These Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini are one of the easiest ways to put together a show-stopping appetizer, perfect for the holidays. Creamy goat cheese and tart cooked cranberries are spread on toasted baguette slices for a festive bite, ready in about 15 minutes.
This festive bite-size crostini transforms leftovers into something party-worthy. It was developed to use up the leftover cranberries from my Cranberry Simple Syrup recipe. But you can also simply use leftover homemade cranberry sauce as the topping. It's a perfect appetizer for your next Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick, elegant, and make-ahead friendly.
- Great way to use up leftover cranberries.
- Balanced flavor; tangy, creamy, and sweet.
- Visually stunning on a holiday platter.
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Ingredients that Matter
These goat cheese crostini come together with a few simple grocery-store staples, including:
- Cranberries. I recommend fresh cranberries, but you can use frozen. Their bright, tart flavor is a delicious complement to the creamy and salty goat cheese.
- Sugar. The berries are briefly cooked with granulated sugar and water, creating a bright-red cranberry simple syrup, perfect for a holiday punch, along with the cooked cranberries.
- Goat Cheese. A log of goat cheese is spread on the toasted baguette slices for a creamy, earthy flavor.
- Baguette. While you can technically use any sliced bread, I love baguette for its delicious flavor and toasty crust.
- Olive Oil. The slices of baguette are brushed with olive oil. You can also use melted butter or a neutral cooking oil.
- Coarse Salt (optional). A coarse sea salt can be sprinkled on the crostini just before serving for a pop of salty flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Goat Cheese and Cranberry Crostini
This recipe comes together super fast, especially if you make the cranberry mixture ahead of time. Here is how to make cranberry crostini.
- Step 1: Cut 16 slices of baguette at a slight angle, about ½-inch thick. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake in a 350F oven until lightly toasted, 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Step 2: To make the cranberry topping, add cranberries and water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, covered, until the berries burst, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Cool and strain the syrup from the berries. Reserve the syrup for cocktails, mocktails, or punch. The cooked cranberries can be made up to 3 days in advance.
- Step 3: To assemble, set the goat cheese on the counter for 10 minutes. Spread the softened goat cheese evenly over the toasted baguette slices.
- Step 4: Spoon on the cooked cranberries and sprinkle on salt, if desired. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Adam's Pro Tip
You can use the leftover cranberry syrup to adjust the sweetness of the cooked cranberries. It's very flavorful and one of my favorite fruity simple syrups! Use the leftover cranberry syrup to adjust the sweetness of the cooked cranberries to your taste. You can even use honey or maple syrup.
Substitutions
This recipe is quite straightforward but there are plenty of substitutions you can make based on dietary needs or flavor preferences, including:
- Cheese - If you don't love goat cheese, you can also use cream cheese or even brie.
- Bread - Try swapping in a multigrain bread, crackers, or gluten-free bread for the baguette.
- Flavor Twist - Add orange zest, balsamic reduction, or a sprinkle of chopped toasted pistachios as a garnish. You can also top with finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme.
What to Serve with Goat Cheese Crostini
These crostini pair perfectly with a Cranberry Holiday Punch, Cranberry Gin Fizz, or another festive cocktail or mocktail. This recipe pairs well with other holiday appetizers, including:
- Whipped Ricotta Dip
- Sun-Dried Tomato Spread
- Burrata Bruschetta
- Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart
- Smoked Trout Tartines with Crispy Capers
- Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup
- Sautéed Spiced Carrots with Pistachios
Storage & Make-Ahead
The components of this recipe can be made ahead of time, meaning you can simply assemble the goat cheese crostini right before serving. To make ahead, cook the cranberries up to 3 days in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. The baguette slices can even be toasted a day in advance. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container and leave them on the counter.
Assemble the cranberry crostini up to 8 hours in advance and store in the refrigerator lightly covered with plastic wrap. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days (do not keep the cooked cranberries for more than 5 days).
FAQ
Yes! Canned cranberry sauce will work for this recipe, as will homemade cranberry sauce or cranberry relish.
You can make the cooked cranberries up to 5 days ahead of time and toast the baguette slices up to 1 day ahead. Assemble the crostini up to 8 hours in advance and store in the fridge lightly covered with plastic wrap.
You can use dried cranberries when making sauce, but it is not a one-to-one swap. Use half of the volume of unsweetened dried cranberries. The sauce will not be quite the same, however.
More Appetizers
These Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini are the perfect way to make your holiday table feel a little more special without extra effort. It's a great way to use up leftover cranberries so nothing goes to waste. Whether you're hosting or bringing a dish to share, they're guaranteed to disappear fast
Looking for more festive appetizers? Try these:
Dinner Ideas
Need some inspiration for dinner tonight? Try these recipes:
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Recipe
Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 crostini 1x
Description
These Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini are one of the easiest ways to put together a show-stopping appetizer, perfect for the holidays. Creamy goat cheese and tart cooked cranberries are spread on toasted baguette slices for a festive bite, ready in about 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 6 oz. (about 2 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 ½ cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 16 slices (½-inch thick) baguette
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 oz. goat cheese log
- Coarse sea salt, if desired
Instructions
- To make the cranberry topping, combine cranberries and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, covered, until the berries burst, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the sugar. Gently stir until the sugar dissolves. Strain the berries and reserve the cranberry simple syrup for other uses. Set the cranberries aside (you can make them up to 3 days ahead of time).
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the slices of baguette in a single layer on the baking sheet and brush with oil. Bake until lightly toasted, 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use (make ahead up to 1 day).
- To assemble, set the goat cheese on the counter for 10 minutes to soften slightly then spread evenly on the baguette slices and then spoon on the cranberries, about 2 teaspoons per toast. Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt, if desired, and drizzle with more olive oil.
Notes
- You can make the cranberry topping up to 3 days in advance. This is essentially the leftover cranberries from my Cranberry Simple Syrup recipe. Use the flavorful bright red syrup for a holiday punch, cocktails, mocktails, or cakes. Be sure to store leftover cooked cranberries in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
- The baguette slices may be toasted up to 1 day ahead of time. Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag on the counter.
- You can finish the crostini with a drizzle of honey or balsamic reduction. Or finish with chopped pistachios or pecans, finely chopped herbs like sage, rosemary, or thyme. Grate on orange zest for a pop of flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
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