With only four simple ingredients, this baked goat cheese with cranberries and pistachios is an easy and elegant appetizer. Sweet, salty and perfectly creamy, it’s ideal for holiday gatherings. Gluten free and vegetarian.
Note: This recipe is NOT dairy free. It was published before Cook Nourish Bliss transitioned to dairy free recipes and remains popular with long-time readers.
After sharing a string of sweet recipes, here’s a break with a simple savory appetizer that’s perfect for parties: a baked goat cheese log coated in cranberries and pistachios. It’s quick to assemble and makes a beautiful, crowd-pleasing starter.
What I love about this recipe is how few ingredients it requires and how big the payoff is. You simply roll a log of goat cheese in a mix of chopped dried cranberries and chopped pistachios, drizzle it with honey, then bake briefly until the cheese softens. The result is warm, spreadable goat cheese with a pleasant balance of sweet, salty and crunchy elements.
I served this at Thanksgiving and it disappeared quickly—guests loved spreading the warm, creamy cheese on crackers. It’s naturally gluten free and vegetarian-friendly, and it works well alongside a variety of crackers, crostini or vegetable dippers.
Additional Appetizer Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Pear and Walnut Goat Cheese Tart
- Spinach Artichoke Hummus
- Everything Spinach Chickpea Dip
- Rosemary and Gruyere Crisps
- Spiced Rosemary and Thyme Nuts
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.
Baked Goat Cheese with Cranberries and Pistachios
8 servings
10 minutes
8 minutes
18 minutes
Only four simple ingredients transform a goat cheese log into a festive, spreadable appetizer. The combination of tart dried cranberries, crunchy pistachios and a touch of honey creates a lovely contrast with the creamy cheese.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons pistachios, chopped
- 3 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped
- 1 (8 ounce) log goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Crackers of choice, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a shallow dish, combine the chopped pistachios and chopped dried cranberries. Roll the goat cheese log in the mixture, pressing gently so the pieces adhere to the surface.
- Place the coated log on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with honey.
- Bake for about 7 to 9 minutes, until the cheese softens but doesn’t completely collapse. Watch closely—overbaking will make the cheese very gooey, though it will still taste good.
- Transfer the baked log to a serving dish and serve immediately with crackers or crostini.
Notes
Adapted from Real Simple.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 111
Total Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 13mg
Sodium: 143mg
Carbohydrates: 6g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 6g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate and for informational purposes only.