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Cranberry goat cheese is an easy appetizer! The flavors of pistachio, rosemary and honey make a simple spread for crackers or crostini.
Looking for a quick and easy appetizer? Try Cranberry Goat Cheese! This festive appetizer is perfect for parties, pairing the flavors of cranberry, pistachio and fresh rosemary with the tangy cheese. Drizzle honey over the top before serving for a sweet pop. It’s fast to put together and ideal for snack tables, scooped up with crackers or crostini. The warm flavors make it a perfect winter or fall appetizer: though you can enjoy it in any season!
Ingredients in cranberry goat cheese
This cranberry goat cheese requires minimal ingredients but goes big on flavor: the ideal combination for any appetizer recipe! The basic idea? You’ll warm the goat cheese to room temperature, then coat it in a mixture of cranberries and nuts. Serve it with crackers or crostini and it’s a quick way to make a fun spread. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Goat cheese log, aka chevre
- Sweetened cranberries
- Pistachios
- Rosemary
- Honey
- Salt
Tips for making the recipe
This cranberry goat cheese requires no real technique, but there are a few tips for success. Here’s what to know:
- Make sure to bring the goat cheese to room temperature. This is important in order for the cranberries to stick to the goat cheese, and to make the goat cheese spreadable. To do so, you can leave it at room temperature for 1 hour, or microwave it for 10 seconds on one side and 5 seconds on the other. (Be careful not to melt the cheese!)
- Finely chop the ingredients. You’ll want a very small, confetti-like texture.
- Use your hands to evenly coat. It may take a few times of using your hands to coat the exterior of the cheese: try to evenly coat each surface (including the bottom).
- Serve at room temperature with honey. Serve at room temperature so it’s easy to spread. Drizzle with honey and serve.
How to serve cranberry goat cheese
This cranberry goat cheese comes together beautifully There are a few things to keep in mind if you’re making it for guests:
- If making in advance, allow time for it to come to room temperature. You can make the log in advance and refrigerate, but allow time for it to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour so it’s spreadable.
- Serve with a small knife. This makes for easy spreading or adding to a small appetizer plate.
- Add crostini, crackers, bread or other. You can make homemade crostini, or use gluten-free crackers if you’re cooking for gluten free eaters.
More goat cheese recipes
There are so many great ways to use goat cheese as an appetizer, or in recipes! We are big fans of a good cherve around here. Here are a few favorite goat cheese recipes to try:
- Try this Easy Goat Cheese Appetizer
- Go for Blueberry Goat Cheese
- Opt for Whipped Goat Cheese
- Grab family favorite Baked Goat Cheese Dip
Want more with cranberries? Try 20 Tasty Cranberry Recipes!
This cranberry goat cheese recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free.
Cranberry Goat Cheese
Cranberry goat cheese is an easy appetizer! The flavors of pistachio, rosemary and honey make a simple spread for crackers or crostini.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 10 ounce goat cheese log
- ½ cup finely chopped dried sweetened cranberries (aka craisins)
- ¼ cup finely chopped pistachios
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus a sprinkle for serving
- 2 tablespoons honey, for serving
Instructions
- Allow the goat cheese to come to room temperature, which is important because it makes it easy to spread. (Leave it at room temperature for 1 hour or speed up the process, place it on a plate and microwave for about 10 seconds on one side, then 5 on the other.).
- Place the chopped cranberries, pistachios, rosemary and salt on a plate and mix to combine. Roll the goat cheese in the mixture and use your hands to coat each side, re-forming it as necessary so that every surface is covered (even the bottom). Sprinkle a bit of salt on the top.
- Place the log on a plate and drizzle generously with honey. Serve immediately with crackers or crostini.
This is soo good. I make it with a 4 oz goat log instead of a 10 oz the night before our party. Made 1/2 of the recipe and sprinkle the excess nut mixture over the top before I drizzled the honey over it. Super easy to make and crowd pleaser. Served it w/ Simple Mills GF Himalayan Salt crackers. Will make it again.
Thank you both!