Goat Cheese Truffles

These delicious goat cheese truffles are a colorful and festive addition to a holiday cheeseboard, and a breeze to prepare. Made with a creamy mixture of herb goat cheese and a touch of cream cheese, each truffle is rolled in a scrumptious outer coating of chopped, dried cranberries, candied pecans and chives making for a goat cheese truffles recipe with a crunchy, sweet-savory finish!

Mouthwatering truffles with a cheesy twist

The holidays are a time to nibble on all sorts of delicious morsels, some sweet, some savory, and some a little bit of both!

Cheese is always a welcome part of any delicious holiday appetizer spread, and when the offering is replete with the red and green colors of the holidays, and is easy to pop into the mouth in one or two bites, then that's even better.

These goat cheese truffles are just the pick for a festive, holiday-inspired cheese board this season, made with just a handful of ingredients, and boast loads of flavor, texture, and eye appeal.

An elegant yet easy offering to pass around before a meal at your own home, or the perfect appetizer to whip up and bring along to someone else's festive get-together, these goat cheese truffles are an elegant little show stopper, brimming with flavor in each bite.

They're just the delectable morsel fit for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Eve, bringing a bit of holiday cheer to a tasty cheese course!

My recipe for goat cheese truffles

To create light, creamy and flavorful goat cheese truffles, I like to use a combination of organic, herb goat cheese with a small amount of cream cheese.

The goat cheese already has a bit of natural firmness, and when allowed to come to room temp, and combined with that soft cream cheese, makes for the perfect truffle texture. The cream cheese also balances out the more tangy, pungent flavor of the goat cheese with neutral creaminess.

Once the goat cheese and cream cheese is combined (I just fold them together in a medium size bowl), I then chill the mixture for a little while just to make scooping and rolling a bit easier.

For each truffle, I use a ½ ounce portion of cheese mixture, then roll between my palms and place onto parchment paper to hold until ready to coat.

And for the deliciously crunchy and sweet-savory coating, I use a colorful mixture of chopped, sweetened and dried cranberries and candied pecans, plus some chives. This creates not only festive color, but lots of scrumptious flavor in each bite of these unique truffles!

Here's a glance at my goat cheese truffles recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I allow my cheeses to come to room temp to soften them, then place them into a bowl and use a spatula to fold together with a pinch of salt.
2. Then, I chill the cheese truffle mixture for about an hour or two to firm it a bit for easier scooping and rolling.
3. While the goat cheese truffle mixture chills, I prepare my coating mixture of chopped, sweetened and dried cranberries and candied pecans, plus my chives, and set that aside in a shallow bowl.
4. Once ready to prep the goat cheese truffles, I scoop out ½ ounce portions of the cheese and place them onto parchment paper to hold.
5. When all are portioned out, I roll each portion into a ball or truffle, then roll in the coating mixture until well coated.
6. I place onto a serving platter and into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes, even overnight if making ahead (in which case I'll wrap in plastic to keep fresh).
7. When ready to serve, I place some toothpicks next to the goat cheese truffles for folks to easily pick up the truffles and enjoy.

Recipe

Goat Cheese Truffles

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

These festive goat cheese truffles are perfect for the holidays, coated in sweetened, dried cranberries, candied pecans and chives!

Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Yield: About 28 goat cheese truffles

Nutrition Info: 148 calories (per 2 truffles)

Prep Time: 25 minutes (does not include chill time for cheese)
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (16 ounces) herb goat cheese (plain is fine), softened at room temp
• 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened at room temp
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (slightly heaping) dried, sweetened cranberries, chopped
• ½ cup (slightly heaping) candied pecans, chopped
• ¼ cup chives, minced

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Place the room temp goat cheese and cream cheese into a medium-large bowl, along with the salt, and using a rubber spatula, fold the cheese together very well until completely combined and creamy. Place into the fridge to firm for 1 to 2 hours.
3. When read to prepare the truffles, portion out ½ ounce size balls of the cheese mixture, placing them onto parchment paper to hold. Once all the cheese mixture is portioned out, roll each between your palms into a ball, or truffle, shape. Place back onto the parchment to hold.
4. To coat the goat cheese truffles, place the chopped cranberries, pecans and chives into a shallow bowl or dish, and toss to mix. Gently roll each truffle in the coating mixture until evenly and well coated. Place onto a large plate or platter to hold, while you coat the rest of the truffles.
5. Once all the goat cheese truffles are coated, place into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight if preparing ahead (wrap in plastic wrap, in this case).
6. When ready to serve, serve the goat cheese truffles chilled, with toothpicks on the side for easy pick up.

Tips & Tidbits for my goat cheese truffles recipe:

• Organic, herb goat cheese: I like to get either 4, 4 ounce packs or 2, 8 ounce packs of goat cheese (for a total of 1 pound), and prefer herb goat cheese (organic) for some added flavor. You can substitute plain goat cheese if desired, and even add a small sprinkle of dried herbs (Italian seasoning) or a small sprinkle of chives (about 2 teaspoons) yourself, if desired.
• Full fat cream cheese for best texture: While you can certainly use low fat cream cheese here, I like full fat for a touch of richness and for creamier texture. It's just a nice balance with the slightly more tangy-pungent goat cheese.
• A crunchy and sweet-savory coating: To create this, I like to use organic, sweetened and dried cranberries as well as candied pecans, and chop them well for easy coating. I also balance that out with some fresh, mild chives, which not only highlight some of the herby flavor in the truffle mixture, but offer festive green color with the red in the cranberries. You can sub dried cherries and candied walnuts here, even candied cashews, if desired. Another option for nuts is pistachios. Chopped parsley is a neutral substitute for the chives, if you prefer.
• Prepare the goat cheese truffles ahead: These are a terrific appetizer to prep a day or two ahead to keep things simple. You can prepare completely ahead (even roll in the coating mixture), and keep on a platter or large plate wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge.

Craving more cheesy and cozy appetizers? Check out my Cheese Ball Recipe, my recipe for Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions, Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites, Whipped Goat Cheese, or even my recipe for Garlic Herb Cheese Spread!