A Savory Party Bite: Thumbprint Cheese Wafers with Pecans

If you’re a fan of cheese straws you’ll love these Thumbprint Cheese Wafers with Pecans! This savory little cocktail or shower nibble can be served plain or with hot pepper jelly or the jam of your choice. Your food processor does all the work, from shredding the cheese, then mixing all the ingredients together. 

Are you a fan of cheese straws? If so, you’ll love these pecan cheese wafers! This recipe is one of the many delicious recipes in The Southern Living Party Cookbook.

Thumbprint Cheese Wafers with Pecans are great with a glass of wine and would be good served at a bridal or baby shower too.

If you’re a fan of the sweet heat of hot pepper jelly, you’ll love these, but strawberry, fig or apricot jam would be good too. My husband likes these jam-free, as plain cheese wafers, which reminded him of a recipe my mother-in-law used to make.

• Your food processor makes quick work shredding cheese and the blending of the cheese, butter and flour for this recipe!
• Shred your cheese off the block for this recipe. Bagged pre-shredded cheese has added ingredients with anti-clumping properties that keep cheese shreds separate, so it doesn’t always melt completely nor is it as moist as cheese you shred off the block.
•  Make sure your cheese is very cold before using the shredding disc on your food processor. You can place your block of cheese in the freezer for 20 minutes for easier shredding.

Thumbprint Cheese Wafers with Pecans

Makes about 36

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

(1) 8-oz block extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Hot pepper jelly or jam/ jelly of choice

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper for heat

Directions

Pulse flour, cheese and butter in a food processor at 5-second intervals until dough forms a ball, about 1 minute. Shape tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls and roll each in chopped pecans. Place the balls 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use thumb or wooden spoon handle to make indention in center of each ball. Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake in batches until light golden brown, 15 – 18 minutes. Remove from oven, press indentation again slightly. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store in airtight container. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon jelly into each indentation right before serving.

To enjoy as a cheese wafer without a thumbprint shape and jelly, make a criss cross pattern with a fork.

Notes:

• The original recipe called for 1 ½ cups chopped pecans.  I found 1 cup was more than enough. After rolling ball of dough into pecans, make indentation into ball while still in bowl of pecans, so the excess fall back into bowl rather than on baking sheet. Also the bottoms of wafers get some extra pecans pressed into the surface which gives them a great texture and more pecan flavor.
• I rarely use salted butter in recipes, but it makes all the difference here.
• May be baked ahead and frozen for up to 3 months.  Flash freeze wafers then wrap well in plastic. Let thaw then fill with pepper jelly or jam of choice right before serving.

Find a recipe for Quick and Easy Freezer Hot Pepper Jelly, HERE,

No Canning Required!

Print Recipe

Thumbprint Cheese Wafers with Pecans

If you’re a fan of cheese straws you’ll love these cheese wafers which have a great flavor from the salted butter and extra sharp cheddar cheese. A food processor makes quick work shredding cheese and blending the cheese, butter and flour for this recipe. Serve plain or with hot pepper jelly / jam of choice for a little cocktail or shower nibble. Makes about 36 wafers

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

chill time: 30 minutes30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheese straw, cheese wafer, cocktail bite, pecans, pepper jelly, shower appetizer

Servings: 36 wafers

Equipment

• food processor

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 8 oz block extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• Hot pepper jelly or jam/ jelly of choice
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for heat)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Pulse flour, cheese and butter in a food processor at 5-second intervals until dough forms a ball, about 1 minute.
• Shape tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls and roll each in chopped pecans.
• Place the balls 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Use thumb or wooden spoon handle to make indention in center of each ball.
• Chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.
• Bake in preheated oven in batches until light golden brown, 15 – 18 minutes.
• Remove from oven, press indentation again slightly. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Store in airtight container.
• Spoon 1/2 teaspoon jelly into each indentation right before serving.

Notes

• After rolling ball of dough into pecans, make indentation into ball while still in bowl of pecans, so excess fall back into bowl rather than on baking sheet. Also the bottoms of wafers get some extra pecans pressed into the surface which gives them a great texture and more pecan flavor.
• I rarely use salted butter in recipes, but it makes all the difference here.
• Shred your cheese off the block for this recipe. Bagged pre-shredded cheese has added ingredients with anti-clumping properties that help keep cheese shreds separate, so it doesn’t always melt completely nor is it as moist as cheese you shred yourself off the block.
• Make sure your cheese is very cold before using the shredding disc on your food processor. You can place your block of cheese in the freezer for 20 minutes for easier shredding.
• If you’re a fan of the sweet heat of hot pepper jelly you’ll love these, but strawberry, fig or apricot jam would be good here too. My husband prefers these as plain cheese wafers.
• To enjoy as a cheese wafer without a thumbprint and jelly, make a criss cross pattern with a fork before baking.
• May be baked ahead and frozen for up to 3 months. Flash freeze wafers then wrap well in plastic. Let thaw then fill with pepper jelly or jam of choice right before serving.

Recipe adapted from The Southern Living Party Cookbook:

Elizabeth Heiskell, best-selling author and TODAY show food contributor, puts her one-of-a-kind touch on updating the top-selling Southern Living cookbook of all time, 1972’s Southern Living Party Cookbook.  Divided by occasion, this modern-day reinterpretation of the Southern Living classic offers a fresh lineup of party ideas, including a Bridal Tea, Garden Club Luncheon, Summer Nights, Cocktails and Canapés, Tailgate, Picnic on the Lawn, Fall Dinner, and 24 more gatherings you’ll want to host.

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