This Creamy Baked Goat Cheese Dip is one of my favorite holiday appetizers! It’s made entirely in one pan (winner winner!) and has just 5 minutes of prep. Not to mention it’s delicious, beautiful, and a great vegetarian option — I could go on forever.
The goat cheese becomes luxuriously creamy and tangy as it bakes, while sour cherry jam (or fig jam) adds a sweet and slightly tart contrast. It checks all the boxes for a flavor-packed appetizer! Drizzle generously with honey, chopped pistachios, and flaky sea salt for an irresistible, family-style recipe that seems to always disappear quickly.
For more delicious cheesy appetizers, consider trying marinated feta cheese, my crunchy fried goat cheese balls, or this easy whipped feta dip next!
What You’ll Need
- An 8oz log of goat cheese cut into ½-inch thick rounds
- Some type of jam: I really like sour cherry jam or fig jam here. Feel free to swap this for apricot preserves or even a savory tomato jam for a twist!
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh thyme
- Crushed red pepper flakes for a little added heat.
- Honey
- Chopped pistachios, pecans, or walnuts
And of course you’ll want something to serve alongside for dipping. Crostini, baguette, or crackers are great options! In fact, I’ve spread this onto toasted bread when assembling roasted grape crostini, and the goat cheese is the perfect tangy contrast to the sweet grapes!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Sour Cherry Jam: Swap with fig, raspberry, or apricot jam.
- Goat Cheese: Cream cheese, ricotta, or feta are great alternatives.
- Pistachios: Almonds, walnuts, or pecans can easily take their place.
- Honey: For a savory twist, skip the honey and drizzle with balsamic glaze instead. Or use hot honey instead!
Directions
- Assemble the ingredients. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the goat cheese rounds in a cast-iron skillet so they mostly cover the surface. Spoon the sour cherry jam on top, then drizzle with olive oil. Add thyme sprigs and a little crushed red pepper flakes.
- Bake. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden around the edges.
- Garnish, then serve! Carefully remove from the oven, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt and fresh thyme. Serve immediately with crostini, baguette slices, or crackers!
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Room Temperature Cheese: For the creamiest texture, make sure your goat cheese is at room temperature before baking. This helps it melt more evenly.
- Nut Alternatives: If you don’t have pistachios, chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans work just as well. Toast the nuts lightly for extra flavor!
- Customizable Flavors: If you prefer more heat, add a bit more crushed red pepper flakes or drizzle with hot honey after baking.
How To Store
- To make-ahead: Assemble the dip in your skillet, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before baking. When ready to serve, let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then bake as directed.
- Leftovers and storage: Leftover goat cheese dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Place the dip back in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave it in short intervals, stirring in between.
Do yourself a favor and enjoy this cheesy appetizer fresh. It doesn’t freeze well.
Serving Suggestions
This dip pairs perfectly with toasted crostini, warm baguette slices, or your favorite crackers.
For an added touch of freshness, serve it alongside fresh fruit like apple slices or grapes. If you want to keep things light, try pairing it with crunchy vegetable sticks, like celery or carrot batons.
Sweet, savory, and utterly delicious, this is one cheesy appetizer your friends and family will fall in love with!
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25-Minute Creamy Baked Goat Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz log of goat cheese, cut into ½-inch thick rounds
- 4 oz sour cherry jam, or fig jam, about 4 Tbsp
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios, pecans, or walnuts, preferably toasted
- Crostini, baguette, or crackers for serving
Instructions
- Assemble in a pan. Preheat an oven to 400F. Place the goat cheese rounds into the cast-iron skillet so they mostly cover the entire surface of the pan. Dollop 4oz sour cherry jam on top, the drizzle with 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Add 3 sprigs of fresh thyme and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes.
- Bake the goat cheese. Place in the preheated oven, then bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish, then serve! Carefully remove from the oven, then drizzle with 1 Tbsp honey, ¼ cup chopped pistachios (or other nut), and a generous pinch of two of flaky sea salt. I like to garnish with additional fresh thyme leaves. Enjoy immediately with crostini, baguette, or crackers!
Nutrition
Photography by Alana of Your Home Made Healthy.
Served this on Christmas Eve. We used fig jam and walnuts. Everyone loved it.
Sounds absolutely delicious! Really glad everyone enjoyed it — thank you, Colleen! Cheers, Ari
Hi! What size of cast iron skillet do you use for this recipe?
Hi Rachel! On the recipe card under Equipment you’ll find everything you need for a specific recipe (and there’s usually a link to an example for folks who find that helpful). I recommend a 10-inch cast-iron here, but you can absolutely use a smaller one (or a larger one, if doubling the recipe) with ease. Let me know if I can help with anything else and please report back to let me know what you think of the baked goat cheese! Cheers, Ari