Make Ahead

Fig & Blue Cheese Savories

Name: Fig &amp; Blue Cheese Savories
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Makes about 3 dozen
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup butter, room temperature; 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled; Ground black pepper; Fig preserves, about 3 Tablespoons

by: TheRunawaySpoon

November 28, 2010

29 Ratings

Photo by Alpha Smoot

Prep time 45 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Makes about 3 dozen

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

If you are like me, you always offer to bring something when invited to someone’s house. I mean the offer, I always love an opportunity to cook for people, but sometimes it’s hard to come up with a quick idea on the fly. And when it’s one of those roaming parties—not a seated affair—choosing a dish that doesn’t have to be kept hot or cold or require and special equipment adds to the challenge. I tend to fall back on the same recipes, but I recently wanted to add one to my repertoire—after all, it gets to be the same people at parties, right? These little fig and blue cheese bites are easy but very elegant, and the surprising tart and tangy with sweet combination is a real treat. —TheRunawaySpoon

—TheRunawaySpoon

Test Kitchen Notes

These delicate, crumbly little thumbprints are the perfect combination of sweet and savory, as their names suggests—they're like a great cheese plate all wrapped into one crunchy little morsel. TheRunawaySpoon's simple food processor dough yields tender, buttery coins flecked with blue cheese and black pepper. A good quality fig jam is crucial here; if you can't find it, quince or pear jam would also work well. —A&M —The Editors

Test Kitchen-Approved
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What You'll Need

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
¹/₂ cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Ground black pepper
Fig preserves, about 3 Tablespoons

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the flour, butter, blue cheese and a few grinds of black pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the dough just comes together and starts to form a ball.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to pull the dough together. Roll out to 1/8 inch thick with a floured rolling pin. Cut rounds out of the dough with a floured 1-inch cutter and transfer the rounds to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Using the back or a round half-teaspoon measure or your knuckle, make an indentation in the top of each dough round. Spoon about ¼ teaspoon of fig preserves into each indentation, using your finger to push the preserves as best as possible into the indentations.
Bake the savories for 10–14 minutes, until the preserves are bubbling and the pastry is light golden on the bottom.
Let cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, the remove to a wire rack to cool.
You’ll find fig preserves at the grocery – it may be shelved with the “fancy” jams and jellies. You can make these a day ahead and keep them in two layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container.

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I think I am like most people. Somewhere in the middle between food snob and food schlub. Just being in the kitchen makes me happy.

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229 Reviews

Lisa P. January 2, 2024

I really wanted to love these, but I have never had such a recipe FAIL! In all fairness, I did like the flavor profile, but I literally had to eat the crumbs off the parchment with a fork. I read other reviews and heeded their advice - adding an egg yolk, a little extra flour, making logs and freezing. They spread and filled the baking sheet then turned into (tasty) crumbs when I tried to lift any part off. I am determined to find a savory cheese cracker recipe that works and add a mini dollop of fig preserves. (I found that putting the preserves or jam in a small plastic bag or parchment cone and "piping" onto the cracker easier and faster.)

Julie December 26, 2023

I made these for a Christmas eve appetizer. The recipe was very easy. I used Great Hills Blue cheese and added some very finely chopped fresh rosemary to the dough. I prepped the dough a day ahead and rolled into a tube and refrigerated. On the day I served them, just sliced, topped, and baked. My only critique is they could be a bit crisper. I did add 1 egg yolk to the dough after reading other reviews. I topped 3/4 with fig jam and the rest with sweet onion and garlic jam. Both were delicious. I will surely make again.

Grace K. April 7, 2023

Wanted to try something new when asked to bring an appetizer to Easter brunch, and decided to give this a test run. OMG! It came together so quickly and easily. A remarkably tasty little bite which my husband can't seem to stop eating. Great recipe!

zerosummer December 31, 2022

This is a family favorite! I've been making these perfect snacks every year since the recipe was published twelve years ago, and several relatives have adopted them into their own holiday repertoires, too.

foleyscale December 4, 2022

This is a much-requested item for the holidays! I make a double batch in my food processor and add enough extra flour to make the dough easier to handle. I roll it into logs, then put them in the fridge or freezer overnight or for at least an hour. After they are chilled they are easier to slice. I bake them on parchment paper with a dollop of fig jam.

bas26 September 21, 2022

I've made this recipe several times and it always comes out perfectly. Very tasty and the fig jam is a nice counterpoint to the salty blue cheese. Dough is easy to handle but if it gets too sticky, you can refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes. One of my favorites.

Homechef September 21, 2022

I had to create an account just to express my outrage on wasted ingredients and time on this worthless recipe.
Shame on author and shame on people who included it in this website.

bas26 September 21, 2022

I can't understand your extreme reaction to this recipe unless you don't like blue cheese or fig jam, in which case maybe you shouldn't have made it. The recipe SO is easy and straightforward. You can cut the dough with a biscuit cutter or roll it into a log and cut rounds with a knife. It's utterly delicious and I make it often.

Kt4 September 21, 2022

What a way to introduce yourself to a community of cooks from around the world.
You need to get over yourself & either learn how to follow a recipe (this one is nearly impossible to mess up) or figure out how to evaluate if a recipe includes ingredients you don't like to begin with. Your comment is purely narcissistic & unnecessary; it adds absolutely nothing of value in the way of constructive feedback. I hope you delete your account & take your arrogance with you.

Shame on YOU for your post.

Sanibelle September 21, 2022

I don't know what kind of chef you are, but you certainly have antagonized many of us who have taken the time to comment. This is a great recipe and the savory crackers always receive many compliments. I think the problem is with you and not with the people who have made this properly and taken the time to comment. I agree, "Shame on YOU for your post". You could have criticized the recipe without being nasty.

MaryEllen D. February 23, 2021

I found this dough very hard to work with so I did not roll out. Rather, I made small balls and indented them with my thumb and filled with fig jam. (made homemade fig jam that came out great!). Flavor is delicious but they didn't cook through until I baked them for over 20 minutes. Then the jam was not bubbly it was dry. I made them with GF flour which I know contributed to the texture difference. The recipe has potential but I need to work on it.

Pattie G. December 14, 2019

Perfect savory appetizer for my Christmas cookie party: easy to make, the dough stored well frozen, and a delicious compliment to all the sweets.

Sheila R. December 7, 2019

The Fig and Blue Cheese Savories were fun to make, delicious to eat and my grandchildren went over the moon for these...in fact my grandson age 11 said I could make these again anytime...which I will this Christmas!

Pattie G. November 28, 2019

Just tried these - easy and wonderful, like an adult cheez-it. These will definitely be added to my standard hors d'oeuvres rotation. I used the rolled log method and stored that frozen. Sliced on the day of and cooked.

Barry B. December 19, 2017

Love this recipe, made as is and also my own riffs. I added two tsp of sugar to the blue cheese dough, and for the topping I combined equal measures of apricot jam/preserves to the fig preserves. Both versions have been really well received by guests.

tylerdbaker November 27, 2017

Some reviews commented that they didn't hold up well the next day. For me they were great the next day! Excellent warm right out of the oven, but also a good texture the next day.

Kathryn July 20, 2017

Just made these and they turned out well -- only thing I would do next time is use a stronger flavor blue cheese, the blue cheese flavor in the finished product is very mild. I used Boar's Head Creamy Blue Cheese Crumbles for reference.

marguerite November 27, 2016

Wonderful recipe, a huge hit for both my Thanksgiving dinners (ok, so Thursday is not enough...we have more family on Sunday as well...). After reading comments about the savouries crumbling, I tried adding an egg yolk. Ta-da! I also shaped the dough into two long cylinders and froze them. Come the big day (s), I sliced into rounds and baked them. And to save my sanity, being the big day (s) and all, I simply served the fig/walnut jam in a bowl on the side, for guests to slather as they desired. As other commenters have noted, they really do not keep their crispness the day after, but they are still tasty as nibbles with a glass of wine when you are padding around the house recuperating from it all.

cosmiccook December 10, 2019

I'm NOT good at figuring out what is an 1/8 in. thickness ( I REALLY need Food 52 rolling pins that do it for you) and found the dough problematic to cut out. SO 1/2 batch got rolled into a cylinder & sliced 1/4 thick. I used a Pecan Pepper Jelly for the filling. They're in the oven now.

andrea P. January 11, 2016

I made them, they were DEE lish but they were soggy the next day. Dont know if you can crisp them a bit. I still ate about 20.

andrea P. January 11, 2016

Also, I used the back of a cake decorating tip and pushed them through the other side with a chopstick to get them to be one inch!

Susan December 26, 2015

I made these using a nice Maytag and fig preserves using the roll/slice method, very easy. Everyone said they were good but they were not gobbled up. I personally found them to be almost too rich, very buttery to the point of greasy. And not very crisp. I'm not much of a baker so don't know how much of the butter can be cut back. Unless someone has a suggestion on how to make these less greasy, I probably won't make these again.

ccg December 3, 2015

This recipe says can be made the day before. Does anyone know how long they can be stored without becoming soggy? I'd like to make them 2 or 3 days ahead as I have many things to prepare for a party. Also those cutting to 1/4" by log or rolling in ball method, how long do you bake? Thanks for your assistance.

Sigita December 3, 2015

I make these often- they are best made the day of - early in the day is fine. Keeping them longer - they loose their crispness. The log method is my favorite way- slice and bake. Make the log as far ahead - freeze . Then just slice in 1/4 to 3/8 inch slices- thinner and they are almost too delicate and many break. Bake about 10 min and you'll see if they are brown enough for you. Everyone just loves these, You can never make enough. When you roll the logs- use plastic wrap or wax paper- dough is very moist and make them small for the same reason.

Emily L. December 3, 2015

I agree with freezing, I have frequently baked right out of the freezer for just a few minutes longer than written and they're great. You may be able to bake 2 days before and then add the jam later? They're also delicious without, I call them grown up Cheese It's :)

innoabrd December 3, 2015

I've kept them for a few days, but I've always made in dry climates. Sealed in ziplock, I usually can get a few days out of them.

Manhattan T. December 4, 2015

I'd make the dough log a few days in advance and pop in the freezer (or fridge, well-wrapped, for up to 3 days?) then cut while cold, thaw for a few min on the baking sheet then smoosh with a knuckle & bake.

Mary L. December 21, 2015

These freeze really well I take them out an hour before the party and they are perfect

Heather May 17, 2015

So easy to prep and excellent results. Adapted to local ingredients for fillers with herbed red onion marmalade (Beau Bien, made in Detroit) and hot pepper jam ( Slow Jams, also made in Detroit) and both were delicious.

Emily April 22, 2015

Made these yesterday for company and they were a hit. Delicious combination of flavors. After reading about the crumbling problem, and I know about that from another similar cracker, I added 1 tablespoon egg to the mix in the processor. They were tender but not crumbly and did not spread at all while baking. I also rolled the dough 1/4" and was very happy with the size. I used homemade fig jam which is very thick and was perfect. If the jam is not thick, I would reduce it to prevent it spreading over the cracker. These are delicious and very professional looking.

jpriddy December 18, 2023

I have a homemade cranberry relish I think I will cook down a bit and use to make these.