Raisin Pine Nut Goat Cheese Dip is perfect for any occasion! Crumbled goat cheese topped with sweet raisins and caramelized onions, savory rosemary and pine nuts, it's super creamy and incredibly delicious! This honey goat cheese dip is so easy and ready in just 15 minutes, they'll eat it til it's gone!
Why We Love It!
- It's the Perfect Holiday Appetizer! - This easy goat cheese appetizer has become one of our favorites! It's perfect for the holidays because it looks so elegant while being so quick and simple! I love to add it to our New Year’s Eve grazing menu with Sweet and Sticky Party Meatballs, and Cranberry Honey Baked Brie.
- Quick and Easy! - It’s SO easy, a quick topping saute and ready to serve in just 15 minutes! Plus only a handful of ingredients!
- The Flavor is Incredible! - My distant cousins were in town for a visit, and brought us a goat cheese dip from the local fancy cheese shop. We devoured it, the kids played, and we figured out that we are actually "second cousins once removed" (family tree connections are a hidden talent of mine). The goat cheese topping was so incredible, I set out to recreate it! The flavor is amazing, and turned out even better than the original! If you love goat cheese, try my Goat Cheese Artichoke Dip!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Goat Cheese - A 4 to 6 oz log of goat cheese feeds about 2 to 4 people. So if you are having a larger party, you can use more than one, and double the topping amount.
- Onion - The topping starts by caramelizing onions, bringing out their natural sugars and giving you that first sweet and savory layer of flavor.
- Fresh Rosemary - Definitely go for fresh over dried! Real rosemary flavor is amazing and just feels like the holidays!
- Pine Nuts - Pine nuts are a pricey ingredient but this recipe only uses a little bit. The flavor and that bite of crunch are worth it!
- Dried Fruit - I used dried cranberry and golden raisins to give a nice bite of sweetness and also a pop of color. Subbing any type of raisins, chopped dried apricots or other dried fruit would work too.
- Honey - This goat cheese appetizer with honey gives just a touch of sweetness that marries with the caramelized onion to balance all the savory flavors.
Instructions
Step 1 - First make the topping. In a skillet, saute the onions until soft and lightly caramelized. Take your time here, cooking the onions slowly over low heat to develop the natural sugars.
Add in the rosemary and pine nuts to gently toast. Then add the dried fruit, honey and vinegar.
Step 2 - Crumble the goat cheese in a serving dish and top with the warm raisin pine nut mixture. Serve with crackers, garnish with fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- That quick 10 minute saute of the topping poured over the dish of goat cheese melts it just slightly. The goat cheese turns creamy and velvety, perfect dipped with crackers.
- Caramelized Onions are really the backbone flavor of this dish. Take your time here, onions should caramelize slowly over low heat. Let the natural sugars in the onion develop and lightly brown, do not burn them.
- Make Ahead - Serving this goat cheese starter right after making it gives the cheese that little delicious melt. But made ahead, refrigerated and served cold is fine too. You can also make the topping ahead and store it in the fridge, then just a quick 30 seconds in the microwave, and you can pour it warm over the goat cheese.
- Serve it With - Any type of crackers are great for serving. I especially love those Raincoast Crisps crackers in any flavor!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This easy goat cheese appetizer is perfect to add to any size charcuterie board! You can make up the dish of cheese with its topping and then make a whole board around it! Add things like crackers or sliced baguette, fruits like grapes, sliced apple or pear, berries, fig jam, bowls of nuts or olives, sliced veggies, salami or prosciutto. The possibilities are endless!
Yes, goat cheese flavored with herbs or honey would work fine for this recipe.
Yes, you can easily use 2 (or more) logs of goat cheese and double the topping. Choose a shallow dish that will hold your crumbled goat cheese in a thin layer and evenly distribute the topping.
More Favorite Appetizers
If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!
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Raisin Pine Nut Goat Cheese Appetizer
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Print Pin RateIngredients
- 4 to 6 ounce goat cheese log crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ onion small dice
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or fresh thyme)
- 1 Tablespoon pine nuts
- 2 Tablespoons golden raisins
- 2 Tablespoons dried cranberry
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 grinds fresh black pepper
- crackers for serving
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium low heat, add oil and saute onions until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add rosemary or thyme sprigs and pine nuts, stirring to toast the nuts.
- Add all other ingredients (not the goat cheese) and saute about 2 minutes more.
- Crumble goat cheese in a serving dish and top with the warm raisin mixture (remove herb sprigs).
- Serve with crackers, garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.
Notes
- This appetizer can be made ahead of time. Make up the topping and store it in the fridge. Microwave for 30 seconds and spoon it over the crumbled goat cheese when you are ready to serve!
Dave R says
Good recipe and easy to make.
DeDe says
This hit all the right notes of sweet, savory, tart, creamy, and crunchy! Used the last of some fresh cherries instead of the cranberries. Will keep this in the appetizer rotation as an easy, colorful, and delicious nosh!
Anaiah says
Ooh this looks good. Raisin pine nuts and goat cheese sound great together. Such a delicious appetizer idea!
Meryl Downing says
Thanks! Hope you like it!