An easy canape recipe featuring toasted baguette slices topped with goat cheese, honey, and walnuts. The perfect finger food for brunches and cocktail parties.
I grew up in a home where large birthday parties and family gatherings often took place. My mother thoroughly enjoyed being in the kitchen, and she always wore a "the more, the merrier attitude," and welcomed guests into our home with a great big smile, open arms, and a tight embrace. Entertaining had always been a part of life growing up, and hostessing was simply a part of my genetic makeup.
As a newlywed, I wanted the events hosted in our first home to not only feel warm and inviting like those I grew up with, but also unforgettable. With a deeply embedded passion for entertaining and the excitement of getting to host in our own home, I began studying cookbooks, as well as books on entertaining -- from knife work to seasonal eating, to food and wine pairings all the way down to the right glassware for the right drink, I wanted to know it all, and I wanted it to be perfect.
Friends began to take note of my newfound obsession, and as events would arise in their own homes, they would often ask me for help with planning and party preparations. This, simply put, was my happy place. On one particular occasion, a friend enlisted my services for her wine tasting party. I mean, who wouldn't want to help with that?
For the wine party, each woman would bring one bottle from one particular varietal of wine. The bottle's label would be masked by a numbered paper sack, and the women would taste test all the wine and vote for their favorite. The wine for this particular party was Pinot Grigio - a light, crisp, dry white wine.
I knew these elegant little canapés, smeared with goat cheese would be the perfect accompaniment, and I can still recall seeing the recipe for goat cheese toasts with honey and walnuts for the first time. It was in one of my favorite books, Williams-Sonoma Entertaining, and it was love at first sight. I was always drawn to recipes on the elegant side. Canapés and crostinis were right up my alley.
These canapés were so simple, yet so beautiful. I just knew the acidic goat cheese in combination with the natural oils from the walnuts, topped with that drizzle of sweet, floral honey would pair perfectly with the crisp, dry white wine. And, they did. The goat cheese canapés were a total and complete hit. The women raved about them, we all went back for seconds, and a few lucky ones even managed to score thirds.
They were such a hit that I began serving them at just about every party I hosted, regardless of the beverage of choice! They're perfect for cocktail parties, absolutely flawless for a spring brunch, or any potluck affair.
MORE GOAT CHEESE APPETIZERS
If these goat cheese canapes are up your alley, you might also like this Party Cheese Ball with Goat Cheese made up of a mix of creamy goat cheese, cream cheese, and white cheddar, all dressed up with a mix of sweet cranberries, crunchy almonds, and savory, fresh thyme leaves. Perfect for cocktail parties and holiday gatherings!
Goat Cheese Rosemary Baked Meatballs by A Joyfully Mad Kitchen also make for one heck of an appetizer that is sure to feed a crowd! They come together in under 30 minutes, and they'll not only work for your cocktail party, they're sure to be a hit for game day events as well!
Lemon Blossoms Quick and Easy Pear and Goat Cheese Tart most definitely works for cocktail parties, but doesn't it just make you want to host a brunch?! Goat cheese and cream cheese are beautifully prepared on a puff pastry crust, and topped off with a sweet layer of sliced pears and drizzle of honey. Yes, please!
An easy canape recipe featuring toasted baguette slices topped with goat cheese, honey, and walnuts. The perfect finger food for brunches and cocktail parties.
- 1 baguette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces room-temperature goat cheese
- Pinch Kosher salt
- 1 cup halved walnuts or ¾ cups chopped walnuts
- ⅓ cup honey
-
Preheat the oven to 400°F, and have ready a large sheet pan.
-
Slice the baguette at a major bias into ¼" slices. Transfer to the sheet pan, and drizzle with half of the olive oil. Turn the slices over, and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
-
Transfer to the oven and bake for 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, and carefully turn the slices over. Return to the oven to bake for another 2-3 minutes, or until golden in color. Remove the oven and set aside to cool.
-
Add the cream and the goat cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix until well combined. If you do not have a stand mixer, use a handheld mixer.
-
Spread a layer of the goat cheese mixture onto each baguette slice. Place 2-3 walnut halves on each baguette (or sprinkle evenly with chopped walnuts) and drizzle with honey. Serve and enjoy.
The baguettes can be toasted a day in advance and store in an airtight container or a plastic, zip-top bag.
The goat cheese can be mixed 2-3 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.
