A Show-Stopping Marinated Goat Cheese Appetizer
There’s no shortage of parties and gatherings this time of year, and that means one thing: party food! Out of all of my favorite go-to holiday entertaining recipes, this gorgeous Bejeweled Marinated Goat Cheese is one I turn to time and time again.
Dried fruit and goat cheese are a match made in heaven. Add fresh herbs and buttery pine nuts to the mix, and it becomes downright irresistible.
It’s not just delicious – it’s a total showstopper. Picture this: jewel-toned dried apricots, cranberries, and golden raisins layered over creamy goat cheese. It’s as gorgeous as it is crave-worthy, and I promise it’ll be the star of any holiday snack spread!
And here’s the best part: it’s unbelievably easy to make. Simply marinate the dried fruit with herbs and pine nuts, then pour the mixture over your favorite goat cheese. That’s it! One bowl, 10 minutes, and you’ve got the perfect holiday appetizer.
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How to Make Bejeweled Goat Cheese
One of my favorite things about this bejeweled holiday marinated goat cheese, other than how gorgeous and tasty it is, is how truly easy it is to throw together. You need one bowl and 10 minutes. That’s it!
Marinate the dried fruits. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, chives, apricots, figs, cranberries, raisins, pine nuts and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Tip ⇢ If you’re using larger dried fruits, like apricots or figs, roughly chop them so the fruits are uniform in size.
Choosing herbs and nuts ⇢ I go for a ton of freshly snipped chives and some pine nuts, but anything you love will work here! Rosemary and thyme are always great with goat cheese, as are pecans and walnuts.
When you’re ready to serve, place the goat cheese in a serving dish. Pour the marinated fruits over the goat cheese, and serve with crackers.
Goat cheese ⇢ I like using a larger piece of goat cheese, rather than a typical 4 ounce log, for this recipe. You can find cut-to-order goat cheese at the cheese counter of most grocery stores.
I can’t wait for you to make this Bejeweled Holiday Marinated Goat Cheese! It’s so delicious, such a breeze to make, and looks absolutely beautiful in a spread of holiday appetizers.
If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
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Bejeweled Holiday Marinated Goat Cheese
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes (includes inactive time)
- Yield: serves 8–10 1x
- Category: appetizer
Description
An easy and beautiful appetizer for any holiday party, this bejeweled holiday marinated goat cheese is always a total show stopper. Dried fruits (apricots, golden raisins, figs, cranberries) are marinated with fresh herbs and pine nuts, then served over a generous portion of goat cheese.
Ready in 10 minutes!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup grapeseed oil (or another neutral oil – canola, vegetable, etc.)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs of choice (chives, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
- ¼ cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dried figs, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 8 ounces goat cheese (see Recipe Notes)
- crackers of choice, for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the dried fruits: In a medium bowl, combine the oil, chives, apricots, figs, cranberries, raisins, pine nuts and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve: When you’re ready to serve, place the goat cheese in a serving bowl. Pour the mixture from Step 1 over the goat cheese. Serve immediately, with crackers of choice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Goat cheese is the most important part of this bejeweled holiday marinated goat cheese recipe. I like using a larger piece of goat cheese, which makes for prettier presentation than the 4 ounce logs you most usually find in the cheese section of your grocery store. If you have a cheese shop you love, or your grocery store has a pretty legit cheese counter (the one at Whole Foods is great!), you should be able to buy goat cheese cut to order.
My daughter has been eating the topping on cottage cheese all week for breakfast and is in love with it!! Lots of options for this fantastic recipe!
Hi Jenny! We don’t blame her one bit – the topping is SO good!! So glad she loved it!
Beautiful and delicious appetizer. Made this for my annual Galentines party and the ladies love it! I could not find a wheel of goat cheese so I cut a 10oz log so that you have the surface area to really show off the topping. Also subbed pecans because that’s what I had in hand. Fantastic dish!! And even good the next day!
The perfect Galentine’s appetizer, if I do say so myself! Great tip on using a goat cheese log – thanks so much for sharing, Jodi!
This app was a hit at our family gathering! I love that you can make it ahead of time and set it out in a matter of minutes for guests. Will definitely make again!
Will forever be one of my favorites, too Lindsey! I’m so glad your family loves it!
I love eating goat cheese with crackers and wine.