. You need just enough do our dough isn’t too crumby. 1/4 cup worked perfectly for me but you can always start slow. If it is too watery, add a little more flour.
- Use room temperature cream cheese – it is easier to spread into the cookie without breaking them. You can also whip it a little beforehand if you want too.
- I made my indent in these a little larger than I usually do for thumbprint cookies. I wanted it to be like a thin cracker underneath and have a lot of room for toppings (the best part!) you can choose how thin/big you want to make yours, just don’t make the bottom SO thin that they break.
- Serve fresh! That is how they are best. You can store in the fridge, Neil actually loves them microwaved, but they will be a little less pretty because the cream cheese will dry out slightly and crack (still just as delicious though!)
In addition to the listed ingredients, you will need:
- a mixing bowl
- a microwave safe bowl
- something to stir with
- a cookie sheet
- a spoon
- parchment paper
Enjoy!
Pepper Jelly Savory Thumbprint Cookies
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Gluten Free, Vegan and & Refined Sugar Free Option
These are not your typical thumbprint cookie, these are SAVORY thumbprint cookies- filled with a layer of cream cheese and then topped with a dollop of pepper jelly. Your favorite appetizer just got a whole lot better!
Ingredients
Savory Cookies:
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter (or vegan butter)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
Pepper Jelly Toppings:
- about 4 oz cream cheese (or vegan cream cheese), room temperature
- about 1/2 cup pepper jelly
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Combine your dry cookie ingredients together in a bowl, stir to combine.
- Melt your butter, and then add that and the water to your dry ingredients. Stir until a dough forms.
- Roll your dough into 12 even sized balls, Using your thumb, gently create an indent in the dough (for these I made mine larger than usual so the bottom is fairly thin and I could fit a lot of topping – but not too thin that they break!).
- Bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper for about 16 minutes, until edges are golden brown and they feel sturdy.
- Remove from oven and let cool enough so you can easily handle them. Add cream cheese to each, spreading around the bottom of the cookie (using room temperature cream cheese makes it easier to spread, you can also whip it a little beforehand if you want).
- Then dollop each cookie with some pepper jelly and serve!
Notes
The amount of toppings really just depend on how heavy-handed your filling is! But a block of cream cheese and a jar of pepper jelly will be more than enough.
For a vegan option – use vegan butter and vegan cream cheese
For a refined sugar free option, you will need to find a pepper jelly that does not have sugar in it.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
If you try this recipe please leave a rating and a review in a comment below! It would mean the world to me 🙂 If you remake on Instagram please also tag me at @donutworry_behealthy when you share so I can see your creation!
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I love these cookies! We are huge fans of pepper jelly/relish so these were a must try. They came together easy and are DELICIOUS. I did substitute the nutritional yeast for equal parts grated parmesan – but only because our store was out of the yeast. Will make these again 100%!
Thank you so much! I am so glad you liked them and such a great idea with the parmesan, I will need to try that 🙂
Deliciously different take on thumbprint cookies. Super easy to make and adjust to accommodate if you are vegan or not. I used a cookie scooper and was able to get 15 cookies out of one batch. It also received a double thumbs up from my 72 year old mom who doesn’t eat anything with peppers!
I am SO glad you all loved them! Thank you for letting my recipes be a part of your family’s menu 🙂