Whipped Cottage Cheese Crostini
 These Whipped Cottage Cheese and Goat Cheese Crostini are creamy, crisp, and topped with roasted grapes for an easy appetizer that feels extra special.
Recipe and image compliments of Brit from Whisked Away Kitchen
Whipped Cottage Cheese Crostini
Ingredients
Crostini
- 1 French baguette cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Roasted Grapes
- 4 cups red seedless grapes
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt to taste
Whipped Cottage Cheese
- 16 oz Hiland Dairy Small Curd Cottage Cheese
- 4 oz goat cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Assembly
- Balsamic glaze see instructions to make your own
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
- Fresh thyme to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until just toasted.
- Toss the grapes with the olive oil, thyme leaves and a pinch of salt. Place on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. If they are too crowded, they will steam rather than blister and caramelize. Cook at 425°F for 15-20 minutes or until blistered.
- While the grapes are roasting, make the whipped cottage cheese. Add the cottage cheese, goat cheese, lemon zest, honey, and salt to a food processor and process until smooth. It may take a full 2-3 minutes to get completely smooth. Adjust honey and salt to taste.
- Top crostini with whipped cottage cheese followed by roasted grapes. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle flaky sea salt and thyme on top.
Recipe Notes:
- Balsamic Glaze: To make your own balsamic glaze, combine 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat to keep at a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until reduced by about half and the glaze coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools.
- Serving Size: The whipped cottage cheese and roasted grapes make more than enough for one baguette. Pick up a second baguette if you're serving a crowd or save the extras. The whipped cottage cheese is great as a dip with crackers or veggies, and the roasted grapes are delicious on a cheese board.
 Finished with balsamic glaze and flaky salt for the perfect bite
 Toasted baguette slices topped with whipped cottage cheese and sweet roasted grapes create a savory appetizer that’s elegant, easy, and irresistible!
Why We Love This Recipe
- It looks impressive without being complicated. The roasted grapes and balsamic drizzle make it look like a fancy appetizer. No one needs to know how easy it was.
- The whipped cottage cheese is something special. Hiland Dairy Small Curd Cottage Cheese blends up incredibly smooth and creamy. It’s lighter than cream cheese but just as satisfying, with a little tang that pairs perfectly with the sweet grapes.
- It works for almost any occasion. Dinner party, wine night, or even casual get-together. Make it ahead in pieces and assemble right before serving!
Ingredient Notes
Hiland Dairy Small Curd Cottage Cheese: The base of the whole spread. When blended, it turns silky and light. Hiland’s is my favorite for a texture that holds its shape when spooned or piped onto crostini.
Goat Cheese: This adds tang and richness to the whipped base. I used plain goat cheese but something with sweet or neutral mix-ins, such as honey or Herbes de Provence, would also work well!
French Baguette: Thin slices toast up crisp on the outside with just enough chew inside. Cut them about 1/2-inch thick so they can hold up to the toppings.
Red Seedless Grapes: Roasting concentrates their sweetness and turns them soft and jammy with lightly blistered edges. It’s a simple technique that makes them taste completely different than fresh.
Lemon Zest: Just the zest! It adds brightness to the whipped cottage cheese without extra liquid.
Balsamic Glaze: The finishing drizzle that pulls everything together. Store-bought works fine or make your own in about 10 minutes.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. High heat is what gives you golden, crisp crostini and properly blistered grapes.
- Toast the crostini. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and bake for 5–7 minutes. You want them golden and just crisp. They’ll get even crispier as they cool, so pull them when they look right.
- Roast the grapes. Toss the grapes with olive oil, thyme, and salt, then spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Single layer matters here. If they’re crowded, they’ll steam instead of caramelizing. Roast for 15–20 minutes until blistered and jammy.
- Make the whipped cottage cheese. Add the cottage cheese, goat cheese, lemon zest, honey, and salt to a food processor and blend for a full 2–3 minutes. It takes longer than you’d expect to get truly smooth. Taste and adjust the honey and salt before you finish.
- Assemble. Spread the whipped cottage cheese onto each crostini, top with roasted grapes, and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Finish with flaky sea salt and a few fresh thyme leaves.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Don’t rush the food processor. A full 2–3 minutes is what gets you that smooth, whipped texture. Stopping too early leaves it slightly grainy.
- Give the grapes space. A crowded pan means steamed grapes, not caramelized ones. Use two pans if you need to.
- Assemble right before serving. The crostini will soften once they’re topped. Keep everything separate until you’re ready to put them together.
- Don’t skip the flaky salt. It adds crunch and makes every other flavor taste more like itself. A little goes a long way.
Storage Instructions
The components keep well separately. The whipped cottage cheese will last up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The roasted grapes keep for about 2 days. You can reheat them gently before serving. Bake the crostini fresh, or a few hours ahead and leave them uncovered at room temperature so they stay crisp. Once assembled, eat them right away.
Ready in 30 minutes, these crostini are guaranteed to impress your guests fast!
Serving Ideas
- Make it a build-your-own situation. Set out the whipped cottage cheese, roasted grapes, and crostini separately and let guests assemble their own.
- Switch up the fruit by season. Try roasted cherries in summer or sliced figs in fall. Both are great on this base!
- Use it as the anchor for a cheese board. Serve the whipped cottage cheese as the centerpiece with extra crostini around it.
For more delicious recipes, visit Hiland Dairy’s recipe page.
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