diff --git a/cmd/docs/templates/schema.tmpl b/cmd/docs/templates/schema.tmpl
index 008f400b..a715d41e 100644
--- a/cmd/docs/templates/schema.tmpl
+++ b/cmd/docs/templates/schema.tmpl
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 | `version` | `string` | | Version of the recipe. Must be valid [semver](https://semver.org/). |
 | `description` | `string` | | Description of what the recipe does |
 | `sources` | `[]string` | | A list of URLs to source code for this recipe. |
+| `templateExtension` | `string` | | Extension of files in `sources` that are considered templates and are processed with the template engine. Must start with a period if not empty. |
 | `initHelp` | `string` | | A message which will be showed to an user after a succesful recipe execution. Can be used to guide the user what should be done next in the project directory. |
 | `ignorePatterns` | `[]string` | | Glob patterns for ignoring generated files from future recipe upgrades. Ignored files will not be regenerated even if their templates change in future versions of the recipe. |
 | `vars` | [`[]Variable`](#variable) | | An array of variables which can be used in templates. The user will be prompted to provide the value for the variable if not predefined with `--set` flag. |
diff --git a/internal/cli/execute.go b/internal/cli/execute.go
index 3525c6a0..b87bc82b 100644
--- a/internal/cli/execute.go
+++ b/internal/cli/execute.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/lipgloss"
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/internal/cli/option"
+	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/engine"
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/oci"
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/recipe"
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/recipeutil"
@@ -156,7 +157,7 @@ func runExecute(cmd *cobra.Command, opts executeOptions) error {
 		values = recipeutil.MergeValues(values, promptedValues)
 	}
 
-	sauce, err := re.Execute(values, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
+	sauce, err := re.Execute(engine.Engine{}, values, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/cli/test.go b/internal/cli/test.go
index 448b0b61..8eb070ab 100644
--- a/internal/cli/test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/internal/cli/option"
+	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/engine"
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/recipe"
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/recipeutil"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ func runTest(cmd *cobra.Command, opts testOptions) error {
 	if opts.UpdateSnapshots {
 		for i := range re.Tests {
 			test := &re.Tests[i]
-			sauce, err := re.Execute(test.Values, recipe.TestID)
+			sauce, err := re.Execute(engine.Engine{}, test.Values, recipe.TestID)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to render templates: %w", err)
 			}
diff --git a/internal/cli/upgrade.go b/internal/cli/upgrade.go
index 142c75b4..80faa4f6 100644
--- a/internal/cli/upgrade.go
+++ b/internal/cli/upgrade.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/internal/cli/option"
+	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/engine"
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/oci"
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/recipe"
 	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/recipeutil"
@@ -191,7 +192,7 @@ func runUpgrade(cmd *cobra.Command, opts upgradeOptions) error {
 		values = recipeutil.MergeValues(values, promptedValues)
 	}
 
-	newSauce, err := re.Execute(values, oldSauce.ID)
+	newSauce, err := re.Execute(engine.Engine{}, values, oldSauce.ID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/execute.go b/pkg/recipe/execute.go
index 515e7ee8..0e4855e8 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/execute.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/execute.go
@@ -4,17 +4,14 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"maps"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/gofrs/uuid"
 )
 
 // Execute executes the recipe and returns a sauce
-func (re *Recipe) Execute(values VariableValues, id uuid.UUID) (*Sauce, error) {
-	if re.engine == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("render engine has not been set")
-	}
-
+func (re *Recipe) Execute(engine RenderEngine, values VariableValues, id uuid.UUID) (*Sauce, error) {
 	if id.IsNil() {
 		return nil, errors.New("ID was nil")
 	}
@@ -35,12 +32,27 @@ func (re *Recipe) Execute(values VariableValues, id uuid.UUID) (*Sauce, error) {
 		"Variables": values,
 	}
 
-	files, err := re.engine.Render(re.Templates, context)
+	// Filter out templates we might not want to render
+	templates := make(map[string][]byte)
+	plainFiles := make(map[string][]byte)
+	for filename, content := range re.Templates {
+		if strings.HasSuffix(filename, re.TemplateExtension) {
+			templates[filename] = content
+		} else {
+			plainFiles[filename] = content
+		}
+	}
+
+	files, err := engine.Render(templates, context)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	sauce.Files = make(map[string]File, len(files))
+	// Add the plain files
+	maps.Copy(files, plainFiles)
+
+	sauce.Files = make(map[string]File, len(re.Templates))
+
 	idx := 0
 	for filename, content := range files {
 		// Skip empty files
@@ -53,6 +65,8 @@ func (re *Recipe) Execute(values VariableValues, id uuid.UUID) (*Sauce, error) {
 			continue
 		}
 
+		filename = strings.TrimSuffix(filename, re.TemplateExtension)
+
 		sum := sha256.Sum256(content)
 		sauce.Files[filename] = File{Content: content, Checksum: fmt.Sprintf("sha256:%x", sum)}
 		idx += 1
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/execute_test.go b/pkg/recipe/execute_test.go
index 1a7f7677..4c85b4f0 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/execute_test.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/execute_test.go
@@ -42,9 +42,7 @@ func TestRecipeRenderChecksums(t *testing.T) {
 		"README.md": []byte("{{ .Variables.foo }}"),
 	}
 
-	recipe.SetEngine(TestRenderEngine{})
-
-	sauce, err := recipe.Execute(VariableValues{"foo": "bar"}, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
+	sauce, err := recipe.Execute(TestRenderEngine{}, VariableValues{"foo": "bar"}, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to render recipe: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -61,9 +59,7 @@ func TestRecipeRenderID(t *testing.T) {
 	recipe.Metadata.Name = "test"
 	recipe.Metadata.Version = "v1.0.0"
 
-	recipe.SetEngine(TestRenderEngine{})
-
-	sauce, err := recipe.Execute(nil, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
+	sauce, err := recipe.Execute(TestRenderEngine{}, nil, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to render recipe: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -78,14 +74,12 @@ func TestRecipeRenderIDReuse(t *testing.T) {
 	recipe.Metadata.Name = "test"
 	recipe.Metadata.Version = "v1.0.0"
 
-	recipe.SetEngine(TestRenderEngine{})
-
-	sauce1, err := recipe.Execute(nil, TestID)
+	sauce1, err := recipe.Execute(TestRenderEngine{}, nil, TestID)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to render first recipe: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	sauce2, err := recipe.Execute(nil, TestID)
+	sauce2, err := recipe.Execute(TestRenderEngine{}, nil, TestID)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to render second recipe: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -110,9 +104,7 @@ func TestRecipeRenderEmptyFiles(t *testing.T) {
 		"file-with-empty-variable":             []byte(" {{ .Variables.foo }} "),
 	}
 
-	recipe.SetEngine(TestRenderEngine{})
-
-	sauce, err := recipe.Execute(VariableValues{"foo": ""}, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
+	sauce, err := recipe.Execute(TestRenderEngine{}, VariableValues{"foo": ""}, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Failed to render recipe: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -128,3 +120,32 @@ func TestRecipeRenderEmptyFiles(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Rendered templates contains empty files, which exist on the output. Failing files: %s", failingFiles)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRecipeRenderWithTemplateExtension(t *testing.T) {
+	recipe := NewRecipe()
+	recipe.Metadata.Name = "test"
+	recipe.Metadata.Version = "v1.0.0"
+	recipe.Variables = []Variable{{Name: "foo"}}
+	recipe.Templates = map[string][]byte{
+		"subdirectory/file.md.tmpl": []byte("{{ .Variables.foo }}"),
+		"file":                      []byte("{{ .Variables.foo }}"),
+	}
+	recipe.Metadata.TemplateExtension = ".tmpl"
+
+	sauce, err := recipe.Execute(TestRenderEngine{}, VariableValues{"foo": "bar"}, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to render recipe: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(sauce.Files) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 2 files, got %d", len(sauce.Files))
+	}
+
+	if string(sauce.Files["subdirectory/file.md"].Content) != "bar" {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected file content to be \"bar\", got \"%s\"", sauce.Files["subdirectory/file.md"].Content)
+	}
+
+	if string(sauce.Files["file"].Content) != "{{ .Variables.foo }}" {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected file content to be \"{{ .Variables.foo }}\", got \"%s\"", sauce.Files["file"].Content)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/metadata.go b/pkg/recipe/metadata.go
index 41d8b85e..b7beab3c 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/metadata.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/metadata.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net/url"
 	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 
 	"golang.org/x/mod/semver"
 )
@@ -34,6 +35,11 @@ type Metadata struct {
 	// files will not be regenerated even if their templates change in future versions
 	// of the recipe.
 	IgnorePatterns []string `yaml:"ignorePatterns,omitempty"`
+
+	// File extension for which files in Sources should be templated. Files not matched by
+	// this extension will be copied as-is. If empty (the default) all files will be
+	// templated.
+	TemplateExtension string `yaml:"templateExtension,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (m *Metadata) Validate() error {
@@ -54,6 +60,10 @@ func (m *Metadata) Validate() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("version \"%s\" is not a valid semver", m.Version)
 	}
 
+	if m.TemplateExtension != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(m.TemplateExtension, ".") {
+		return fmt.Errorf("template extension must start with a dot")
+	}
+
 	for _, sourceURL := range m.Sources {
 		if _, err := url.ParseRequestURI(sourceURL); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("source url is invalid: %w", err)
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
index 83cf1622..35768cdd 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ package recipe
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-
-	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/engine"
 )
 
 type Recipe struct {
@@ -11,7 +9,6 @@ type Recipe struct {
 	Variables []Variable        `yaml:"vars,omitempty"`
 	Templates map[string][]byte `yaml:"-"`
 	Tests     []Test            `yaml:"-"`
-	engine    RenderEngine
 }
 
 type RenderEngine interface {
@@ -23,7 +20,6 @@ func NewRecipe() *Recipe {
 		Metadata: Metadata{
 			APIVersion: "v1",
 		},
-		engine: engine.Engine{},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -51,7 +47,3 @@ func (re *Recipe) Validate() error {
 
 	return nil
 }
-
-func (re *Recipe) SetEngine(e RenderEngine) {
-	re.engine = e
-}
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/saver_test.go b/pkg/recipe/saver_test.go
index d8a89a0b..e169ec2d 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/saver_test.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/saver_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/engine"
 	"github.com/gofrs/uuid"
 )
 
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ func TestSaveSauce(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("test recipe was not valid: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	sauce, err := re.Execute(nil, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
+	sauce, err := re.Execute(engine.Engine{}, nil, uuid.Must(uuid.NewV4()))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("recipe execution failed: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/recipe/test.go b/pkg/recipe/test.go
index 98d52ced..88180919 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/test.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
+	"github.com/futurice/jalapeno/pkg/engine"
 	"github.com/gofrs/uuid"
 )
 
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ func (t *Test) Validate() error {
 func (re *Recipe) RunTests() []error {
 	errors := make([]error, len(re.Tests))
 	for i, t := range re.Tests {
-		sauce, err := re.Execute(t.Values, TestID)
+		sauce, err := re.Execute(engine.Engine{}, t.Values, TestID)
 		if err != nil {
 			errors[i] = fmt.Errorf("%w", err)
 			continue