Simple Goat Cheese Crostini

Buttery, crispy little toasts topped with a creamy, savory goat cheese, Medjool dates, and some flaky salt? Come on! This Goat Cheese Crostini is one you’ll be making on repeat for guests and for your next ‘girl dinner’ paired with your favorite sparkling beverage. Who doesn’t love a tiny toast?

For the Love of Toast

Toast is one of my favorite, simple comfort foods. The way you can leverage a variety of breads, crisp them up to your liking, and top with any assortment of cheeses, oils, veggies, meats? I’m so into it. I love the way it can be dipped into a soup or used as a vessel for your favorite dips and sauces. And the way it knows how to remedy a bad day and turn it into something good. Toast is the GOAT.

Like most Americana gals, I’ve been making toast perhaps longer than anything else. At counter-height, I could drop the Wonder bread into the little slots and push the lever. I could slather it in butter (or margarine, remember that!?) and a mix of cinnamon and sugar. (Note to self – why don’t we make cinnamon-sugar toast anymore? Must remedy ASAP.) But now… now we know about crostini: those little rounds of baguette, perfectly toasted in a bit of olive oil and butter, and that these tiny toasts can be topped with anything we can imagine. What. A. Dream.

Goat Cheese Crostini Ingredients

For this simple toasty creation, you just need a few high quality ingredients to make the dream come alive:

• 1 baguette
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (salted butter is okay if you like an extra salty bite)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 oz goat cheese or chevre, marinated such as Meredith Dairy also works well
• 6 Medjool dates
• Maldon Salt Flakes

This recipe will serve a small crowd of 6-8 people as an appetizer OR light dessert offering. We think outside boxes here.

How to Make Goat Cheese Crostini

Step 1: Slice the baguette into rounds, about ½ inch thick. You can cut them diagonally if you like an ‘on the bias’ vibe. Spread a thin layer of butter on each side of the baguette rounds.

Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the baguette slices. Wait 3 minutes before moving them or flipping them to allow a browning crust to develop. Adjust the heat as needed if the pan starts to smoke or if things seem to be moving quicker than expected.

Step 3: Flip the baguette slices, adding a bit more oil to the pan if needed. The first side should be browned, but not blackened. Let the second side toast for about 3 minutes, check for color, and remove to a cooling rack to allow the crostini to cool and crisp up before topping them.

Step 4: Once the crostini has cooled, spread about a tablespoon of goat cheese on each, getting close to the edge, but not going over. This allows the nibbler to hold the toast without getting their hands all a mess. 

Step 5: Slice the dates in half and remove the pits.Flatten each half-date as much as possible and place one on each prepared crostini on top of the goat cheese.

Step 6: Sprinkle the crostini with flakey sea salt and a drizzle of hot honey and serve!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I make these crostini ahead of time?

A: You can make the crostini toasts a day or so ahead of time. Allow them to cool completely before storing in an air-tight bag. Hold off on topping the toasts until right before serving to avoid any sogginess. In short: Make the toasts ahead, wait to top them until right before serving.

Q: Can I use another type of cheese?

A: Absolutely! If you prefer ricotta or cream cheese, both work well here in place of the goat cheese. However, if you use an herbed or garlic cheese spread such as Boursin, just know the flavors might not play as well with the dates.

Q: What’s the difference between Medjool dates Deglet Noor or “regular” dates?

A: Great question! I prefer Medjool dates for most things because they tend to be more tender and moist as well as a bit sweeter than other varietals of dates. I would use Deglet Noor, for example, if I wanted to add chopped dates to my fully baked granola, but I might not use them for this crostini recipe where a sweeter, stickier date really does the trick.

If you’re looking for additional appetizer ideas, be sure to check out the Appetizer section of The Host Notes’ recipe index. The Fresh Mango Salsa is a fan-favorite, along with the Spicy Jalapeno Salsa.

Check out my Pantry Staples, including the Maldon Salt used to top these delicious Goat Cheese Crostinis.