15 Easy Appetizers for Party #3
3. Cranberry Goat Cheese Mini Cheese Balls
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
- 8 oz honey goat cheese (regular works too; honeyed is my fav!)
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 TBSP unsalted butter
- 2 TBSP brown sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/4-1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 TBSP fresh chopped parsley
Instructions:
- Remove goat cheese from wrapper and cut into 8-10 discs. Set aside.
- Heat a small pan to medium heat and melt your butter.
- Once butter starts to bubble, add your pecans, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Using salted butter? Skip the salt or season to taste.
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent sugar from burning, and pour over a large sheet of parchment paper in a thin layer. Allow to cool for several minutes until the candy coating hardens.
- Fold the parchment paper in half, trapping the cooled pecans, and crush with hard object of choice (anything from a kitchen mallet to a wine bottle works!) and then roughly chop with a knife until minced.
- Finely chop cranberries and add to the pecans.
- Combine pecans, cranberries, and parsley on a plate or cutting board. Mix well.
- Take a goat cheese disc and press into the pecan coating on each side, then roll into a ball. Coat again as needed by rolling the completed ball in the mixture once more and transferring to a cheese board or appetizer plate. Repeat for each disc until you have a party-perfect plate of goat cheese balls. Dive in with your choice of crackers/fruit/veggies.
Recipe credits: Peas and Crayons
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