Spicy Goat Cheese Bites (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Cheese Core
01 -
10 ounce soft goat cheese (chèvre), warmed to room temp
02 -
8 ounces regular cream cheese, left out until soft
03 -
2 tablespoons spicy honey
04 -
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
05 -
1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeño (skip if you don't want heat)
→ Outer Layer
06 -
1¼ cup toasted pecans, chopped up
07 -
¾ cup chopped dried cranberries
08 -
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
→ Serving Suggestions
09 -
Crispy Melba rounds
10 -
Plain water crackers
11 -
Fresh-baked bread slices
12 -
Extra spicy honey to drizzle
# Instructions:
01 -
Dump the room temp goat cheese, soft cream cheese, spicy honey, cinnamon, and chopped jalapeño (if you want it) into your stand mixer bowl with the paddle. Beat everything for about a minute on medium until it's all fluffy and smooth. You don't want any lumps left. Then grab your spatula and fold in ¼ cup of your chopped pecans and 2 tablespoons parsley until they're spread throughout the mix.
02 -
Grab two baking sheets. On the first one, mix up your remaining pecans, cranberries, and parsley to make your coating. The red and green really look festive together. Use a small cookie scoop (about 1½ tablespoons) to make little portions of your cheese mix on the second sheet. Stick this sheet in your freezer for around 15 minutes, just until the cheese gets firm enough to handle without smashing.
03 -
Take your cheese balls out once they're firm. With clean hands, quickly roll each portion between your palms to make them nice and round. Right away, roll each ball in your pecan-cranberry-parsley mix, pressing gently so the stuff sticks all over. Put each finished ball back on the clean sheet, making sure they don't bump into each other.
04 -
Put your finished cheese balls in the fridge until you're ready to eat them. Take them out about 10 minutes before serving so they can warm up a bit. This makes them taste better and get slightly softer. Set them out with some toast, crackers, or bread slices. They look amazing as part of a bigger cheese board with some honey, fruit, and extra nuts around them.
# Notes:
01 -
These fancy goat cheese bites will wow your holiday guests with their bright red cranberries and green parsley coating.
02 -
You'll love how the tangy cheese mixes with sweet cranberries, spicy honey, and warm cinnamon for an amazing flavor mix.
03 -
Make them two days early and keep them in the fridge in a sealed container - perfect for busy holiday hosting.