10 Minute prep creamy, sweet and tangy cheese log with cranberries and pistachios is the EASIEST yet most impressive appetizer you will ever make!
This festive cheese log can be made DAYS in advance so it’s the perfect stress-free appetizer for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any holiday party! YAY for easy entertaining! and YAY for the best Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log!
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Cheese Log Recipe Video
Cheese Log
Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week?! I have all your scrumptious sides covered (click HERE to see them all in one place) so this has been the week of appetizers! And I saved the best for l last. My dear Readers. I don’t beg often so you know I’m serious when I implore you to please make this Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log. For you. For your family. For your guests. Everyone will lovoooooe you for it!
With the bustling holiday season upon us, this Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log is your back pocket appetizer ace to sanity and deliciousness all entertaining season long! It’s sophisticated and beautiful yet deceptively simple to prepare. At the same time, it’s so crazy delicious everyone will crowd around until every last pistachio crumb has been licked off the plate.
Cheese Log Recipe
The outer coating of tangy, fresh cranberries and salty, crunchy pistachios paired with the tangy, smooth and creamy herb spiked goat cheese is an indulgent, textural taste of heaven. Drizzle it all with honey to enhance the flavors and balance the tangy cranberries and goat cheese then dig in with Crunchmaster crackers for even more textural bliss.
This Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log can be paired on a cheese plate with grapes, nuts, etc. or can stand alone served with crackers. It also is delicious spread on baguettes, burgers, muffins, etc. No matter how you serve this cheese log recipe, it will be a hit!
How to Make Cheese Log
Once you’ve picked up your Crunchmaster crackers and are ready to make your Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log, you can be serving your appetizer in no time! To make, first pulse your fresh cranberries and pistachios in your food processor until chopped small. I have never seen a cheese log with chopped cranberries like this, and let me tell you, it’s divine and looks gorgeous!
Remove ½ cup of your chopped cranberries and pistachio to a medium bowl to make your filling. Next add your goat cheese, cream cheese, honey, and dried thyme, dried rosemary ground ginger, ground cinnamon, salt and pepper and stir to combine. The fact that we are adding pistachios, cranberries and seasonings to the inside of the cheese log and not just to the outside means flavor through and through which equals maximum flaaaaaaaavor through and through.
The filling will be quite soft at this point, so we add it to a piece of plastic wrap and form into the shape of a log, wrap it up and freezer for 20-30 minutes until slightly firm however we still want it to be semi-soft so the coating will stick to it.
Next, sprinkle your chopped cranberries and pistachios onto a piece of parchment paper in a single layer square a little larger than the length of the cheese log. Add the cheese log to the edge of the Coating and roll until evenly coated, pressing Coating into the cheese so it sticks. Viola! You’ve just made your impressively beautiful, festive, crave worthy Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log!
Make Ahead Cheese Log
The cheese log can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at this point and refrigerated for several days until ready to serve – love this, because, when it comes to holidays, appetizers are all about simplicity. When ready to serve, remove the Cranberry Goat Cheese Log from the refrigerator about 15 minutes beforehand so it can soften and come to room temperature. Drizzle generously with honey just before serving to compliment the tangy cranberries and goat cheese and serve with your Crunchmaster crackers.
And enjoy every rich, creamy sweet and savory crunchy bite with a subtle punch of flavor and a not so subtle punch of Oh. My. YUM.
LOOKING FOR MORE CHEESY APPETIZER RECIPES?
- Garlic Herb Cheese Log
- Brushetta Cheese Ball
- Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball
- Brie Spinach Dip
- Baked Brie in Puff Pastry
- Cheesy Artichoke Dip Bites
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Easy Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log
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Ingredients
Cranberry Pistachio Coating
- 1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup shelled roasted, salted pistachios
Cheese Log
- 7-8 oz. goat cheese log or tub
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 tsp EACH ground ginger, ground cinnamon, salt, dried thyme, dried rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup Cranberry Pistachio Coating mixture (in directions)
Garnish
- honey
Instructions
- Add cranberries and pistachios to your food processor and chop into small pieces (but don’t over-process). Remove ½ cup and add it to a medium bowl. Add all remaining Goat Cheese Log ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Add this cheese mixture to a large piece of plastic wrap, and form into the shape of a log. Wrap in plastic wrap. Freezer for 20-30 minutes. We want the cheese log slightly firm so it holds its shape but is still soft enough for the Coating to be pressed into it.
- Line counter with about a large piece parchment paper. Add Coating ingredients to parchment and spread into a single layer square a little larger than the length of the cheese log. Add cheese log to the edge of the Coating and roll in Coating (see photos) until evenly coated, pressing coating into the cheese so it sticks. The cheese log can be refrigerated at this point until ready to serve or serve immediately.
- When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator 15 minutes beforehand so it can soften. Drizzle generously with honey just before serving. Serve with crackers.
Video
Notes
prep ahead
The cheese log can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for several days until ready to serve, then, remove from the refrigerator about 15 minutes beforehand so it can soften and come to room temperature. Drizzle generously with honey just before serving.Want To Make This Recipe?
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of TH Foods. The opinions and text are all mine.
Kristina says
I made this a second time for a holiday party – I used up my regular honey in the cheese log so I drizzled a cinnamon orange honey over the top. It was great.
Jen says
YUM! Cinnamon orange honey sounds AMAZING! Thanks for your sweet review Kristina!
Elena says
Happy New Year, Jen! I just wanted to say that I made this twice over the holidays and it was a huge hit! Even my goat cheese despising husband loved it. I would encourage those in the comments who want to sub the goat cheese to give it a try first. I also appreciated being able to make it a day or two ahead of time. We were already big fans of your bacon, ranch cheese ball, and this is definitely another winner! Thank you again for sharing! 🙂
Jen says
Thank you so much for your warm feedback! I’m so glad that you and your “goat cheese hating’ husband loved this Cheese log recipe as well as my bacon ranch cheese ball! Happy New Year to you as well Elena!