These Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites are the right barely candy, but savory appetizer. These bite-sized delights are the final word vacation appetizer, assured to impress your company and depart them craving extra. Image this: creamy goat cheese infused with a touch of tanginess, rolled in a crunchy coating of crushed pecans and a burst of sweetness from dried cranberries, drizzled with a balsamic discount. The mixture is just irresistible!

I’ve been sponsored by Princess Cruises to carry you this put up about an Alaska cruise tour, the fourth in a sequence sharing our Alaska cruise. As all the time, all opinions are 100% my very own.
Not solely are these bites a feast for the senses, however they’re additionally extremely straightforward to make. With only a handful of substances and some easy steps, you may create a shocking appetizer that can steal the present at any gathering. They’re an ideal get together appetizer all yr lengthy, however I’m actually wanting ahead to serving them over the vacation season!
I found these Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites throughout our White Cross Scenic Railway tour throughout our Alaska Cruise with Princess Cruises. As quickly as I tasted them, I knew I needed to recreate these tangy goat cheese bites to share with you. This recipe is impressed by those we loved throughout our prepare journey, catered by a neighborhood restaurant in Skagway, Alaska, referred to as The Crimson Onion.

The Versatility of Goat Cheese
Goat cheese is a delicate cheese that provides a singular and tangy taste to any dish. Its creamy texture and barely tangy style are the right complement to the sweetness of the dried cranberries and the nuttiness of the crunchy pecans. Whether or not it’s unfold on a crostini, stuffed into mushrooms, or rolled into bite-sized balls like on this recipe, goat cheese provides a contact of sophistication to any easy appetizer.

Components Wanted for Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites
To create this good vacation appetizer, you’ll need the next easy substances:
- 8 ounces of goat cheese, room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons of honey
- 1/8 teaspoon floor pepper
- ½ cup chopped pecans (use a pointy knife or meals processor to cut your personal)
- ½ cup chopped dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Tips on how to make a Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Ball
You can also make these mini cheese balls in just some straightforward steps!
First, in a big bowl, mix goat cheese, garlic, honey, and pepper. Combine with a rubber spatula till nicely mixed.
In a separate shallow bowl, mix the chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and chopped recent parsley. Stir collectively till evenly blended.
Use a small cookie scoop or teaspoon to roll two teaspoons of goat cheese combination right into a ball. Then press every particular person cheese ball into the nut combination, rolling to coat each side of the goat cheese.
Re-roll right into a spherical ball if wanted. You would possibly must roll it within the cranberry-pecan combination once more to get full protection.
Place the goat cheese truffles on a serving platter and, if desired, drizzle with a balsamic discount earlier than serving.
- Word- I halved my Balsamic Discount recipe and added a contact of honey because it simmered. It added a scrumptious of entirety, however you may serve the goat cheese bites with out it.

Ideas for Making Your Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites
- Be sure to carry the goat cheese to room temperature. It makes it a lot simpler to combine with the honey and pepper utilizing a spatula.
- I used a small cookie scoop. It made it straightforward to get simply the correct quantity of goat cheese as a substitute of utilizing two teaspoons.
- After you make them, I like to recommend refrigerating them for at the least a half hour to an hour for the goat cheese to relax earlier than serving. Personally, I simply assume they style higher chilly versus room temperature. It’s not such as you received’t take pleasure in them in the event that they’re heat, however I feel barely chilled is the way in which to go.
- They are often made the night time earlier than if you wish to save time in your get together prep, however the pecans will soften barely. I desire the crunch, however they’re nonetheless scrumptious regardless.

What to Serve with Goat Cheese Bites
This cranberry goat cheese appetizer is scrumptious with a aspect of your favourite crackers, pretzel sticks, or a sliced baguette. You might additionally contemplate a small ramekin of home made cranberry sauce.
Recipe Variations
Whereas the basic mixture of cranberries, pecans, and goat cheese is tough to beat, there are a number of variations and substitutions you may attempt to customise the recipe to your liking. Listed below are a number of concepts:
- Make this recipe into one giant cheese ball, or serve it as a cranberry goat cheese log to slice for crackers or bread slices.
- Not a goat cheese fan? Substitute cream cheese as a substitute.
- Add a contact of warmth by sprinkling a pinch of crimson pepper flakes into the goat cheese combination.
- Drizzle the completed bites with some maple syrup for added sweetness.
Be happy to get artistic and experiment with totally different flavors and textures to make this festive appetizer your personal.
And in case you do, I’d love so that you can depart a remark under as others could also be inquisitive about doing the identical!

Tips on how to retailer leftover Cranberry Goat Cheese Bites
These cheese balls should be refrigerated in an hermetic container and can maintain for as much as 3-5 days.
Are you able to freeze Goat Cheese Truffles?
Sure, you may! Wrap every cranberry goat cheese truffle individually in saran wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. They may maintain as much as a month. Simply be certain that to thaw them utterly within the fridge earlier than serving.

Extra Cranberry Appetizers for Your Vacation Celebration
For those who loved these cranberry pecan treats, you would possibly like these recipes:

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Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites
Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites – the final word vacation or anytime appetizer. You may love the goat cheese rolled in a coating of pecans and dried cranberries, making them completely candy and savory! They’re particularly good when topped with a balsamic discount, too!
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Directions
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In a medium bowl, mix the goat cheese, garlic, honey, and pepper. Combine with a rubber spatula till nicely mixed.
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In one other medium bowl, combine collectively the chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and chopped parsley.
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Utilizing a small cookie scoop or teaspoon, roll two teaspoons of goat cheese right into a ball.
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Press goat cheese into the nut combination, coating each side of the goat cheese because it flattens.
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Reroll the goat cheese right into a ball and if wanted roll in combination once more to coat extra.
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Place on serving platter and if desired, refrigerate for about half-hour earlier than serving as I feel they seem to be a bit higher when served chilled.Drizzle with a balsamic discount earlier than serving.
Notes
Vitamin
Serving: 1serving | Energy: 33kcal | Protein: 2g | Fats: 3g | Saturated Fats: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 3mg | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.2mg
This put up was initially printed July 23, 2018. It has been up to date in format and with footage on October 30. 2023.

I’ve been sponsored by Princess Cruises to carry you this put up about an Alaska cruise tour, the fourth in a sequence sharing our Alaska cruise. As all the time, all opinions are 100% my very own.

The prepare journey on Princess Cruises Alaska Cruise tour travels 20 miles from the dock to the Summit of the White Cross, an elevation of two,865 ft! We noticed Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Level, and Useless Horse Gulch. We additionally noticed a part of the unique Klondike Path of 1898. There have been even some pickaxes on the path, too.
As you may inform, we didn’t go hungry throughout our 3 1/2 hour prepare journey.
There was a submarine sandwich approach within the again on the left-hand aspect of the image, a tray of crudités and various cheeses, a shrimp and dip platter, together with their goat cheese balls within the foreground, after which a bowl of mints. Additionally not footage was a tray of phyllo cups stuffed with a mushroom pate.
We had been additionally served soda, wine, and beer by this pretty gentleman, Chris.

He was our host and information and informed us all that we would have liked to find out about totally different spots alongside our route and fascinating tales in regards to the constructing of the railroad and life in Skagway in the course of the gold rush of 1898.
Our journey within the Luxurious Class automobile on the White Cross Scenic Railway prepare was simply one in every of our Alaska Cruise Excursions compliments of Princess Cruises. I’ve to say it was my second favourite after our Zodiac journey.
It was raining a bit the day we arrived in Skagway, so I used to be pleased that we had been going to be saved heat and dry however had been nonetheless going to see extra of that lovely state.
We didn’t need to stroll far to get to the prepare both! It was actually only a hop, skip and a leap from our ship, the Island Princess.

The Luxurious Class automobile was the primary automobile of the prepare. We had been handled to a particular shock when on the very prime of the mountain earlier than we headed again down on the identical observe into city. I’ll let you know extra about this under.

Right here’s the gang! There was a complete of 14 of us and we had been in a position to sit in these cozy chairs that swiveled so we may see out each side with none drawback. Discuss driving in model, hunh?
This was one of many unique automobiles from the when the railroad was constructed for the 1898 gold rush.

the remainder of the prepare behind us whereas going up the mountain.

Heading into one of many tunnels. You may see it within the mountain behind that pine tree.

Earlier than we went by the tunnel, I regarded to my left and noticed one of many unique bridges which fortunately, is now deserted as you may see a few of it’s lacking.


Check out a number of extra of our railroad journey footage under the recipe and the way the automobile we had been driving in turned the caboose on the prime of the mountain!
Everybody will love these Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Bites. They’ll be particularly festive over the vacations with their crimson and inexperienced coloring.

I took this one on the prime of the mountain.

As I discussed earlier than, as soon as we crossed into Canada and couldn’t go any farther, the engine in entrance of us was disconnected and was moved to the opposite finish of the prepare. Our automobile then turned the caboose! It was enjoyable not having something behind us on the way in which down so we may have a transparent view of the surroundings.
The image under reveals the engine after it they disconnected it.

I imply, take a look at this view!! It was great, too to have the deck simply exterior with a bench on all sides. Though it was a bit windy and chilly it was nice to go on the market and benefit from the recent mountain air and absorb all the sweetness that was surrounding us.

I can’t suggest placing an Alaska Cruise with Princess Cruises in your bucket checklist sufficient. It’s a visit you’ll always remember and can depart you with recollections to final you a lifetime!
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