Description
This Easy Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log is a festive and flavorful appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings or any special occasion. Creamy goat cheese and cream cheese are combined with sweet cranberries, crunchy pistachios, and warming spices, then rolled in a crunchy pistachio-cranberry coating. Finished with a drizzle of honey, this no-bake cheese log is both beautiful and delicious, ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log
- 1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup shelled roasted, salted pistachios
- 7–8 oz. goat cheese log or tub
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Cranberry Pistachio Coating
- 1/2 cup reserved chopped cranberry-pistachio mixture (from food processor)
- Additional 1/2 cup shelled roasted salted pistachios, finely chopped (to make up coating to 1/2 cup total)
- Additional 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, chopped (if needed, to mix with pistachios for coating)
To Serve
- Honey, for drizzling
- Crackers
Instructions
- Chop Cranberries and Pistachios: Place the fresh cranberries and shelled roasted salted pistachios in a food processor and pulse until they are chopped into small pieces, taking care not to over-process them into a paste. Remove 1/2 cup of this mixture and set aside for the coating.
- Mix Cheese and Spices: In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese log or tub with softened cream cheese, honey, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, dried thyme, dried rosemary, pepper, and the remaining chopped cranberry-pistachio mixture from the food processor. Stir well until the mixture is smooth and evenly blended.
- Shape Cheese Log: Transfer the cheese mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Using the wrap to help, shape the mixture into a log about 8 inches long. Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to let it firm up while still being soft enough to press the coating onto.
- Prepare Coating and Roll: Lay out a large piece of parchment paper on the counter and spread the reserved 1/2 cup chopped cranberry-pistachio coating mixture evenly into a flat square shape slightly larger than the cheese log. Remove the cheese log from the freezer, unwrap, place it at one edge of the coating, and roll it across the coating spread on the parchment paper, pressing gently so the coating sticks evenly all over the cheese log.
- Chill or Serve: Wrap the coated cheese log again and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, remove the cheese log from the refrigerator about 15 minutes beforehand to soften slightly. Drizzle generously with honey and serve with your favorite crackers.
Notes
- Use fresh cranberries for the best flavor and texture; frozen cranberries might release more moisture.
- Adjust spice levels according to preference; dried herbs add earthiness but can be omitted if desired.
- Make sure the cheese mixture is firm but not too hard before rolling in the coating.
- This cheese log can be made ahead and kept refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- To enhance presentation, garnish with extra whole pistachios or fresh herbs before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
