Pistachio and Raisin Goat Cheese Log For Holiday Entertaining
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For a quick, easy, and tasty appetizer to serve during the holidays, this Pistachio and Raisin Goat Cheese Log is one to add to your list.
The 10-minute recipe uses just 4 ingredients, and is sure to be a hit!
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Pistachio and Raisin Goat Cheese Log
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions and ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
Goat cheese logs are easy to make and a great addition to any holiday party.
You can serve them on their own with an assortment of your favorite crackers and vegetable crudités, or you can thinly slice them to serve over your favorite mixed green salad.
Why not use this pistachio and raisin goat cheese log recipe as a way to inspire your own creativity? There are tons of wonderful variations you can create with just a few simple ingredients.
For example, you can use toasted walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pine nuts, or pecans instead of pistachios.
Instead of raisins, try other dried fruits such as cranberries, apricots, figs, dates, or golden raisins (sultanas).
Why not use chopped fresh herbs, edible flowers, or spices to roll the cheese in? There is also the option of cooked crumbled bacon, prosciutto, or chopped chili peppers.
For a truly decadent treat, try coating a goat cheese log in a semi-sweet chocolate ganache topped with chopped peanuts.
And if you’re not a big fan of goat cheese you could use cream cheese instead.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
It may not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Dairy – Goat Cheese Log
- Honey – try to buy locally-produced honey when possible.
- Pistachios
- Raisins
- Crackers – of your choice, to serve
Goat cheese, or chevre (from the French word for goat), is cheese made from goat’s milk. Goat cheese is made in a wide variety of styles, from soft fresh cheese to hard-aged cheese. – Wikipedia
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Goat Cheese
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is goat cheese, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- 5-Ingredient Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese Log Appetizer For the Holidays
- Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon – Holiday Appetizer Recipe
- 30-Minute Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Appetizers
More Appetizer Recipes
Looking for more appetizers to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Christmas Brie Crostini Appetizer with Orange-Cranberry Relish
- How To Make A Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Ball Appetizer For Parties
- Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Cups
Recipe Tips
- If you want to make several varieties, it is more cost-effective to buy the larger goat cheese logs and cut them into 3 smaller logs.
- Regular kitchen knives can squish the log into awkward shapes while cutting. Use dental floss to slice logs into uniform, round slices instead. However, be sure to use non-mint-flavored floss when you do!
How Do I Make A Pistachio and Raisin Goat Cheese Log?
Check out the printable recipe card below with all the ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Pistachio & Raisin Goat Cheese Log Appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 4 oz/100g goat cheese log, chilled
- 2 Tbsp honey
- ⅔ cup roasted pistachios without shells
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- Crackers to serve
Instructions
- Remove goat cheese log from package and drizzle with honey. Gently spread honey with your fingers until the entire surface is evenly covered.
- Finely chop the pecans and place them onto a small clean plate with the raisins.
- Gently roll the honey-coated goat cheese log in the nuts until the entire surface is coated. Apply gentle pressure with your fingers to fill in any open spaces.
- Transfer to a serving plate and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator until 5-10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with extra honey just before serving if desired.
- Serve with crackers of your choice. Could also serve with crudités or slice into rounds to top a mixed green salad.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Holiday Dinner!
You’ve made the appetizer, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a holiday dinner party!
- Soup: 30 Minute Ground Turkey Mushroom Soup Recipe
- Salad: Fig and Roasted Fennel Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Main Dish: How To Cook Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
- Side Dish: Comforting & Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Red Potatoes
- Beverage: Cinnamon & Cumin-Infused Cranberry Vodka Spritzer Cocktail
- Dessert: Chocolate Almond Buttercrunch
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.