Honey Goat Cheese Balls are a simple, festive appetizer. Soft goat cheese is formed into balls and rolled in a mixture of honey, apricot preserves and pecans. You can easily switch up the nuts and preserves to create different flavor combinations!
HONEY GOAT CHEESE BALLS
I adore goat cheese.
It is one of my favorite cheeses.
I love the flavor of goat cheese.
These is just something so good about tangy goat cheese.
These Honey Goat Cheese Balls are one of those easy appetizers you will make time and time again.
You guys went crazy for this Goat Roasted Tomato Cheese Dip and these Goat Cheese Figs Wrapped in Prosciutto so I knew I needed to create another delicious goat cheese appetizer.
These are great as a party appetizer at holiday parties, for the super bowl, the holiday season or addition to a cheese board.
I love how creamy it is and how well it pairs with other flavors at the holidays.
Today’s Honey Goat Cheese Balls are a festive holiday appetizer or even a finger food to serve at a brunch or shower.
Creamy goat cheese is rolled into balls and then topped with a honey, apricot and pecan mixture.
The best part of this honey goat cheese is that you can customize it to your tastes.
For example, sometimes I will use crushed walnuts and raspberry preserves.
Or crushed almonds and cranberry sauce to top them.
If you like these Honey Goat Cheese Balls you might also want to try Beef Crostini with Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese Apricot Pizza and this Smoked Salmon Cucumber Appetizer.
What Ingredients are in These Goat Cheese Balls?
These goat cheese balls use simple ingredients.
Here is what you need:
GOAT CHEESE LOG: When making goat cheese balls I find it easiest to use a goat cheese log and slice it into 8 pieces. From there I roll the goat cheese in my hands to create a ball.
One fun idea is to buy one of the flavored goat cheese logs, for example Trader Joes has a delicious cranberry flavor instead of adding the preserves in. The cranberry would be nice with the pecans and honey.
HONEY: The raw honey helps everything stick together on the goat cheese but also adds wonderful sweetness to the appetizer.
PECANS: Chopped pecans are a nice addition to the goat cheese. If there is a nut allergy you can easily leave that out or you can even use a different nut like almonds or walnuts.
APRICOT PRESERVES: I like the apricot flavor with the honey but there are a lot of flavors that would be really nice.
Some that I enjoy are strawberry, raspberry and blackberry. You can also skip the preserves if you want and just use the honey.
How Do You Make This Goat Cheese Ball Recipe
Combine crushed or chopped pecans, apricot preserves, raw honey, and pinch of cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
Chop your log of goat cheese into 8 equal pieces.
It helps to bring the goat cheese to room temperature so you can easily form the goat cheese into balls.
Roll the pieces into balls (they don’t have to be perfect).
Roll each ball into the pecan, apricot, and honey mixture.
You may need to press each ball into the mixture to make sure that they’ve evenly coated.
Place the completed ball onto a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet.
Repeat this process until each ball is completely coated.
Place into the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
Serve with toothpicks or pretzels sticks pressed into goat cheese balls. You can also add a drizzle of honey at the end before serving. Serve on a large plate.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Ways to Modify These Goat Cheese Balls
CHEESE: You can sub the goat cheese with feta or cream cheese.
BREADCRUMBS: You can skip the nuts and use regular breadcrumbs, panko bread crumbs or crushed pretzels to coat the goat cheese balls if you want.
SPICES: You can add spices into the goat cheese mixture like garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper for spice or Italian seasoning.
HONEY: You can swap the sweet honey for hot honey and make them spicy!
SALT: You could add a sweet and salty flavor by sprinkling the flaky sea salt over the goat cheese balls.
HERBS: Adding fresh herbs add color and flavor and create herbed goat cheese balls. Try fresh parsley, fresh dill or fresh chives.
Other Appetizers You Might Like:
JALAPEÑO POPPERS WITH BACON
AIR FRYER CRAB RANGOON
MEDITERRANEAN PINWHEELS
ANTIPASTO SKEWERS
EASY BAKED FETA
AIR FRYER MEATBALLS
HOW TO MAKE A CHEESE BALL
Honey Goat Cheese Balls
Honey Goat Cheese Balls are a simple, festive appetizer. Soft goat cheese is formed into balls and rolled in a mixture of honey, apricot preserves and pecans. You can easily switch up the nuts and preserves to create different flavor combinations!
Ingredients
- 5 ounce Goat Cheese log
- 1/4 cup crushed or chopped pecans
- 3 Tablespoons apricot preserves {or preserves of your choice}
- 2 Tablespoons raw honey
- Optional : pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine crushed or chopped pecans, apricot preserves, raw honey, and pinch of cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
- Chop your log of goat cheese into 8 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into balls (they don’t have to be perfect).
- Roll each ball into the pecan, apricot, and honey mixture. You may need to press each ball into the mixture to make sure that they’ve evenly coated.
- Place the completed ball onto a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet.
- Repeat this process until each ball is completely coated.
- Place into the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
- You can serve with toothpicks or even a pretzel stick stuck in the goat cheese ball.