Goat cheese crostini are crisp toasted baguette slices spread with creamy goat cheese and finished with sweet or savory toppings. They're one of my go-to appetizers when friends come for dinner because they're easy to make and endlessly adaptable. Try the featured fresh fig, prosciutto, and hot honey version, roasted cherry tomatoes with basil, or one of the 12 seasonal topping ideas below to make them your own.
Fresh figs make a beautiful seasonal topping, but you can use sliced dried figs or fig jam when fresh figs are unavailable. Once you know the simple goat cheese crostini method, mix and match the sweet and savory combinations below for parties, holidays, or an easy appetizer to take to friends.
Goat Cheese Crostini Recipe Snapshot
- Easy and fast - Toast the baguette, spread with softened goat cheese, and add your toppings. Use either GF baguette or wheat baguette.
- Endlessly versatile - Choose from sweet or savory combinations for every season and occasion.
- Perfect for entertaining - Serve them at parties, holiday gatherings, wine nights, or take a platter to friends.
- Make them your own - Try fresh figs, prosciutto, and hot honey or balsamic glaze, or try roasted tomatoes, pesto, blueberry compote, or check the chart below for more ideas.
Chef's tip on baguettes: Baguettes vary in size. If yours is long and narrow, slice it on a slight angle to create a larger surface for the toppings. If it is wider, cut it straight across into rounds. Either shape works well for goat cheese crostini. Cut a few extra slices because baguettes sometimes have large holes inside-or because someone may steal a few for snacks. If you cannot find a gluten-free baguette, use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles from slices of gluten-free bread, then brush and toast them the same way.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the crostini
- Baguette - Use a regular or gluten-free baguette sliced into ½-inch pieces.
- Olive oil - A light brushing helps the crostini toast until crisp and golden.
- Goat cheese - I buy a log and let it soften before spreading so it glides easily over the toasted bread. A tub of spreadable goat cheese works too. Buy plain so the flavors do not compete with your toppings.
For the featured fig topping
- Fresh figs - Choose ripe figs that are soft but not mushy. When fresh figs are unavailable, use sliced dried figs or fig jam.
- Prosciutto - Adds a savory, salty contrast to the sweet figs.
- Hot honey - Brings sweetness with a gentle kick. Regular honey also works, as does balsamic glaze.
Please see the recipe card for measurements.
Chef's Tip on buying and using fresh figs: Fresh figs are sweet and tender, with delicate skin and a light crunch from their tiny seeds. Because they are highly perishable, buy them the day you plan to serve them or no more than a day ahead, depending on ripeness. When fresh figs are unavailable, sliced dried figs or fig jam make excellent year-round alternatives. Learn more about the different varieties of figs.
Fresh figs have a short season, so make the most of them while they're available. They're also delicious in my Fig Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.
How to Make Goat Cheese Crostini
- Slice the baguette on a diagonal into ½" wide pieces. 12 crostini serve 4-6 people.
- Brush slices lightly with olive oil and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake about 8 minutes until golden. Let the crostini cool. They crisp as they cool, then spread with the softened goat cheese.
- If you are making the fig variation, slice the prosciutto in half lengthwise and fold the pieces to fit on the goat cheese covered crostini, and add a quartered fig to each piece.
Don't like goat cheese? Try using whipped ricotta cheese instead.
Chef's Make-Ahead Tip: Bake the crostini ahead, cool them completely, and store them in an airtight container or zip-style bag at room temperature. Spread with goat cheese and add the toppings shortly before serving so the crostini stay crisp.
Seasonal Goat Cheese Crostini Topping Ideas
| Season | Topping Ideas |
|---|---|
| Spring | Strawberries, balsamic & basil • Sweet pea puree & mint • Creamy artichoke spread • Apricot preserves, pistachios & thyme |
| Summer | Roasted tomatoes & basil • Pesto • Peaches, prosciutto & hot honey • Blueberry compote & pistachios • Classic bruschetta |
| Fall | Fresh figs, prosciutto & hot honey • Fig jam & walnuts • Apple, walnuts & maple • Mushrooms & thyme • Caramelized onions |
| Winter | Pear, walnuts & honey • Cranberry-orange sauce • Pomegranate & pistachios • Duxelles • Fig jam & bacon crumbles |
Serving Suggestions
Serve goat cheese crostini at room temperature on a platter, and add hot honey or balsamic glaze just before serving. They're perfect for cocktail parties, holiday gatherings, wine nights, or as an easy appetizer to take to friends (assemble there).
Plan on about two crostini per person when serving several appetizers. If they're the main pre-dinner nibble, allow three per person. The recipe is easy to scale up for a larger gathering.
Recipe FAQs
Toast the crostini ahead and store them at room temperature in an airtight container. Add the goat cheese and toppings shortly before serving so they stay crisp.
Use thinly sliced dried figs or fig jam. Both work well with prosciutto, hot honey, balsamic glaze, or toasted nuts. Or try, blueberry compote, pesto, roasted tomatoes, sautted mushrooms, there are many options. Check out the chart above.
Yes. Cut small rounds from sturdy bread slices, brush lightly with olive oil, and toast them as you would baguette slices.
More Appetizer Recipes
No matter the season or occasion. there are appetizers for all your entertaining needs. Here are a few ideas, and check out more ideas on the appetizer recipes page index.
If You Make Goat Cheese Crostini
Please drop me a comment and let me know how you served them. I love hearing from you and your comments help other readers too.
📖 Recipe
Goat Cheese Crostini with Figs and Prosciutto
Equipment
- Serrated bread knife
Ingredients
Crostini
- 12 slices baguette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Crostini Toppings
- 4-5 ounces plain goat cheese, softened to room temperature or use a tub of spreadable goat cheese
- 3 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto 6 slices, sliced in half lengthwise
- 3-4 fresh figs washed, stem cut off and quartered
- 2 tablespoons hot honey or balsamic glaze or good balsamic vinegar
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Instructions
Slice Crostini
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. With a serrated knife, slice the baguette into ½" wide pieces on the diagonal. Place slices on a rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment or aluminum foil. Note - If you are making cfostini from gluten-free bread, cut them now.
Prep
- Slice Prosciutto lengthwise into into halves. fold or ribbon each piece to fit onto a crostini.
Bake Crostini
- Lightly brush the baguette slices with olive oil. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until lightly golden. The crostini will not feel fully crisp when they first come out of the oven, but they will crisp as they cool.To make them ahead, cool completely and store in an airtight container or zip-style bag at room temperature until ready to assemble.
- Assemble Crostini
- Spread each crostini with softened goat cheese. Top with a folded ribbon of prosciutto and one fig quarter.Just before serving, drizzle with hot honey, balsamic glaze, or a small amount of good-quality balsamic vinegar.
Notes
Nutrition
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Vicky says
Sounds like a delicious combination of flavors! Can't wait to try this!
susan says
I love this flavor profile, Sally! Anything with a fig gets my vote!
Deliciously Organic says
I just saw fresh figs at the market the other day and was looking for a new recipe to try. These are perfect! It was so great catching up the other day!
Suzanne says
these look so tasty, the figs look perfectly ripe. Great combination of flavors that is simple to make.
Mindy says
I'm definitely trying this next time we have guests! We don't get a lot of fresh figs here in Kentucky, but I like the idea of using fig jam...