Cranberry Goat Cheese Appetizer

4.89 from 9 votes

Cranberry Goat Cheese Appetizer

This Cranberry Goat Cheese Appetizer is a simple and elegant holiday starter. Made with 8 ingredients in 20 minutes, it's a delicious appetizer to serve on Thanksgiving or at a Christmas party!

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Author: Laura Sandford

Cost: $5

Equipment

Ingredients

Toasted pecans:

¼ cup raw pecans (chopped)
½ Tablespoon salted butter
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch fine sea salt

Cranberries

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (divided)
1 cup fresh cranberries (divided)

Goat Cheese

8 ounces goat cheese
Crackers for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Toast Pecans:

Line a baking sheet with wax paper or a silicone baking mat, set aside.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat
Add pecans, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine.
Cook, stirring often until the pecans are coated and begin to brown, about 3-4 minutes.
Remove from heat and spread on wax paper to cool.

Cranberry Topping

In a small saucepan over medium heat add 2 Tablespoons maple syrup and balsamic vinegar and heat until combined (about 30 seconds)
Add ½ cup of fresh cranberries and cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes until you begin to hear them pop, stirring occasionally.
Mash the cranberries with a potato masher or fork.
Continue cooking until the mixture begins to thicken and resembles jelly.
Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon maple syrup and ½ cup cranberries and stir to combine.
Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until the mixture becomes thick and the cranberries just begin to pop (do not mash them this time).
Remove mixture from heat and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes or until ready to serve.

Assemble

Place the log of goat cheese on a cheese board or serving plate.
Gently stir pecans into the cranberry mixture.
Carefully spoon the mixture on top of the goat cheese log, spreading it evenly.

Serve

Serve either slightly warm/room temperature or chilled, with your favorite crackers.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

Maple syrup. Honey can be used in place of maple syrup.
Pecans. Walnuts are a great substitute.
Salted Butter. unsalted butter or olive oil are both good substitutes.
Granulated Sugar. white sugar or organic cane sugar are both good choices.
Goat cheese. Use an 8 oz log of goat cheese. You can choose a flavored variety, plain, or even one with a touch of honey.

Prepare in Advance

Make the cranberry mixture and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Then, either warm the mixture slightly or serve it cold on top of your favorite goat cheese log.

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Do not freeze.

Nutrition