Roasted Grapes with Whipped Goat Cheese and Hot Honey
This easy roasted grape appetizer features creamy whipped goat cheese, jammy roasted grapes, hot honey and thyme served with crispy crostini. Perfect for fall entertaining and dinner parties.
Creator: Leslie Stokes
There are certain appetizers that look like you put way more effort into them than you actually did, and this Roasted Grapes with Whipped Goat Cheese is exactly that. Creamy whipped goat cheese is topped with warm, jammy roasted grapes, fresh thyme, hot honey and flaky salt, then served with crispy crostini for scooping everything up.
I made this for The September Table, our September dinner at home, and it ended up being the perfect appetizer for that in-between season when I’m ready for fall flavors but not quite ready for everything to be pumpkin and apple.
The grapes feel like the end of summer, but roasting them makes them warm, sweet and almost jammy. Add the tangy whipped goat cheese and a drizzle of hot honey, and it just works.
And most importantly for me when I’m hosting: almost everything can be prepared ahead of time.
I made the whipped goat cheese the day before, washed my grapes and had everything ready to go. Before everyone arrived, all I had to do was roast the grapes and assemble the platter.
This is exactly the kind of appetizer I want when I’m hosting—pretty enough to put in the middle of the table, but easy enough that I’m not stuck in the kitchen when everyone gets there.
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Grape Appetizer
If you’ve never roasted grapes before, this is your sign. The heat concentrates their sweetness and makes them soft and juicy while a few burst and create this almost syrupy sauce on the pan.
Pair that with cool, creamy goat cheese and you get the best combination of sweet, savory, creamy and tangy.
It’s also:
- Easy to prep ahead for entertaining
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- Made with simple ingredients
- Beautiful enough for a dinner party or holiday
- Perfect for late summer and early fall
- Easy to scale for a larger crowd
- Delicious served warm or at room temperature
What Kind of Grapes Are Best for Roasting?
I used Tomcord grapes for this appetizer and loved them.
Tomcord grapes have a beautiful deep purple color and a more intense grape flavor than your standard grocery-store red grapes. Once roasted, they become especially rich and jammy, which is so good against the tangy goat cheese.
If you can’t find Tomcord grapes, seedless red or black grapes work perfectly, too.
I would avoid green grapes for this particular recipe. They’ll roast just fine, but the darker grapes give you that gorgeous deep color that makes the finished platter so pretty.
Can I Make This Ahead?
Yes, and that’s one of the reasons I love this recipe for hosting.
You can make the whipped goat cheese up to two days ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator.
I like to pull it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving so it softens slightly and becomes really creamy again.
The grapes are best roasted the day you’re serving them, but you can wash and dry them ahead of time. You can also slice your baguette earlier in the day.
Then you’re really just roasting and assembling before guests arrive.
Do Roasted Grapes Need Balsamic Vinegar?
You’ll see a lot of roasted grape recipes made with balsamic vinegar, but I intentionally skip it here.
Especially when I’m using Tomcord grapes, I want the actual grape flavor to come through. Honey helps them caramelize while thyme adds a savory element without overpowering them.
The hot honey at the end gives you another little layer of sweetness and heat.
If you’re using very sweet traditional red grapes and prefer more acidity, you certainly could add a small splash of balsamic before roasting.
What to Serve with Whipped Goat Cheese and Roasted Grapes
Crostini is my favorite because you get that crunchy bread against the creamy goat cheese and soft grapes.
You could also serve this with:
- Sourdough toast points
- Seeded crackers
- Pita crisps
- Warm crusty bread
- Thinly sliced toasted ciabatta
For a larger appetizer spread, pair it with something salty and crunchy. For The September Table, I served it alongside crispy Parmesan artichoke bites with lemon aioli. The two appetizers were completely different, which made them work really well together.
A Simple September Dinner Party Appetizer
This appetizer really set the tone for my September dinner.
I wanted the entire table to feel like that little transition between summer and fall. I decorated with hydrangeas, candles and seasonal fruit, including grapes, so I loved carrying that same ingredient into the menu.
It’s seasonal without being overly fall, and that’s exactly what I wanted for September.
Even if you’re not hosting a full dinner, this would be such an easy appetizer for a girls’ night, wine night, Thanksgiving appetizer spread or even something to put out while you’re making dinner for friends.
And because the whipped goat cheese can be made ahead, you’re not trying to pull together a complicated appetizer five minutes before someone rings the doorbell.
Tips for the best appetizer
Use room-temperature cheese. Softened goat cheese and cream cheese will whip much more smoothly.
Dry your grapes really well. Excess water will steam them instead of letting them blister and caramelize.
Don’t over-roast them. You want some grapes to burst while others still hold their shape.
Save the pan juices. Spoon those over the finished platter along with the grapes.
Serve the goat cheese slightly cool, not refrigerator-cold. The texture and flavor are much better after it sits out for about 20–30 minutes.
Don’t skip the flaky salt. That salty finish balances the sweet grapes and honey.
I hope this appetizer recipe helps you! Don’t forget to follow along on social media for more Meal Prep + healthy recipes!
Roasted Grapes with Whipped Goat Cheese and Hot Honey
Ingredients
Whipped Goat Cheese
- 8 oz goat cheese softened
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
Roasted Grapes
- 1½ lbs Tomcord red or black seedless grapes
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
For Serving
- Hot honey
- Flaky sea salt
- Fresh thyme
- Crostini
Let's Make It
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Add goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, olive oil, honey, lemon zest, salt and pepper to a food processor. Blend until smooth and fluffy. Add another splash of cream if needed.
- Toss grapes with olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and thyme.
- Spread onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast for 15–20 minutes, until blistered and beginning to burst.
- Spread whipped goat cheese onto a shallow serving platter.
- Spoon warm grapes and their pan juices over the goat cheese.
- Drizzle with hot honey and finish with flaky salt and fresh thyme.
- Serve with toasted crostini.
Make-ahead:
- Whipped goat cheese can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Bring it closer to room temperature before assembling.
Meal Prep in 1 Hour
You can use any two of the meals in this series to get your meal prep done in just about and hour, give or take!
Having your breakfast and lunch ready for the week helps you stay on track with your nutriton, saves you time and money! I truly beleive that meal prep does not need to be over complicated, take too much time or be boring!
I always get asked- “do you ever get tired of eating the same thing all week?” and the answer is, no! Not when the food taste good! I give plenty of variety in these preps and keep it simple!
As always, thanks for being here and remember, don’t over complicate the process! Take a deep breath, you got this!
