Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini
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You only need 6 simple ingredients to make this delicious Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini recipe! It’s the perfect holiday party appetizer, or Christmas snack. The presentation is beautiful and it’s easy to make in just 15 minutes!
Wow, do these festive goat cheese crostini’s go way back! This recipe was originally published on the blog in 2012 after I made them for a holiday party at my parent’s house. I’ve since made them for basically every holiday party I’ve hosted over the last 12 years.
Putting together a plate of these cranberry goat cheese crostini’s is so easy and they taste so delicious! The combination of goat cheese and cranberries is perfection. And the addition of fresh rosemary gives the appetizer an extra fresh flavor!
It’s the perfect Christmas day snack or holiday party appetizer. You can easily make this recipe for 5 people or 25 people! The recipe, as written, will make about 20 crostini bites for sharing. You can easily cut it in half or double it depending on how many people you’re serving.
The presentation of the dish is beautiful. And while I originally drizzled maple syrup over this recipe, this year I decided to drizzle hot honey on top and the sweet and spicy combo was absolutely scrumptious!
Ingredients
- Baguette – any whole baguette will work for this recipe. You can use a traditional, French or sourdough baguette, based on your preference.
- Goat cheese – you’ll want to soften the goat cheese before starting this recipe. To do so, I recommend leaving it out at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Dried cranberries – mix in ½ cup of dried cranberries with the goat cheese, then keep a few extra on the side to place on top of the crostini.
- Fresh rosemary – this woodsy fresh herb has notes of citrus and pepper that pair perfectly with the cranberry and goat cheese in this recipe. If you’d like to use another herb, I recommend fresh thyme or fresh basil.
- Cinnamon – adding a little cinnamon to the goat cheese gives it that warm flavor of the holiday season that is sweet and comforting.
- Maple syrup (or honey) – to add a little sweetness and balance out the tart and creamy flavors on the crostini, I like to finish them with a little drizzle of maple syrup or honey. If you want to add a little spice, try using hot honey for a fun spin on the crostini!
Instructions
- Warm the baguette. Place the whole baguette in a 350°F oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove it from the oven and cut into ½ inch slices. This will give you warm, soft bread for the crostinis. If you’d like the bread to be crispier, slice it first, place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Place them in the oven to toast for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Prepare the goat cheese topping. In a medium mixing bowl, combine softened goat cheese with dried cranberries, cinnamon and rosemary.
- Assemble the crostini. Spread the goat cheese mixture on top of the slices of bread. Add a few extra dried cranberries on top of the goat cheese, and sprinkle with a little extra fresh chopped rosemary. Drizzle with maple syrup or honey right before serving.
Make ahead tip
You can prepare the goat cheese topping ahead of time, but I recommend assembling the crostini right before serving. The goat cheese topping can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Before serving, you’ll want to remove the goat cheese mixture from the fridge and let it set at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. This will make it easier to spread on the toasted baguette slices before serving.
Make them gluten free
To make a gluten free version of this tasty appetizer, place the goat cheese topping on red bell pepper slices, instead of a baguette. I made this version for my brother, who is gluten free, and he loved them! You could also use gluten-free bread of crackers.
More easy appetizers
Try these other easy appetizer recipes all made with 6 ingredients or less! You can create an entire holiday party menu with these tasty (and simple!) appetizers.
And if you love the combination of cranberry and goat cheese, try this Cranberry Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken for an easy, delicious dinner!
Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini
Ingredients
- 8 ounces goat cheese, softened on the counter for 30 minutes
- ½ cup dried cranberries, + more for garnishing on top
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 baguette
- ¼ cup honey, or maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the softened goat cheese, dried cranberries, cinnamon and fresh rosemary.
- Place the baguette in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove it from the oven and cut into ½ inch slices. This will give you warm, soft bread for the crostinis.
- If you’d like the bread to be crispier, slice it first, place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Place them in the oven to toast for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Top each slice of baguette with the goat cheese cranberry mixture. Add a few extra dried cranberries on top of the goat cheese and sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary to garnish the crostini.
- Drizzle with honey or maple syrup and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can prepare the goat cheese topping ahead of time, but I recommend assembling the crostini right before serving. The goat cheese topping can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Before serving, you’ll want to remove the goat cheese mixture from the fridge and let it set at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. This will make it easier to spread on the toasted baguette slices before serving.
- To make a gluten free version of this appetizer, place the goat cheese topping on red bell pepper slices, instead of a baguette. You could also use gluten-free bread of crackers.
Nutrition Facts
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