Looking for a super simple appetizer? You'll love this Blue Cheese Crostini! This easy recipe is ready fast, and the combination of sweet, savory, and nutty flavors is so delicious. It's the perfect snack or party appetizer!
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Ginnie's Take
I grew up in Wisconsin (home to many a cheesehead), so I'm officially a cheese aficionado! While I love them all, blue cheese is definitely a favorite. There are so many different varieties, and each one is seemingly tastier than the next. If you're a fan of this tangy cheese too, this Blue Cheese Crostini is for you! This easy appetizer takes minutes to prepare, yet the combination of sharp cheese, sweet-tart cranberries, and toasty nuts is simply irresistible. Yum!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Delicious - Blue cheese lovers, this one is for you! Choose your favorite variety, then pair it with cranberries and nuts for an appetizer with the most amazing sweet-savory flavor and creamy-crispy texture.
- Super Simple - You only need a few ingredients for this recipe, and apart from baking the crostini, there's no cooking required. Just layer the ingredients on the mini toasts, and you're done!
- Festive - This recipe can be enjoyed year round, and it makes an excellent snack or appetizer! It's especially festive during the holiday season though, and it would be perfect for treating your guests at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Jump to:
Ingredients
You need just a few ingredients to make this easy Blue Cheese Appetizer:
- Cheese - Any variety of blue cheese will work for this recipe, however I suggest using a creamy blue cheese, which will be easier to spread without cracking the toasts. I used gorgonzola.
- Cranberries - You'll top the cheese with dried cranberries (also known as craisins).
- Nuts - Toasted walnuts add a wonderful nutty flavor and pair perfectly with the cheese and fruit.
- Honey - A drizzle of your favorite honey is the perfect finishing touch!
- Crostini - You'll make the easy crostini from scratch, using a baguette, extra virgin olive oil, and kosher salt.
This recipe is vegetarian, and it's easy to make gluten free, too. Check out the Variations section below for tips!
You'll Also Need
Grab a serrated knife for slicing the bread, along with a pastry brush for coating it with olive oil. You'll also need a baking sheet for cooking the crostini, and a small frying pan for toasting the nuts.
How to Make Crostini with Blue Cheese
This Blue Cheese and Cranberry Crostini couldn't be easier to make! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's quick overview of the steps:
- Make crostini. Start by thinly slicing your bread. Then brush it with olive oil, and sprinkle it lightly with salt. Bake the crostini until it's crisp and lightly browned.
- Toast nuts. While the bread cooks, toast the walnuts in a small frying pan. Watch them closely, so they don't burn.
- Assemble crostini. Top each crostini with a little blue cheese, followed by the cranberries, and then the nuts. Drizzle honey over the top.
Okay, told you that was easy. Which means you can enjoy this delicious Blue Cheese Crostini whenever a craving strikes!
Variations
This blue cheese hors d'oeuvres is fun and easy to customize! Here are a few ideas to try:
- Fruits - Swap out the cranberries for dried cherries, or use fresh fruits, like pears, apples, figs, blueberries, or blackberries. Roasted grapes would also be delish!
- Nuts - Instead of walnuts, try pecans, almonds, or pistachios.
- Cheese - Short on blue cheese? Try another spreadable cheese, such as goat cheese, a creamy feta, or even Boursin.
- Hot Honey - Drizzle the toasts with hot honey for a some spicy heat.
- Jam - Replace the dried cranberries with fig jam or cranberry preserves. Leftover Cranberry Sauce would be tasty, too!
- Onions - For a more savory, yet still sweet flavor, add caramelized onions instead of cranberries.
- Bread - This recipe uses a baguette, however you can make crostini with other breads, such as focaccia or sourdough. Just make sure to cut it into smaller pieces, if needed (each toast should be about 2 bites).
- Gluten Free - Make the crostini with a GF baguette, and double check all other labels, if you have an allergy.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this Crostini with Blue Cheese with a few other appetizers, and you have a party! It would be wonderful served with these flavorful Stuffed Mushrooms, creamy Cheese Truffles, festive Pull Apart Christmas Tree, irresistible Sun Dried Tomato Hummus, or this tasty Sweet and Spicy Snack Mix.
Storage
These Blue Cheese Toasts are tastiest and have the best texture when eaten shortly after they're made. However, you can bake the crostini and toast the nuts ahead of time. Once baked, the crostini taste freshest when eaten within a couple days, however it will keep for up to two weeks (store it, and the nuts, in airtight containers at room temp).
Related Recipes
Looking for similar recipes? Try my Brie Crostini or my Whipped Goat Cheese and Honey Crostini next! You'll love these other appetizer ideas, too:
- If you're a bruschetta fan, you'll adore this Tomato Crostini!
- For a more savory take, make this mouthwatering Mushroom Crostini.
- This Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Crostini is the perfect fall + winter snack!
- Love avocado toast? Then you have to try this amazing Avocado Crostini.
- This easy Garlic Crostini recipe is an simple way to make the basic crostini toasts even more flavorful!
Looking for more blue cheese ideas? Try my yummy Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese, gorgeous Roasted Delicata Squash Salad, addictive Buffalo Tater Tots, or party perfect Blue Cheese Spread!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Crostini are thinly sliced bread pieces (typically, from a baguette) that are brushed with olive oil, then baked until crisp. These crispy toasts are served as an appetizer with different toppings, including as veggies, cheeses, dips, and more.
Crostini and bruschetta are similar types of Italian toast. Crostini is usually made with a baguette that's been thinly sliced and brushed with olive oil, then baked until crunchy. Bruschetta, on the other hand, is typically made with rustic-style bread, sliced a little thicker, and rubbed with garlic. Traditionally, bruschetta is grilled, which gives the finished toasts a little char and a slightly smokey flavor.
Crostini can be served cold, hot, or at room temperature, depending on the toppings. It's frequently eaten at room temperature, which makes it perfect for parties!
Crostini should be crunchy, but not so hard that it hurts your mouth. If your Crostini is too hard, slice your bread thinner (about ¼-inch thick is best), or choose a bread with a less dense texture.
Crostini, which means "little toasts" in Italian, are small slices of toasted bread. The singular version of crostini is crostino.
Blue Cheese Crostini
Ingredients
For Crostini:
- 1 baguette
- 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
For Topping:
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 4 ounces (113 grams) blue cheese (see note below)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
Prepare Crostini:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Use serrated knife to cut baguette into 20 thin slices (on an angle, ¼-inch thick). Save the remaining bread for another use.
- Place the slices on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Brush both sides with olive oil, then sprinkle one side lightly with salt.
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until crisp throughout and lightly golden (no need to flip). Set aside and let cool.
Assemble Crostini:
- While crostini cooks, place walnuts in a small frying pan over medium heat. Cook until lightly browned and toasty smelling, watching closely and stirring often to avoid burning. Remove from heat, then transfer to a small bowl or plate.
- When crostini is ready, divide cheese into 20 equal pieces. Carefully spread cheese over crostini. (Don't press too hard, or the crostini will break. If your cheese isn't spreadable, crumble it over the crostini instead.)
- Top cheese with cranberries, then add walnuts.
- Drizzle crostini with honey, then serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
