A savory twist on your classic jam-filled sweet thumbprint cookie – Savory Cheese Thumbprint Cookies with Bourbon Tomato Jam are truly the PERFECT party appetizer. These Savory Cookies are insanely flavorful, easy to make and vegetarian!
If you thought we spent all of December eating homemade Twix candy bars, or buttery and crumbly melting moments cookies, or chocolate beer truffles, that would only be partially true. 🙂 After all we made thumbprint cookies too! Except, these aren’t the kind you’d expect. These babies are savory cookies! Savory Cheese Thumbprint Cookies with Bourbon Tomato Jam to be precise. I’m going to be quite frank, there’s no way I can do these cookies any justice with words here. These are some of the best cookies (savory or otherwise) that I’ve had, and I don’t say that lightly.
Mr. K is very easy to please when it comes to the food I make. He’s one of the least picky eaters out there and he will literally eat anything I put in front of him (bless him) with gusto. If he’s fairly quiet, then I can expect a standard “good food, thank you” response. But the more vocal he gets, the more he enjoyed it, I can tell. And these savory cookies, he couldn’t stop talking about!
Crisp on the edges, soft in the middle, with a kicked up sweet and spicy tomato jam in the center, these cheesy savory cookies will be the perfect appetizer for your Christmas party or New Year’s Eve party. Or any party for that matter. And they are vegetarian cookies to boot. Imagine how your guests would be bowled over when they realize that these aren’t actually sweet cookies. Plus, this might be your only chance to get the better of your friend’s annoying kid, when he/she bites into one of these thinking they are regular sweet thumbprint cookies. That expression alone would be worth the effort, would it not? Not that I would know. I mean, I’d never do such a thing. Noooo, never.
before baking
Aaaand they are so easy to make, even my hubs could make them. Seriously. The dough comes together quickly and you just make an imprint with your thumb to fill up with some delicious jam/jelly. So really, you got no excuse not to make them. They’d do really well as a party appetizer or even as a game day snack. I made these because I needed a break from sweet cookies, and being a huge fan of thumbprint cookies, I decided to give them a spicy, savory, flavorful twist. The result is truly glorious.
after baking
These cookies are crazy delicious with a fantastic jelly center. Here I made a cheese and rosemary cookie dough base and gave it a little bit of a spicy kick, using deseeded jalapeno. So the cookie on its own tastes insanely good, if you choose not to have a jelly/jam center.
But I’d recommend the jam though. I filled these up with an amazingly flavorful tomato jam that incorporates garlic and a few spices and then kicked it up with bourbon! Bourbon folks. Does it not scream PARTY APPETIZER??
bourbon tomato jam
If you love CLASSIC THUMBPRINT COOKIES, then you will love this detailed guide to make perfect thumbprint cookies!
Or these NEW Savory cookies – Thyme and Cheddar Cheese slice and bake cookies
Ingredients
Savory Cheesy Thumbprint Cookies
- 8 oz / 225g unsalted butter softened
- 3.5 oz / 100g white cheddar cheese grated
- 3.5 oz / 100g monterey jack cheese grated
- 1 deseeded jalapeno finely chopped
- 1 large rosemary sprig leaves only, finely chopped
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 0.9 oz / 25g white sugar
- 1 small egg
- 6.7 oz / 190g AP flour
- 5.3 oz / 150g semolina
Bourbon and Tomato Jam
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes halved
- 5.3 oz / 150g sugar
- 5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Up to 1 tbsp chilli flakes/crushed red pepper optional - but recommended
- 1 large clove of garlic minced about 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 oz diced white/yellow sweet onion
- A pinch of cumin
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp bourbon
Instructions
Savory Cheesy Thumbprint Cookies
- Chop the grated cheese roughly and mix it with the rosemary and jalapeno. Alternatively, you can grate the cheese using your food processor, and add the deseeded jalapeno and rosemary leaves, and process finely. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, place the softened the butter, sugar and salt and cream it together using a whisk/spatula or wooden spoon. Add the cheese-herb mix and mix it through using a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Add the egg and mix it in until well incorporated in the dough.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour and semolina together. Add this in two batches to the butter-cheese mix and mix it to form a dough. You may need to use your hands (well-floured) to bring the dough together. Cover and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes until the oven has preheated.
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line two cookie trays with parchment paper.
- Make 1 ½ inch round dough balls and place them on the cookie tray with about 2 inches of space between each (I placed 14 cookies on each tray).
- Create a deep well/imprint in each dough ball using a moistened thumb/finger.
- Fill each well generously with bourbon tomato jam (recipe below).
- Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Switch the position of the two trays in your oven half way through baking (please see note). The cookies should be golden on the bottom and light-golden on top.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly. Serve.
- If you're storing the cookies, DO NOT STACK (the jam will stick to the bottom of the cookies).
Bourbon Tomato Jam
- Mix all the ingredients except for the bourbon in a saucepan. Bring the mix to a boil on medium-heat, while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the mix has come to a boil, increase the heat to keep it at a boil.
- Let the mixture boil while stirring and gently crushing the tomatoes with a spoon as they soften. After about 5 minutes of cooking time, add the bourbon and mix through.
- The mixture should keep cooking until the liquid has become syrupy and thick. The time depends on the heat of your stove, and how much liquid is present in the tomatoes. The end product will resemble preserves with tomato pieces in it.
- These can be stored in mason jars until needed (makes enough for 1 ½ batches of these cookies).
Recipe Notes
NOTE - My oven isn’t great at handling two baking levels, so I had to bake these in two batches. Know how your oven works, and bake the two trays together or separately.
Honestly, these came out even better than I expected, and we have now frozen the remaining cookies for later. You can easily refrigerate or freeze the formed cookies (before baking) without filling the center with jam, no issues there. Or even freeze the baked cookies in a single layer (if you stack them, the jam can stick to the bottom of the cookies). These cheesy savory cookies will go really well with a cocktail, so all in all, these were meant to take center-stage at a party. Oh, and I made an even more amazing, flavorful dip for these cookies, but that recipe will be for another day in the near future. 🙂, and you can find the recipe for that super easy, sweet and spicy Mango Jalepeno Jam (and Cream Cheese Dip) right here.
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Dawn Zillich says
June 13, 2019 at 16:17So good, thanks for the recipe!
Rosemaey says
December 19, 2018 at 20:58I made these at Easter and they turned out perfect. I just made them tonight to take to a Christmas Party tomorrow and they are flat and super ugly. What could have caused that? Not chilling the dough long enough? My dough was pretty soft. I used an ice cream scoop to scoop them out and keep them even, my oven run about 25° low so I baked them on 375°.
Dini says
December 19, 2018 at 21:11Hi Rosemary
I am so glad that these cookie came out well for Easter! And I’m so sorry they didn’t turn out well today… it could definitely be because they weren’t chilled long enough. If the cookie dough was soft, then it needs to be chilled longer to prevent them from spreading in the oven as they bake. You can add a little extra flour as well, if the cookie dough is too soft, but make sure to chill it really well before baking. It’s also a good idea to portion them using a scooper, but make sure to roll each portion into a ball as well. The cookie portions would be loose if you didn’t roll them up into a ball, and that loose structure could also cause them to spread faster in the oven. So the combination of the cookies being soft, and being baked in a hotter oven, could cause these cookies to spread as they bake. I hope that helps!
Lindsay says
December 13, 2018 at 13:49About how many cookies does this recipe make?
Lindsay says
December 13, 2018 at 13:46Can you replace bourbon with something non-alcoholic? I don’t mind the alcohol but I’m not a bourbon drinker and I’m not sure if I want to spend the money on a bottle to only use a few tablespoons.
Dini says
December 13, 2018 at 22:09Hi Lindsay!
With this recipe you will get about 28 cookies. I have noted the serving size in the recipe as well. And yes, you can substitute the bourbon with a different alcohol, or leave it out. The bourbon is there to simply flavor the jam, so you can leave it out altogether if you like. Or if you prefer you can use brandy or cognac instead too. I hope that helps!
Cookie says
December 9, 2018 at 11:17I have just stirred the dough up for these and it seems really dry. I have to really squeeze to get a ball to come together. Should I add more butter, or egg or could a little cream be added. Thanks.
Dini says
December 9, 2018 at 11:59Hi Cookie!
This cookie dough shouldn’t be dry at all, and in fact, can often be a bit too soft (which is why it needs to be chilled, so it will hold its shape while being baked). Can I know how you measured the dry ingredients? It may be possible that extra flour and/or semolina was added, depending on how you measured the dry ingredients.
You can add some more cream or egg to the mixture, but it’d be harder to mix the egg evenly into the dough, so cream or milk would be better. If the dough is dry, the cookies may end up being a little crumbly too.
Cookie says
December 9, 2018 at 12:28Thanks. I measured the flour both ways by grams and ounces to be sure. I added a little more egg but afraid they are baking up a little hard and not much flavor. I will have to try again!!
Cookie says
November 29, 2018 at 15:25I am not a fan of rosemary. What would you suggest as a substitute that would be delicious also. Can’t wait to try these.
Dini says
November 29, 2018 at 21:57Hi Cookie,
Thyme would be the best substitute for rosemary in these cookies. Hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Sue Moravec says
November 18, 2018 at 20:12I want to make these for my Long Distance Christmas Cookie Exchange, but obviously can’t put the jam in them before shipping. I am thinking of canning the jam in small mason jars and sending it along side a bag of unfilled cookies. What would you recommend for reheating instructions that I could include with the package? Do you think these would hold up well if I bake them on a Sunday and send them out priority on Monday? I can’t wait to try these. Honestly, if you tell me they won’t ship well, I’m making them anyway and I’ll just keep them for myself! 🙂
Dini says
November 19, 2018 at 19:34Hi Sue!
Sending the cookies and the jam separately sounds like a great idea! The cookies are so good, they can be eaten even without the tomato jam 🙂 Since these cookies are eaten at room temperature, they don’t really need to be reheated. If you are sending the cookies with an ice pack, make sure that the cookies are packed securely so that they don’t get any moisture on them. I prefer to store the cookies in an air-tight container. If the cookies arrive cold or frozen, they can be left at room temperature for a while until they thaw out and are at room temperature again, ready to be served. I hope that helps!
Margaret says
November 9, 2018 at 18:35If you fill with jam ahead of time, do the cookies soften.
Dini says
November 9, 2018 at 22:24Hi Margaret!
These cookies aren’t particularly crispy, since they are similar to shortbread cookies – but savory. The jam won’t make them soggy or soften, but make sure to only store them in air tight containers AFTER they have cooled down completely.
Julie Palus says
August 29, 2018 at 07:16These look great! I am planning on making for a party next week. One question–I have never seen a recipe call for 1 SMALL egg… does it matter if I use a large egg? or should I just slightly beat a large egg but only use part of it?
Thanks
Dini says
August 30, 2018 at 08:18Hi Julie,
I’m so happy that that you will be making these. The reason why I use a small egg is because a large egg causes the dough to be too wet. But you can absolutely use a large egg. You will have to lightly beat the egg first and only use just as much as you need to bring the dough together. I hope you can let me know how they turned out!
Julie Palus says
August 30, 2018 at 10:32sounds good… thanks for the guidance.
Lauren Kirk says
July 14, 2018 at 17:38I made the cheesy thumbprint cookies with tomato bourbon jam but when I baked them, they lost their shape and squished out flat. What did I do wrong…?
Dini says
July 14, 2018 at 18:01Hi Lauren,
These cookies do usually stay in shape while baking. However, if the butter in the dough melts too quickly, it can make the cookies spread too much. Or maybe the cookies needed to be chilled in the fridge a little longer to make sure that the dough was nice and cool, or it could be that your oven was a little too hot for the cookies (oven temperatures can be a bit subjective sometimes) and melted the butter too quickly as well (or a combination of both). I would recommend chilling the dough longer in the fridge, and reducing your oven temperature (to maybe 300 – 325 F), and baking these cookies a little longer in the oven to hopefully allow them to keep their shape. I hope that helps.
Felicia says
April 11, 2018 at 14:15Do you have any idea how long these keep for? I’m planning for a big party and would love to make them a day or so ahead of time 🙂 Thanks!
Dini says
April 11, 2018 at 20:36Hi Felicia, They should still be great after a day. Keeping them in the fridge should help them stay fresh too. Just leave them out to return to room temperature or if you like you can reheat them in the oven for a few minutes. I’m not exactly sure how long they will keep though to be honest, because they never last longer than a couple of days, maybe 3, when I make them! 🙂
Felicia says
April 12, 2018 at 11:05Thanks so much Dini!
Felicia says
April 13, 2018 at 16:14I just finished making these and wow, they are SO GOOD!!! Going to throw them in the fridge as soon as they cool. I didn’t have time to make your jam so I bought one at the store–was lucky to find a tomato-onion-garlic jam that tastes divine. It was sort of hard to find tomato jam so I had considered using olive tapenade or pepper bruschetta, but so glad I found this one!
Sally says
April 27, 2019 at 16:43Hi,
I’m all set to make these yummy looking delights, but I can’t find the amount of cream to use in the recipe. Can you help me?
Thanks!
Dini says
April 27, 2019 at 18:37Hi Sally,
I’m not using cream in this recipe. If you were by any chance referring to this sentence – “In a large bowl, place the softened the butter, sugar and salt and cream it together using a whisk/spatula or wooden spoon”, what I mean here is to mix the butter, sugar and salt together until creamy. I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions!
Carmie says
January 6, 2018 at 21:36I have my tomato bourbon jam cooking on the stove right now. It smells amazing! Can’t wait to try these tasty looking morsels!
Do you know if parchment or waxed paper between layering the cookies would work?
Has anyone tried it?
Dini says
January 6, 2018 at 21:54Hi Carmie! I am so excited for you to try these! Be careful because that tomato bourbon jam is super addictive! 🙂
Yes you can use parchment paper to layer between the cookies. However because the jam can be quite sticky, I would wait for the filling to firm up (set) a little before layering the cookies to make sure the jam centers don’t stick to the parchment paper.
I hope that helps! Let me know what you think about the cookies once you’ve eaten them too! 😀
Cheers
Dini
Lauren S says
December 23, 2017 at 18:22Help! I cannot find semolina anywhere and we planned on making these tomorrow. Is there anything I can substitute for the semolina? Thanks!
Dini says
December 23, 2017 at 18:51Hi Lauren!
If you are unable to find semolina, you can substitute with spelt flour or durham flour (1:1), which would have a similar nuttiness to semolina. And if you can’t find these either, you can use regular AP flour or whole wheat flour too (1:1). However, I haven’t used any of the substitutes for this recipe, so I really cannot guarantee 100% the outcome of the cookies. I hope that helps! Good luck!
Lauren S says
December 23, 2017 at 21:54Thanks so much for the response. I have AP and Whole Wheat so I’ll decide tomorrow.
Jenny says
October 31, 2018 at 08:23I bought couscous and ground it in my Viramix to make the flour! Couscous is made from semolina only more course!
Baking them now! Smells heavenly!
Dini says
October 31, 2018 at 19:38Thank you so much for that fantastic tip Jenny! I hope the cookies came out well 🙂
Dini
Sandy says
August 31, 2017 at 02:56Can the jam be processed in canning jars? If so how many pounds of pressure for how long or if in a waterbath, how long? Eagerly awaiting a reply. My tomatoes are awaiting.
Dini says
August 31, 2017 at 20:41Hi Sandy! I would LOVE to answer your question, but I am not familiar with canning, as I don’t do it much. I usually bottle condiments like this in sterilized jars, while the jam and jars are hot. I boil the jars (completely covered in water) for about 10 minutes before using them.
I wish I could help you with the other questions!
Cheers, Dini
Shirley Curry says
June 12, 2017 at 14:15I’m sorry to be so dence (old age I guess) I can figure out the ounce and gram equivilent compared to cup & tespoon. I would sure appreciate the help, so excited to make them for a party this weekend. I also want to can a bunch of the jams this summer. Thank you.
Nancy says
December 18, 2016 at 15:15Made these today! Delicious, but that jam is spicy!! Lol. We love it.
Dee Dibal says
December 7, 2016 at 11:24I am baking now. What is the equivalent for flour? I used a cup and 1/2+ and still very soft dough. I use a wine cork to make the wells. I have the jelly on the porch to cool. More later.
Dini says
December 7, 2016 at 11:30Hi Dee
1 1/2 cups of flour seems about right for 190g of flour (120 – 125g = properly measured 1 cup of flour). But you need to add semolina as well. Plus the dough needs to be refrigerated too. A soft dough is easier to handle when it has been chilled. Would love to know how they turn out! 🙂 Let me know if you have any more questions!
Frugal Hausfrau says
March 26, 2016 at 13:06I cannot wait for a party so I can make these – well, honestly, I might not wait! They looks so marvelous and I was just dumbfounded by the idea! Duh! I thought – this is something that is just MEANT to be!!
Thanks, Dini!!
Mollie
[email protected] says
March 25, 2016 at 07:33That jam sounds amazing. I will be making a big batch this summer when tomatoes are plentiful here in Dordogne. Thanks for the great recipe.
Sarah says
March 20, 2016 at 10:05Hmmmmm these cookies look and sound like the perfect appetizer to me 😀 So beautiful and delicious!
Julianna says
March 18, 2016 at 10:38Oh my gosh Dini! You have me swooning here over this recipe!! I am ready to run out and buy up all the ingredients and whip up the cookies this afternoon! Yikes! I want to make them so badly! Thanks a bunch for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday! 😀
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life says
March 11, 2016 at 04:52You crack me up, Dini. Annoying kids beware! LOL
Seriously, these look great…I love the idea of a savory cookie. And that jam…yum! I would love that on my paninis too!
Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table says
March 10, 2016 at 21:03You had me at cheesy. Or was it cookies? Probably it was bourbon. I’m loving this savory spin on thumbprint cookies! They are so fun and so cute – perfect for parties 🙂 Pinning!
Revathi Palani says
January 1, 2016 at 08:39I have been thinking that thumbprint cookies can only be sweet. I am amazed by this idea of a savory thumbprint cookies.These look exceptionally delicious and love the texture of these cookies.
Jessica says
December 31, 2015 at 20:23Bourbon tomato jam?!?! Forget the cookies, I just need a spoon 🙂
Winnie says
December 30, 2015 at 13:59What a wonderful idea Dini – savory thumbpring! I love it
They look wonderful and they’d be a great hit at any dinner party
I’d also like to wish you (and your family) a wonderful New-Year !
Valentina says
December 29, 2015 at 01:42Savory thumbprint cookies are absolutely brilliant! LOVE this idea!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
December 28, 2015 at 10:21These look absolutely delicious! And seriously more-ish!! Never seen a savoury thumbprint cookie before, but I need to make them!
Tracy @ Served From Scratch says
December 27, 2015 at 17:34Oh now these are right up my alley! I’m so much more a savory person than sweet – these sound perfect!
Sarah says
December 27, 2015 at 12:38These sound absolutely amazing! What a perfect party appetizer…although I’m sure I would make a meal out of them!!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
December 27, 2015 at 10:11Wow…love the sound of these savoury cookies…what a GREAT brunch item!!
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula says
December 27, 2015 at 09:56This is one of the most unique recipes I’ve seen and really appeals to my savory taste buds! Pinning for New Years Eve!
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says
December 27, 2015 at 05:23I don’t always want to snack on sweet things, so these savory cookies are absolutely perfect! They look delicious!
Sara says
December 24, 2015 at 18:56I’ve never made a savory cookie! These look so good. The tomato jam looks incredible too!
Hillary @ 918 Plate says
December 24, 2015 at 16:23WOW I love this! I also had tomato jam for the first time recently and I am now kind of obsessed with it. Thanks for providing a recipe!
Kevin | Keviniscooking says
December 24, 2015 at 15:27Never thought of making thumbprints into something savory. These look fantastic. Pinned for NYE snacking!
[email protected] says
December 24, 2015 at 15:23I love the idea of savory thumb print cookies! These look simply wonderful.
Julia (@Imagelicious) says
December 24, 2015 at 14:26This is such an amazing idea. I already pinned it a few days ago. I love how you turned something sweet into savoury!
Liz says
December 24, 2015 at 10:17I have an awful secret, I don’t like cookies. Somehow I think that makes me a bad person. However, these savory cookies hit the mark! What a wonderful idea. I’ve pinned the recipe to serve on New Year’s Day. Thank you.
Ramona W says
December 24, 2015 at 10:15I love the way you think Dini!!I am totally for savory cookies…. they look amazing. I would eat an entire batch happily. Why can’t we be neighbors? 🙂 Merry Christmas to you my friend. 🙂 xo Ramona 🙂
Dini says
December 24, 2015 at 15:58Thank you Ramona! 🙂 I wish we were neighbours too! How awesome would that be? Merry Christmas to you too my wonderful friend and your whole family! 😀
Marlene says
December 23, 2015 at 19:17These look wonderful, Dini. I love the idea of savory thumbprints, and the addition of semolina flour should create a delightful texture. I’ve recently made gorgonzola shortbreads with nuts and herbs so I can only imagine how special these will taste (they’ll be on my blog shortly). Onion jam would be lovely as well. My son-in-law is a cheese lover, so rather than just have a cheese platter when he comes next week, I’ll make these as well. Yum!
Patrice says
March 31, 2019 at 08:37Hi Dino,
I am so excited to make these cookies this week! I read through the comments to see if my question would be answered but it wasn’t exactly. Sadly, I do not care for alcohol in recipes (I love them on their own though!) anyway, I saw you tell someone that you can leave the bourbon out all together. My concern is that three tbsp of liquid left out of a jam recipe seems like it could change the consistency of the jam. I was thinking the bourbon would help add a thick syrup like consistency to the jam. Do you think leaving it out will effect the outcome or would you suggest using something else in place of the bourbon that is not alcohol? Thanks for your time!
Dini says
April 1, 2019 at 07:51Hi Patrice
You can leave out the bourbon for this recipe, but you may need to shorten the cook time just a little to get the same consistency. The bourbon doesn’t necessarily add to the consistency, it’s mostly used for the flavor. But because leaving it out will take out some of the liquid, you will need to cook it less. Hope that helps!