Cranberry Crostini Recipe
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Looking for an easy crostini appetizer? This Cranberry Crostini Recipe with cream cheese is festive, easy to make, and perfect for the holiday season.
Raise your hand if you love a good appetizer. Sometimes I could skip the main course and just fill up on party appetizers.
And cranberry crostini is one of my favorites! Much like pumpkins, cranberries are a quintessential Fall and Winter season food. For more creative ways to use berries, check out these savory berry recipes.
We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
A crostini technically means toasted bread in Italian but it sure does look and sound fancy. When you are prepping for a big party the last thing you need is a complex recipe or menu. But you want it to look good, right?!
No one needs to know cranberry crostini with cream cheese comes together in just 20 minutes. And that includes the prep work!
I know you’ve probably seen Brie cheese used with similar recipes, but I like to change things up by using cream cheese. It’s easy to find and friendly on the wallet.
As we are approaching the holiday season be sure to check out these posts for more holiday recipes and helpful tips.
- 42 Delicious, Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes You’ve Got to Try
- 27 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers
- 40 Mouth-Watering Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes the Whole Family Will Love
- 14 Tips for a Stress-Free Thanksgiving Dinner
Cranberry Crostini Recipe Ingredients
- Baguette – you can use a French or Italian loaf
- Butter – you are going to mix this with the honey, so it needs to be softened
- Honey
- Cream cheese – will need to soften
- Cranberry sauce – ditch the jellied cranberry sauce and go for one that has whole berries in it. It truly makes a difference!
- Lime zest – it’s optional but adds a bright flavor profile to the dish. Use a microplane zester for best results.
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Cranberry Crostini with Cream Cheese
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Use a serrated knife to slice the bread into 2-inch slices Then place the slices on the baking sheet.
Whisk together the butter and honey in a small mixing bowl until it’s smooth.
Spread the honey mixture on the baguette slices.
Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Spread the cream cheese on top, making sure it’s softened so it spreads easily.
Top with cranberry sauce and finish with a dash of lime zest.
What the best cheese to use with cranberries?
Traditionally soft cheeses pair well with cranberries. The most commonly-used ones are Havarti, Brie, and cream cheese. You want to use a milder cheese so the flavors balance out and it doesn’t overpower the other ingredients.
Tips for Making Crostini with Cranberries and Cream Cheese
- Substitute goat cheese for the cream cheese if preferred.
- This recipe works best with whole berry sauce rather than the jellied style sauce.
- Use my easy homemade cranberry sauce in place of store-bought sauce.
- If you’ve got access to lingonberry sauce (thank you Ikea!) swap it for the cranberry sauce. It’s soooo good!
- Cranberry crostini is best served immediately.
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More Easy Appetizer Recipes:
- The BEST Classic Cheese Ball Recipe
- Fried Goat Cheese Balls
- Neiman Marcus Dip (Million Dollar Dip)
- Homemade Jarlsberg Cheese Dip
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Cranberry Crostini Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 baguette
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
- lime zest, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Cut the baguette into 2-inch thick slices. Place slices on the baking sheet and set aside.1 baguette
- In a small bowl, whisk the butter and honey until well-combined and smooth.3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon honey
- Spread the honey-butter on the baguette slices. Bake until tops are lightly golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Remove tray from oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Spread the softened cream cheese on the baguette slices. Top with a teaspoon of cranberry sauce. Finish with lime zest, if using.4 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce, lime zest
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Recipe works best with whole berry cranberry sauce. Can also use my easy cranberry sauce recipe
- Substitute goat cheese for cream cheese if desired.
- Can replace cranberries with lingonberry sauce.
- These are best eaten the day they are made.
- To prepare in advance, toast the baguette slices a day ahead of time, then top with the cream cheese mixture and cranberry sauce when you’re ready to serve.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
