Cherry Crostini

This cherry crostini recipe marries tart cherries and cheese in a pairing perfect for a spread of winter appetizers.

This post is sponsored by the Cherry Marketing Institute. All opinions are our own.

Show of hands: who celebrates Valentine’s Day? From a young age my family celebrated Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love of all kinds, especially the family and friend kind of love. My mom would surprise my sister and me with pink and red balloons, and my grandmother used to send me care packages full of Valentine’s Day decorations while I was in college. And honestly, in this world ridden with conflict and struggle and hate, who doesn’t need another day to celebrate love? Or another excuse for a special meal? (Or maybe it was simply invented for those of us in the Midwest to make it through the winter…) Whatever the case, these cherry and goat cheese crostini are the perfect winter appetizer for this holiday; keep reading for the recipe!

Related: Romantic Dinner Ideas

How to make cherry and goat cheese crostini

Alex and I love taking this time of year to dream up some special eats to eat with loved ones. This one is a super simple winter appetizer featuring a sweet and savory combo made in heaven: tart cherries and cheese. We took dried Montmorency cherries and cooked them down with a little balsamic vinegar to make a sweet-tart compote, then poured it over goat cheese crostini topped with a few slivers of fresh sage. It’s easy to prepare for guests or for a date night in, and works for occasions from Valentine’s Day to New Year’s Eve.

Related:Best Goat Cheese Recipes

A Valentine’s Day menu

This recipe part of a collaborative effort from some fantastic food bloggers around the web to make a Valentine’s Day meal starring cherries, which also doubles as an excuse to celebrate National Cherry Month. We love the challenge to incorporate a single ingredient throughout in every dish in a meal. Some friends of ours used to have a monthly ingredient-themed dinner party, and we love that idea as it’s the perfect excuse for creative cooking! This menu is full of inventive options, from cherry old fashioneds to cornish hens with cherries to cherry tarts. For the full recipes, check out this Perfectly Tart Dinner Menu. We’d love to hear if you celebrate Valentine’s Day and if you’re cooking up something fabulous?

Tart Cherry Old Fashioned | Jelly Toast

Tart Cherry Glazed Root Vegetables | Cookin’ Canuck

Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens with Pears and Tart Cherries | Love & Zest

Tart Cherry Tartelettes | Love & Lemons

What are Montmorency tart cherries?

Montmorency tart cherries are mainly grown on small family orchards in the US and Canada, and are available year round dried, frozen, and as juice in grocery stores and online. We love them for their taste, but they’re also rich in nutrients, with health benefits ranging from inflammation and exercise recovery to sleep. They’re a great snack since they can fulfill that sweet craving — you can eat them plain right out of the container (our favorite!) or pair with nuts or seeds, which makes for a fantastic combo of fiber and protein. Check out more details about Montmorency tart cherries and their nutritional benefits here.

Looking for more winter appetizers?

This cherry and goat cheese crostini is perfect for a spread of winter appetizers, be it Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, or Valentine’s Day. Here are a few of our favorite winter appetizers:

This recipe is…

This cherry and goat cheese crostini recipe is vegetarian. For gluten free, serve on gluten free crackers.

Cherry Crostini (8 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

4.5 from 8 reviews Author: a Couple Cooks

a Couple Cooks Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 14 to 16 bites 1 x Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description This cherry crostini pairs tart cherries and cheese in a pairing perfect for a spread of winter appetizers. Scale 1x 2x 3x Ingredients 1 small baguette

small baguette ½ cup dried Montmorency cherries

dried Montmorency cherries ½ cup water

water 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

balsamic vinegar 4 ounces goat cheese

goat cheese 6 fresh sage leaves Instructions Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the baguette, and place the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast 15 minutes until slightly browned and crisp. In a small saucepan, place ½ cup dried Montmorency cherries, ½ cup water, and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Bring to a strong simmer and simmer until the liquid is reduced by one half, about 7 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the sage leaves. To serve, spread goat cheese on top of the crostini; top with cherries and a bit of sage. Category: Appetizer

Method: Baked

Cuisine: American Keywords: Crostini, Goat Cheese Crostini, Cherries and Cheese, Winter Appetizers, Tart Cherries, Vegetarian, Party Appetizers

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