Description
A festive appetizer that perfectly balances sweet, spicy, and creamy flavors crisp crostini topped with tangy cranberry-jalapeño relish and smooth cream cheese. Ideal for holiday parties or any special gathering.
Ingredients
1 French baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for 6–8 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Let cool.
3. In a food processor, pulse cranberries a few times until coarsely chopped (do not puree).
4. Transfer cranberries to a bowl and stir in green onions, jalapeño, cilantro, sugar, lime juice, and salt. Mix well.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.
6. Spread a layer of softened cream cheese over each crostini.
7. Top each with a spoonful of cranberry-jalapeño mixture just before serving.
8. Garnish with extra cilantro or sliced jalapeño if desired.
Notes
Make the cranberry mixture a day in advance for even better flavor.
For extra richness, use whipped cream cheese or mascarpone.
If you prefer less heat, use half a jalapeño or remove all seeds before dicing.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Category: Appetizer, Snack
- Method: No-Cook, Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crostini
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
Keywords: cranberry jalapeño crostini, holiday appetizer, spicy cranberry relish, cream cheese crostini, party bites