Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini w/ Prosciutto & Cranberry Sauce

Topped with prosciutto and cranberry sauce, these whipped goat cheese crostini are the perfect festive appetizer to serve this Thanksgiving or Christmas. With only a handful of ingredients, they are easily prepared in just 20 minutes.

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I couldn’t be happier with how these crostini turned out. 😍

Not to gloat, but I nailed this recipe on the first try. Considering they’re really simple and there are relatively few ingredients that isn’t saying much, but it doesn’t happen often, so yay me!!

In case you’re not familiar, crostini are an Italian appetizer consisting of grilled or toasted slices of bread that are served with toppings. I told you it was simple.

For this recipe, I wanted the bread itself to be really tasty, so I dusted it with black pepper, plenty of garlic powder, and salt. When these slices of heaven exit the oven you will be tempted to eat ’em right up, because they are so darn good as is.

Please resist the urge. It gets much better. Topping off the toasted bread is the whipped goat cheese. Normally goat cheese doesn’t spread very well, but in whipped form, it’s incredibly light, creamy, and spreadable.

It’s slight tang pairs exceptionally well with the next ingredient: prosciutto. Although light and delicate, the flavor is anything but. It’s slightly sweet and plenty salty.

Topping off this delightfully festive crostini is a small scoop of cranberry sauce. Although you can use the cranberry sauce of your choosing, I do recommend my cranberry sauce with cardamom.

The sauce not only crowns the crostini, but balances the flavors to create a harmonious appetizer that checks all the boxes: creamy, crunchy, sweet, tart, and salty.

The elements of this dish can easily be prepared up to three days ahead of time, so there’s no need to stress. You can effortlessly assemble them in less than 10 minutes when you’re ready. This makes them a great option for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, when you’ve got 20 other things to prepare.

So what do you need to make these crostini?

• Baguette: A long narrow loaf of French bread with crispy crust, which you will slice into 1/2-inch thick pieces. One loaf should yield 20-24 slices.
• Olive oil
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Salt: Any type of salt will do.
• Heavy whipping cream
• Goat cheese: It is important it be softened to room temperature prior, otherwise, your whipped goat cheese will be lumpy.
• Proscuitto: A thinly sliced dry-cured Italian ham. You can find prosciutto in the deli section of most grocery stores with the specialty meats and cheeses. A little bit goes a long way, so four ounces is all you will need.
• Cranberry sauce: I highly recommend my cranberry sauce with cardamom. It’s super easy to make and takes less than 30 minutes with only five ingredients. Plus the cardamom is a delicious little twist fit for the holidays.

How do you make whipped goat cheese crostini w/ cranberry sauce? ( + tips)

Begin by preheating your oven to 425 degrees.

Brush the olive oil onto both sides of the baguette slices and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with the ground black pepper, garlic powder, and salt to taste.

Bake on the middle oven rack for 5-6 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove the crostini from the baking sheet and allow them to cool while you prepare the whipped goat cheese.

Using a hand mixer or stand-up mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream at medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until medium peaks form.

Add the goat cheese and whip another 1-2 minutes, until it is fully combined and there are no lumps.

Spread the whipped goat cheese on the crostini, top with a slice of prosciutto, and a small amount of cranberry sauce. I found approximately one teaspoon of cranberry sauce to be just right, but feel free to add more or less. If desired, sprinkle on some fresh rosemary or thyme, then serve.

How to store

Store the elements of this dish separately in airtight containers. The crostini will keep at room temp for up to five days and the whipped goat cheese for several days in the refrigerator.

More fall recipes with goat cheese:

• Goat Cheese Spinach Artichoke Dip w/ Leeks: This easy one-skillet goat cheese spinach artichoke dip with leeks is made with fresh ingredients, four kinds of cheese including cream cheese, goat cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella, and takes only 20-minutes. Naturally gluten-free.
• Goat Cheese Mashed Cauliflower w/ Sautéed Leeks: This easy goat cheese mashed cauliflower is creamy, garlicky, and topped with oniony sautéed leeks. It’s a wonderful low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes and a perfect side dish to share with a crowd. Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.
• Roasted Sweet Potato Salad w/ Beet Chips & Cranberry Vinaigrette: This hearty autumn salad is perfect for Thanksgiving. It combines greens, roasted sweet potatoes, crispy beet chips, red onions, goat cheese, and sunflower/pumpkins seeds tossed in a fresh tangy cranberry vinaigrette. Vegetarian and gluten-free.

If you make these whipped goat cheese crostini with prosciutto and cranberry sauce I’d love your feedback. Please leave a comment and/or a rating below as I greatly value your opinion. Or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @taoofspiceblog. Love, light and happy cooking ya’ll ♥