Are you tired of me saying it yet? Talking about how much I adore salty paired with sweet? I hope not, because you’re in for a big dose of it today.
This past weekend we made our way to our friend’s annual holiday company Christmas party. No, I’m not moonlighting on the side for their business—Lord knows I’ve tried—but we’ve been really good friends for a few years and somehow we’ve weaseled our way into getting an invite each year.
Maybe it’s because we’re helpers in the kitchen—during that last minute flurry of panic before the guests start rolling in, lending a helping hand. But since they always have it so well put together, I think its just because we are so much dang FUN! And these guys, well they go all out so it definitely isn’t a chore to whoop it up and have a good time.
This year I was asked to give my opinion on the menu. Now, Sherrie is an amazing cook and party giver, so she really doesn’t need any help from me. But since I’m a bone fide food blogger (ahem, cue smoke and mirrors) people seem to think I know what works when it comes to food.
In my opinion when it comes to feeding a crowd, I like to make it plentiful and keep it simple. And it doesn’t get much simpler than melted bread and cheese to keep people happy.
This recipe spruces up the flavors of traditional crostini with my go-to, keep in my pantry for any emergency, fig preserves. This jar has made its way onto more appetizers than I can count: almost always as a version of this cheese and spread combo, either served with crackers, baked on puff pastry with apples and nuts or simply slathered on a warm slice of sourdough.
This time around I’m loading up a thinly sliced baguette then topping it with shredded cheese, a dollop of the fig preserves, a second helping of a strong, slightly dry and salty blue, and then a drizzle of sweet honey. Adding just one more twist to your mouth is a few specks of rosemary.
I used a mix of an aged, thus dryer, asiago—you can try parmesan if it’s easier to come by—with a stronger, slightly nutty farm cheese, like gruyere. Feel free to try a milder cheese such as fontina or swiss if that suits your taste better.
For a crowd, I assemble the crostini on several baking sheets, multiplying the recipe for the number of guests. You can load 27-30 crostini per baking dish, prepared well before the party and refrigerated. Then pop them into the oven once your guests arrive and continue and add fresh, hot treats throughout the cocktail hour.
Make sure to layer the cheese on the bread before the jam if you are making these ahead of time. The cheese acts as a barrier against the jam’s moisture and potentially soggy bread slices. As such, choose a firmer bread like sourdough rather than a lighter french bread.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Fig Spread and Cheese Crostini Appetizer
PrintIngredients
- 12 baguette slices cut about ¼" thick
- 1 ½ cups grated cheese , such as farm cheese or gruyere
- ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
- ⅓ cup fig spread
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread baguette slices on a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper or foil.
- Top baguette slices with grated cheese, then a teaspoon or so of fig spread, then blue cheese crumbles. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until cheese has melted and edges of baguettes are golden. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey and top with rosemary leaves.
Nutrition
We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more FoodieCrush inspiration.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There are affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
Dina Johnson
So hard to decide. I would have to say a traditional mimosa. I usually have one or two in the morning as I start cooking for the day. This year I have created in my mind a recipe that I haven’t tried yet, although I plan to this weekend. A coconut snickerdoodle martini! Sounds pretty good, huh? I’ll let you know how it turns out and if it’s good I’ll share the recipe!
Kristen M.
I follow you on Pinterest.
Kristen M.
I subscribe to your newsletter.
Kristen M.
I follow you on Twitter.
Kristen M.
I follow you on Facebook.
Kristen M.
My favorite Christmas time drink is an egg nog white Russian.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
That’s a gorgeous knife! And so is the crostini.
What is your favorite thing to drink at Christmastime? = lots of coffee. I could say eggnog but really just coffee.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Love your crostini, Heidi!
Mary Rollins
I’m following on Pinterest. Favorite beverage of the season is eggnog latte!
Becky @ Olives n Wine
I follow you on Twitter :)
Becky @ Olives n Wine
I love drinking hot cocoa during the Christmas season, especially with whipped cream and holiday sprinkles on top! I too love salty and sweet foods. I recently made a baked brie with fig preserves – YUM!
Erin A
…and follow FC on Pinterest!
Erin A
I get the Foodie Crush newsletter!
Erin A
Hot cocoa!
Abby
Following on Pinterest
Abby
Following on Twitter
Abby
FB fan.
Abby
I love to drink coffee… always. Especially by the Christmas tree!
Leanne T
My newest fave at the moment is Carmel Apple Spice with whipped cream of course! But I always LOVE a good mug of hot chocolate!
Kelly S.
Follow on Facebook!
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking
My favorite thing to drink around the holidays is some kind of boozy coffee with marshmallows instead of cream and sugar. Deeelish!
Amber
Peppermint Martini’s, homemade Irish Cream and Coffee liquer.
Also, anything warm!
Michelle
pinterest pinned!
Michelle
newsletter – but of course!
Michelle
twitter follower…
Michelle
already an fb fan – does that count?
Michelle
ummmm LOVE those mugs. My absolute favorite Christmas drink is champagne and pomegranate juice with a sugar cube in the bottom of the glass.
Lily Sheng
I already follow you on Pinterest, I’m at http://pinterest.com/lsloves/
Thanks for the giveaway!
Frances G.
And my fave holiday drink is peppermint hot cocoa. I make it for hubby and I in the evenings when it’s super cold and it makes us super toasty warm!
Frances G.
I’m a foodiecrush Pinterest fan!
Frances G.
I’m a foodiecrush facebook fan!
Lily Sheng
I already subscribe to your blog via RSS Feeds to my Google Reader, that’s how I found out about this giveaway!
Lily Sheng
I follow you on Twitter, I’m @lilysheng
Lily Sheng
I liked you on Facebook
Gina
Love getting my email subscription
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
fave thing to drink: good WINE and lots of it.
Gina
Twitter following too
Gina
Pinterest following
Gina
My favorite would have to be cocoa for sure! (sitting next to the fire)
Sarah Beth
I subscribe to your email newsletter!
Sarah Beth
I follow on Pinterest
Sarah Beth
I’m a FB fan!
Sarah Beth
I follow you on Twitter!
Sarah Beth
I love coffee and Kahlua!
Natasha O
I am subscribed via email!
Robyn Coffey
That recipe is one we are having soon – my cup of tea!! Those mugs are dahling! I need knives too, so…favorite drink…..
Hummm, must be my mom’s egg nog – She uses Braums Egg Nog and adds some Canadian Club and amareto. YUM-O!!
Natasha O
My favorite drink is hot chocolate for the holidays!
Norma
Those mugs are adorable! My favorite drink at Christmas is eggnog. It’s the only time of year we have it, so I enjoy it to the fullest…alcohol free of course (never acquired the taste for alcohol). Thanks for a wonderful giveaway and have a wonderful and healthy Christmas and New Year!
Deb
My favorite Christmas drink is hot chocolate! Must have marshmellows melting on top!
Sallie
I follow FoodieCrush on Pinterest
Sallie
I subscribe to FoodieCrush newsletter
Sallie
I like FoodieCrush on Facebook
Sallie
Hot cocoa :)
Kesha
I follow on Pinterest
Kesha
I subscribe via email
Kesha
I follow on twitter
Kesha
I like you on FB
Heather
I follow on Pinterest. Thanks
Kesha
I love hot chocolate at Christmastime!
Heather
I subscribed to the newsletter. Cheers!
Heather
I follow on Facebook. Thanks
Sunnie
I like you on facebook
Sunnie
Iam an email subscriber
Sunnie
I like hot cocoa or sparkling juice
Kim McCarthy
In the afternoon, on a cold dreary day, I love a hot cup of coffee with a shot of Bailey’s in it.
Love this recipe. I’m going to try it out for Christmas Eve.
Heather
My favorite christmasy drink is certainly a hot toddy!
Heather
Amber @ Berlinswhimsy
And I follow Foodiecrush on Twitter!
Amber @ Berlinswhimsy
I’m following Foodiecrush on FB— that’s how I came to this blog post because I just made a fig spread and your post was very timely! :-)
Amber @ Berlinswhimsy
My favorite drink at Christmas is a good red wine. Sometimes, we will make mulled wine, as well. YUM!
themommygames
I have a ridiculous obsession with fig jam – I seriously have 3 jars of it in our pantry (and I live in NYC so pantry space is prime real estate!). I’m printing this out and dragging it down south to make for Christmas Eve apps. And my family has this interesting thing where we all drink Maker’s Mark and ginger ale (with a splash of lime) around the holidays. Not exactly festive, but it gets the job done!
Terri Morawiecki
following you Pinterest!
Terri Morawiecki
Subscribed to your newsletter!
Terri Morawiecki
Following you twitter!
Terri Morawiecki
Love love love eggnog for my fav holiday drink, hands down and homemade even better!
Sarah G
I am a newsletter subscriber.
Sarah G
I love mint hot cocoa!
emily
I like FoodieCrush on Facebook!
Sara
I subscribe to your feed!
emily
Hands down, hot spiked cider is my favorite thing to drink at Christmastime!
Sara
I love drinking apple cider!
julie
favorite drink this year has to be limoncello…because i made such a huge amount to give away and still had leftovers enough to fill 3 quart jars! It’s so refreshing. Of course I don’t HAVE to have alcohol, so for my fav non-leaded holiday drink- would have to be the mulled tea that my sister makes me every year and wraps up in little muslin bags for steeping. ahhh
Bev @ Bev Cooks
This is killing me. I want that spread so bad it hurts. I’ll drink THIS.
Jeanine
beautiful! I just love fig preserves in a salty & sweet combo :)
Denise
Eggnog!
Anastasia
Following on pinterest
Anastasia
Subscribed to the newsletter
Anastasia
Following on twitter
Anastasia
Fan on facebook.
Anastasia
I had hot buttered rum for the first time last night to see what all the fuss is about and I think I may have found a new favorite.
kelley
I’m with you on the salty-sweet combo…..I can never get enough. These look like the perfect (and easy) appetizer for the busy holidays. Hope you’re well, friend! xoxo
Marnely Rodriguez-Murray
I follow you on Twitter
Marnely Rodriguez-Murray
Follow you on FB
Marnely Rodriguez-Murray
I can’t get enough of hot chocolate with espresso in it….
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
I can’t get over those mugs! Also, just like Rachel Cooks, I haven’t delved in the fig world either, have to get on that!
jessica
pinterest follower! love your boards!
jessica
facebook fan!
jessica
love to drink hot chocolate
jessica
twitter following
Brian @ A Thought For Food
You! This crostini is right up my alley. You know what else is? That knife.
So, a drink… well, you know me, it’s hard to choose just one. I’d go with bourbon. I’m a sucker for it.
Rachel Cooks
Oh my goodness, those mugs are adorable!
PS: Can you believe I’ve never had figs? I need to get with the program.