The best holiday appetizers are easy ones like this no bake goat cheese crostini with honey! Just 5 simple ingredients and prepped in about 10 minutes, this quick appetizer is perfect for last minute guests!
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When last minute guests drop by this goat cheese crostini is the perfect easy appetizer that is just fancy enough to impress. I love to keep a log of this cheese in my fridge at all times whether to throw on top of salads or to make some cranberry puffs around the holidays.
This recipe is simple and impressive on it's own, however if you'd like to make an entire appetizer spread for Thanksgiving or Christmas be sure to include some bruschetta, air fryer brie, a charcuterie board and some buffalo chicken dip for good measure!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Rather than being baked, this no bake goat cheese crostini with honey is super quick and easy to throw together in just about 10 minutes! Perfect for last minute holiday guests.
- Recipes like this are perfect for the novice chef or first time party host that wants something that looks and tastes fancy but is super simple!
- This basic recipe is a great canvas for a variety of sweet or savory topping ideas! Check out the Expert Tips Section for some ideas on more toppings.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Dates: I used dates over figs simply because I had them on hand. Using up the ingredients in my pantry is one of the easiest ways to save on groceries for us. You can use figs if you have them and they will be a great substitution.
- Bread: I generally look for a long baguette from the bakery section and use half of it for this recipe. If you want to use the entire loaf to make a double batch you will need to double the topping measurements.
How to Make This Recipe
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
- Slice baguette in half and then slice one half into 15 equal slices. Save other half for another use. Toast bread in the toast oven until lightly toasted.
- Spread about 1.5 teaspoons of cheese onto each toast.
- Place about 5-6 pieces of dates on top of cheese.
- Drizzle with honey and top with fresh mint if desired.
Expert Tips & What You Should Know
- For the easiest to spread and smoothest texture use whipped cheese. Allow cheese to come to soften at room temperature and then use a hand mixer, stand mixer or food processor to whip until smooth and creamy.
- This goat cheese crostini falls under a sweeter category thanks to the honey and dates. Other ideas for sweet crostini would be to swap out dates for flavors of strawberry, peach, pear, roasted grape or apple.
- For a savory topping consider using thyme infused or herbed cheese along with mushrooms and brown butter, pesto, tomato bruschetta, and/or prosciutto.
- Storage: These are best eaten the day made. If you do have leftovers you would like to store, you can do so in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. However, the bread will no longer be toasted and may become soggy.
- Make ahead: Ingredients may be prepped separately ahead of time and assembled on the day of.
Recipe FAQS
Ideally, you want crostini to be similar to toast. Crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. You can achieve this result by grilling the bread in a skillet or a griddle or toasting it lightly in the toaster oven.
This recipe is rather versatile in that you could serve it either hot or cold. This goat cheese crostini with honey and dates is designed as a no bake recipe, making it quicker than a baked version.
This recipe is relatively low moisture, therefore there is very little chance that it will actually result in soggy bread. However, if you are making a more savory topping such as tomato, mushrooms or caramelized onions there is a chance that the bread could become soggy.
The cheese works as a barrier to reduce sogginess. You can also use a bit of olive oil spread lightly across the bread when toasting to prevent it from getting too moist.
Related Recipes
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Goat Cheese Crostini
Ingredients
- ½ large baguette about 9.5 ounces of bread
- 1 tablespoon honey more or less to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint chiffonade or chopped
- 4 oz goat cheese
- ½ cup dates chopped
Instructions
- Slice baguette in half and then slice one half into 15 equal slices. Save other half for another use. Toast bread in the toast oven until lightly toasted.
- Spread about 1.5 teaspoons of goat cheese onto each toast.
- Place about 5-6 pieces of dates on top of goat cheese.
- Drizzle with honey and top with fresh mint if desired.
Notes
- For the easiest to spread and smoothest texture use whipped goat cheese. Allow cheese to come to soften at room temperature and then use a hand mixer, stand mixer or food processor to whip until smooth and creamy.
- This goat cheese crostini falls under a sweeter category thanks to the honey and dates. Other ideas for sweet crostini would be to swap out dates for flavors of strawberry, peach, pear, roasted grape or apple.
- For a savory topping consider using thyme infused or herbed cheese along with mushrooms and brown butter, pesto, tomato bruschetta, and/or prosciutto.
- Storage: Goat cheese crostini are best eaten the day made. If you do have leftovers you would like to store, you can do so in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. However, the bread will no longer be toasted and may become soggy.
- Make ahead: Ingredients may be prepped separately ahead of time and assembled on the day of.
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