This tasty Maple Pecan Goat Cheese Log will add some savory sweetness and a whole lot of deliciousness to your holiday appetizer spread. Ready in minutes!
There’s something super therapeutic about making goat cheese logs.
I take great pleasure in filling a bag with fragrant, toasted pecans and smashing them to pieces with a hammer… mallet… wine bottle… whatever’s handy!
In fact, it’s extra awesome if you do your best HULK SMASH impression while crushing away.
All my friends are all suddenly realizing why I make so many dang cheese balls over the holidays…
Frustration be gone!
So if you have a little rage to work out on your cutting board or are just in the market for an easy but impressive appetizer for your next shindig, try your hand at this maple pecan goat cheese log. I also make them with cranberry and apricot if you’re interested in going all out with your cheese spread because #variety
Maple Pecan Goat Cheese Log
Maple Pecan Goat Cheese Log
Ingredients
- 8 oz honey goat cheese log
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 TBSP butter
- 2 TBSP brown sugar
- pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 1-2 TBSP chopped fresh mint (optional)
- honey and maple syrup for drizzling
- SERVE WITH
- assorted crackers
- cinnamon raisin bread or croissants
- apple slices
- pretzels
- crostini
- have fun with it!
Instructions
- Remove goat cheese from wrapper and allow to soften to room temperature.
- Heat a small pan to medium heat and melt your butter.
- Once butter starts to bubble, add your pecans, brown sugar, and pinch of salt.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent sugar from burning, and pour over parchment paper, using a spatula to separate the nuts. Allow to cool for several minutes until the coating hardens and your pecans have officially been candied! Woot! Try not to eat them all right then in there. If you're like me, you may want to make extra to top on salads and shovel in your face while you prance around the kitchen. #justsaying
- Pour the cooled candied pecans in a plastic bag or fold between one large sheet of parchment paper. Crush with hard object of choice (anything from a kitchen mallet to a wine bottle works! I used a heavy glass candle lol)
- Roll your goat cheese in the nuts and (optional) mint, pressing gently to coat.
- Place the goat cheese in the center of your cutting board or serving dish and drizzle with maple syrup and honey. I even drizzled a little as my base before adding the goat cheese log for presentation and maximum savory sweetness. So good!
Notes
Nutrition
swaps and such
Though I like it best made with honey goat cheese (which is basically goat cheese whipped with honey and packaged as a tasty little log) you can absolutely use plain goat cheese as well.
The combination of tangy, creamy goat cheese with sweet sticky honey and maple syrup is divine. Factor in the crispity crunch of the candied pecans and the teeny kiss of mint and I pretty much can’t stop myself for diving in for more!
No pecans? No problem! Try it with candied walnuts instead. In a pinch you can even use store-bought candied pecans or walnuts for this recipe, though it’s oh so easy to make your own via the recipe above. It only takes a few minutes!
So . . . HOW WAS IT?
Delicious! I enjoyed mine on an assortment of buttery crackers (YUM!) and it would be equally awesome on toasted crostini, torn pieces of cinnamon raisin bread, pretzels, and those awesome little holiday toasts they start carrying in stores once fall hits that are flecked with cinnamon, cranberries, fig, etc… I’m basically stalking my local stores for those – SO GOOD!
This is just the best goats cheese log recipe. I love the maple and honey combination!!!!
I have tried it with walnuts and pecans, both are delicious 😀
I love maple and pecan! They go together like peanut butter & Jelly! What a perfect fall appetizer! Thanks!
Is it backwards that I want to host a party so I can have a reason to make and share this beautiful cheese log? If it is, I don’t care. This thing looks incredible! Perfect for the holiday season.
This looks tasty! Not gonna lie though… any recipe with the words “log” and “goat” in them is gonna make me chuckle.
Bahaha thank you! I’m basically the same way with any recipe containing the word balls 😉
I am totally going to make this, but for one issue, the print button is 404’ing me!
Hey Stephenie! I’m in the middle of migrating my blog so terribly sorry for the technical difficulties! Emailing you the recipe so you can print it right now! xoxo