Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log has to be the simplest “prepare ahead” party food to hit your Christmas table this year! Throw a few simple and tasty ingredients together and take this to your next party, host and guests alike will love your contribution. I promise not to let them know how little effort it really took and you will be a Christmas Cheese Platter Star 😉
For a lot of people the weeks before Christmas and New Year become a hectic blur of endless Christmas parties and end of year functions, all requiring us to whip up a shared plate of something spectacular to contribute to the festive table. It can all get a bit frantic and some days there just isn’t enough time or energy left to make another amazing dessert or stand out dish to bring along.
Enter the humble cheese log. I first saw this combination of flavours in Crème De La Crumb’s Cranberry Pistachio Cheeseball. I made a few minor variations (omitting the garlic powder, using cheeses I had on hand and creating logs instead of the larger ball) and the result was a delightfully tasty appetizer or party nibble that will win over the taste buds of even the most seasoned party goers. This pretty little plate of cheese is gorgeous enough to hold it’s own on any table and it only takes only a few minutes preparation. Just ensure you use softened cream cheese or it will be difficult to bring all the ingredients together. I take my cream cheese out about an hour before I want to prepare the logs. You can even make this the day before to save time (in fact your probably want to as the flavours seem to infuse into the cheese even more the next day). I like to have a couple of these in the fridge ready to go throughout the festive season so I can show up anywhere with something Christmassy in hand!
This party starter might be light on effort and ingredients but it certainly isn’t boring. My Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log is full of the colour and taste of Christmas and I promise it will be hard for anyone to stop at just one smear on their favourite Christmas cracker.
Oh yum! I have done something similar with goat cheese before. I wish I could have a bite of this right now! 🙂
Goats cheese would be amazing in this too!
Holy wowzer. I’m not really a cheesy girl (pun intended)… but this looks good. OMG I can just taste it.. on that cracker. 🙂
Seriously love cheese so much. I’m all about cheese every day of the year but with the addition of cream cheese and pistachios, I wish I had this for dinner now!
I could eat the whole log and skip dinner!
Perfect holiday appetizer. I love the cranberry + pistachio combo.
Great recipe! Quick and Easy and can be made a head – a host’s delight!
This is totally gorgeous! I love the flavors you added here with the cranberries and pistachios, so festive. Pinned!
I’m a HUGE fan of cheese logs, in fact I just ate my way through one this week (“testing” it for the holidays, ha!)! This is a gorgeous combination and I can’t wait to try it!
These are perfect for Holiday entertaining! Pinning to make for our New Years get together.
What a great sounding dish, perfect nibble for me at this time of year… I don’t have a sweet tooth at all but I reckon I could destroy a packet of crackers with this 😀
The mustard and cheese give it a great savory kick and it goes really nicely atop those paper thin water wafers. I took a log to work and left it in the staff kitchen and it didn’t see more than an hour!
I might just try this for the upcoming holidays. The cranberries and pistachio make the cheese log look very festive.
How many servings can you get from this recipe? I am trying to see if I need to double it! Look delicious!
Hi Lauren this makes two of the pictured logs – roughly 400gm each.
How many are you needing to serve?
I love the idea of the “Yule” log shape and size for gifting and the cheese pairing with havarti will make a delicious taste. Can you tell me how long these last in the fridge or can they be frozen?
Hi Kathy
If kept in an airtight container or well wrapped the logs should be good in the fridge for a few days – although they get eaten so quickly I haven’t tested it specifically. Theoretically they should last until the best before/use by date of the fresh cheeses.
I haven’t frozen them myself but think once rolled they would freeze well.
Ange xx
Yum! I was making these to give away, but I think I’ll keep one…. So delicious! Thanks for this recipe.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed the recipe. I making some today myself😍
Do you think fresh chopped cranberries could be subbed for the dried? Would it weep too much after sitting? I try not to add much sugar to my diet and have tons of fresh cranberries on hand for a cranberry salsa I make (and put overcream cheese ironically!). Thanks in advance
Hi Christina, I’ve never used fresh cranberries so I’m not sure how they will react in the mixture.