Whipped Goat Cheese with Cranberries & Pecans
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I love creating creamy dips out of my favorite cheeses and adding seasonal toppings. In this seasonal appetizer recipe I whip the goat cheese with a bit of cream cheese to create a smooth texture, then top it with a tart cranberry sauce, lightly candied pecans and rosemary. Rather than turning the cranberries into a sugary jam-like sauce like I do here, I let their tart flavor shine with just a bit of brown sugar and balance the tangy and creamy whipped goat cheese by cooking them just until they burst.
Serve this appetizer on it’s own or as part of a charcuterie board. While I like serving this whipped goat cheese dip with crostini (instructions provided below) it can also be served with crackers, pita chips, or pretzels.
Whipped Goat Cheese with Cranberries and Pecans
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Goat cheese – Also known as chèvre, it is a creamy, mild cheese made from goat’s milk. This cheese has a tart, tangy flavor and actually has many different varieties. The most common goat cheese in America is fresh chèvre which can mostly be found in log form. I combine it with cream cheese, olive oil and honey to give the desired creamy texture.
- Cream cheese – Cream cheese will help give the goat cheese a creamy texture. It’s best to let it sit at room temperature so that it easily blends with the goat cheese.
- Cranberries – Cranberries are in season from mid-September through mid-November. They are harvested from bogs throughout the Northeast. It can be very difficult to find fresh cranberries in the off-season, so I recommend using frozen cranberries if needed. I like to buy an extra bag after Thanksgiving for any winter recipes.
- Brown sugar – The brown sugar helps to lightly cut the tartness of the cranberries and adds a warming flavor to the topping.
- Pecans – Lightly candied pecans add a nutty crunch that complements the cranberry and rosemary topping over the goat cheese.
- Rosemary – Fresh rosemary is removed from the tough stems and roughly chopped as a fresh and herby garnish.
How to Make Whipped Goat Cheese with Cranberries
Step 1: Mix cranberry sauce.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the cranberries, brown sugar, ½ cup (115g) of water, orange zest and vanilla extract.
Step 2: Reduce cranberry sauce.
Cook, stirring frequently until the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Step 3: Make the candied pecans.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons (30g) of water, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer until the sugar has melted, then stir in the pecans, salt and cinnamon, tossing to coat in the sugar syrup.
Step 4: Let candied pecans cool and chop.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set a wire rack over top. Spread the pecans over the top to drain and cool. Once cooled, roughly chop the pecans.
Step 5: Whip goat cheese in food processor.
Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, honey and olive oil to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Step 6: Assemble and serve goat cheese.
Spread the goat cheese over a shallow bowl or plate. Top with the cranberry sauce and pecans. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and flake salt. Serve with crostini for dipping.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
- While I like the sweet lightly candied pecans, plain pecans can also be used.
- The whipped goat cheese can be topped with a variety of other toppings like chopped bacon bits, dates, caramelized onions or hot honey.
- Try swapping the cranberry sauce for your favorite seasonal jam.
How to prepare this in advance
- The goat cheese can be whipped in advance and stored refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to serve, about 3 days in advance.
- The cranberry sauce can also be made and stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week in advance.
- The candied pecans can be made and stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
How to make crostini
Thinly slice a baguette. Heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Dip one side of the baguette slices into the oil and place on a baking sheet with the oil-dipped side facing up. Repeat with the remaining slices. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes.
Other Recipes to Try
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Whipped Goat Cheese with Cranberries and Pecans
Ingredients:
For the cranberry sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup cranberries
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the candied pecans:
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pecans
- Pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
For the whipped goat cheese:
- 8 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
For serving:
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped rosemary
- Flake sea salt, as needed
- Crostini or toasted bread, for serving
Instructions:
For the cranberry sauce:
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the cranberries, brown sugar, ½ cup (115g) of water, orange zest and vanilla extract.
- Cook, stirring frequently until the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
For the candied pecans:
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons (30g) of water, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer until the sugar has melted, then stir in the pecans, salt and cinnamon, tossing to coat in the sugar syrup.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set a wire rack over top. Spread the pecans over the top to drain and cool.
- Once cooled, roughly chop the pecans.
For the whipped goat cheese:
- Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, honey and olive oil to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Blend until smooth and creamy.
For serving:
- Spread the goat cheese over a shallow bowl or plate. Top with the cranberry sauce and pecans. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and flake salt. Serve with crostini for dipping.
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