Goat Cheese Crostini is made of honey-buttered toasts, topped with soft goat cheese, and then with juicy persimmon. They are easy to make and perfect for holiday parties.
Holidays is all about parties and get togethers. I'm always looking for easy appetizer recipes that are crowd pleasing yet effortless. This goat cheese crostini is so good that I always end up making more!
What is Crostini? It means little toasts. It is an Italian appetizer consisting of small slices of toasted or grilled bread, typically brushed with olive oil and then adorned with a range of fruity or meaty toppings, often complemented with salty cheese.
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Why you'll love this?
- Quick and easy to prepare.
- Bite size making them perfect finger food for entertaining.
- Switch the toppings to feature ingredients that are in season.
- The components can be prepared in advance, and assemble just before serving.
- Irresistible combination of sweet, salty, crunchy and soft textures.
- Visually appealing.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Bread - French baguettes are ideal for this goat cheese crostini recipe as they naturally yield two bite-sized pieces when sliced.
- Goat cheese - Fresh and creamy goat cheese, like chèvre is often preferred for spreading, due to its smooth texture and tangy flavor.
- Butter - Softened butter, that is at room temperature is the key.
- Honey - It provides an excellent balance of sweetness, coupled with the ideal viscosity for both drizzling and spreading. Try hot honey recipe instead!
- Olive oil - The fruity and savory notes of olive oil compliment the fruity persimmons.
- Persimmon - Like for the persimmon bread or persimmon muffins, use sweet, juicy Fuyu persimmon. If you are preparing this goat cheese crostini when persimmons are not in season, refer to the suggestions below for alternative topping ideas.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
- Mix butter, 3 tablespoons honey, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.
2. Spread a thin layer of honey butter on side of each bread slice.
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3. Bake in oven - Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange bread, buttered side up in a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 13 minutes, until they look deep golden in color.
To air fry - Preheat air fryer to 370°F. Arrange bread, buttered side up in the basket and toast for 4 to 6 minutes, until they look deep golden in color. Cook in batches.
Tip: Toasted bread slices can be stored in an air tight container, at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Serving instructions
Spread toast with soft goat cheese, layer persimmon slices and drizzle with honey drizzle just before serving.
Topping ideas
As for what toppings, you’re only limited by your imagination! You can also switch the flavors by using any of the following ideas:
- Use a different type of cheese like ricotta, fresh mozzarella or burrata. Try our baked brie with puff pastry.
- When persimmon is not in season, use sliced strawberries or roasted grapes instead.
- Skip the fruit and use sliced meats such as prosciutto, salami, or smoked salmon.
- Use a balsamic glaze instead of the honey-olive oil drizzle. (I like this recipe from Natashas Kitchen)
- Skip the fruit and use roasted peppers, tomatoes, or caramelized onions.
- Use fresh or roasted cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic glaze instead.
- Make caprese style crostini. Use sliced heirloom tomatoes or vine ripened cherry toamtoes, and fresh basil, finished with balsamic glaze.
- Top the goat cheese crostini with chopped caramel walnuts or toasted pecans. Refer this article on how to toast pecans.
How to make ahead
Prepare the toasted bread in advance and store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Persimmons can be peeled, sliced and stored in the refrigerator.
Assembled crostinis can be refrigerated for up to a few hours. Any longer, will make the bread softer. If you're seeking effortless ideas for holiday entertaining, consider trying this charcuterie for 15 or a collection of 20 air fryer Thanksgiving recipes.
Helpful tips
- Persimmon- Use Fuyu variety. Select sweet, ripe but not squish fruits like for the persimmon galette.
- Goat cheese needs to be at room temperature. It makes it easier to spread and helps in making the toppings stay intact.
Recipe FAQs
The best bread for making goat cheese crostini is typically a baguette or French bread. They have a firm texture that holds up well when sliced and toasted, and also yield two-bite portions when sliced. Sourdough or ciabatta also work well due to their slightly denser texture and ability to crisp up nicely when toasted.
As an appetizer, plan for 2-3 crostini per person. This estimate can vary based on the size, the variety of toppings offered, and whether other appetizers are being served. Feel free to adjust the quantity, considering to the overall menu to ensure your guests have enough to enjoy.
While goat cheese is traditional, other cheeses like ricotta, feta, brie or fresh mozzarella can be used as alternatives or in combination with goat cheese for varied flavors.
The creamy and mild flavor of ricotta makes a great substitute for goat cheese. It pairs well with sweet or savory toppings.
Feta is tangy and crumbly and is ideal with savory toppings, such as olives, tomatoes and herbs.
Fresh mozzarella can work well, especially with toppings like tomatoes, basil, and balsamic glaze, like of a caprese-style toast.
To avoid sogginess, ensure the bread is toasted until fully crisp and then cooled completely before spreading the goat cheese. This helps create a sturdy base that can withstand the moisture from the cheese and toppings.
When adding fruity toppings like persimmon or strawberries, pat them dry with a paper towel before placing them on the toast. This helps reduce additional moisture that could make the bread soggy.
Also, assemble them just before serving. This helps maintain the crispness of the bread until your guests are ready to enjoy them.
Crostini is basically a smaller version of bruschetta. While both involve toasted bread with various toppings, the differences lie in the size and type of bread used, the textures and the style of toppings used.
Bruschetta traditionally uses larger, thicker slices of bread, like the one used in air fryer bread pudding or garlic bread grilled cheese, is generally less crisp and remains soft on the inside. The toppings on a bruschetta often consist of fresh, chunky ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and sometimes fresh cheese, creating a colorful and robust topping. It is usually served as a single larger piece, making it more of an individual serving.
Crostini, on the other hand, typically involves smaller, thinner slices of bread, often made from baguette and are usually toasted or baked until crispy. Crostini toppings can include a wider range of spreads, cheeses, meats, vegetables or fruits. They are typically served as bite-sized appetizers, allowing for a variety of toppings and allowing guests to sample different flavor combinations.
More appetizer recipes
Goat Cheese Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 baguette, cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 5 tablespoons honey, divided
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 8 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
- 2 large ripe Fuyu persimmons, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
Toast bread
- Mix butter, 3 tablespoons honey, salt and pepper taste in a small bowl. Spread a thin layer of the honey butter on side of each bread slice.
- To bake in oven - Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange bread, buttered side up in a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 13 minutes, until they look deep golden in color. To air fry - Preheat air fryer to 370°F. Arrange bread, buttered side up in the basket and toast for 4 to 6 minutes, until they look deep golden in color. Cook in batches. Tip: Toasted bread slices can be stored in an air tight container, at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Assemble crostini
- Spread toasts with goats cheese, layer persimmon slices and drizzle with honey drizzle just before serving.To make honey drizzle, stir together remaining 2 tablepsoons honey, ¼ cup olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
I don't think a more beautiful crostini exists on this earth! This sounds delicious!
Maria Doss
Thank you Kelsie:)
Kim | The Baking ChocolaTess
Wow! I still need to try persimmons...but these crostinis look so gorgeous Maria! Yum!!! Happy Thanksgiving my sweet friend!!
Maria Doss
You've got try persimmons Kim:) Wishing you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving dear!!!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
Salty, sweet with a side of tang! Sounds yummy! The perfect appetizer! Happy Thanksgiving darling!!
Maria Doss
Thank you Kelly!!! Wishing you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving dear:)
heather (delicious not gorgeous)
oooh these sound like awesome appetizers! these take that fruity/cheesy/carby combo and makes it so classy (:
Maria Doss
Thank you Heather. Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving dear:)
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Walnuts that taste caramelized? I couldn't say no to that!! These look and sound so amazing. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Maria Doss
Thank you Kathy. Wishing you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving:)