Cheddar Jalapeño Jelly Thumbprints

Ingredients

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, yellow or white cheddar
⅓ cup butter, at room temperature
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, separated
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups toasted pecans, finely chopped or ground
¼ cup jalapeño pepper jelly

Directions

In the bowl of a large food processor, process grated cheddar, butter, Parmesan, and egg yolk until blended. Add flour, cayenne, and salt; pulse until dough forms a ball, scraping down sides as necessary. Turn dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Form into a disc, tightly wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Pour finely chopped nuts into a bowl. Place reserved egg white in another bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls (I use a small cookie scoop to help portion it). Dip each ball in beaten egg white and then roll in nuts, gently pressing to coat. Space appetizers 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.

Use your thumb or the tip of a spoon to make an indentation in the top of each dough ball. Use a ½-teaspoon measuring spoon to carefully fill each indentation with jelly. Bake appetizers for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.