Whipped Goat Cheese with Candied Bacon & Pecans
Whipped Goat Cheese with Honey is already pretty irresistible on its own—but top it with sticky candied bacon and buttery pecans, and you've got the kind of app people won't stop talking about. And while it looks impressively fancy, it's secretly so easy to make (or even prep ahead of time!) in under 30 minutes.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
Whipped Goat Cheese
- 8 ounces goat cheese broken into 1-ounce chunks
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
Candied Bacon Pecan Topping
- 2 ounces bacon finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of black pepper optional
Instructions
- For the Whipped Goat Cheese: Add the goat cheese, yogurt, honey, thyme, rosemary, and lemon juice to a small food processor or blender. Pulse 5–10 times, then blend for 10–20 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. Be careful not to over-blend since too much processing can make it runny.8 ounces goat cheese, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- For the Candied Bacon Pecan Topping: Add the chopped bacon to a small skillet over medium heat. Cook for 8–10 minutes, or until crispy and mostly cooked through. Drain the grease into a measuring cup, then return 2 teaspoons of the bacon grease to the skillet.2 ounces bacon
- Add the pecans, brown sugar, salt, and pepper (if using) to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for another 3–4 minutes, or until the pecans are toasted and caramelized. Transfer the mixture to a paper towel-lined plate to cool and crisp.3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, Pinch of black pepper
- Spoon the whipped goat cheese into a shallow bowl or serving dish. Top with the candied bacon and pecans, plus a sprinkle of fresh thyme or rosemary and an extra drizzle of honey, if desired. Serve with baguette crisps, crackers, or fresh veggies.
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes roughly 1½ cups of whipped goat cheese, which is enough to serve 6-8 as an appetizer.
- Goat Cheese: Make sure the goat cheese is still slightly chilled when processing or else it will become too runny. You can always pop it back in the refrigerator before serving to firm it up.
- Make ahead: You can make both the whipped goat cheese and the topping a day in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge, and let the cheese sit out for 10–15 minutes before serving so it softens slightly.
Nutrition
Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 310IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg
