February is all about good food, good people and a table full of snacks worth lingering over. Whether you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, cheering on the Olympics or planning a cozy Valentine’s night in, this Granola + Goat Cheese Spread is delicious and fun.
Shape it into a heart, a football or keep it classic - then serve with crackers, apples or veggies. Scroll for the full recipe below and bring a little adventure (and a lot of smiles) to all your February gatherings.
Granola + Goat Cheese Spread Recipe
Ingredients:
8 oz goat cheese
8 oz cream cheese
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 Tbsp strawberry jam or jelly
Topping = 3/4 cup RTK granola
Before you begin, consider your shape. We used a 6" metal mold to form the heart, but shaped the football by hand. A ball is a classic shape - hard to beat!
Instructions:
Let cheeses & butter soften for 30 minutes before mixing them so that they blend well. Using a food processor or mixer, mix all ingredients just until smooth. Don't over mix.
With a spatula, move the cheese mixture to a big (BIG!) piece of plastic wrap. While you clean up, chill the cheese mixture now for 30 minutes to 1 hour before you put it into the mold or create a ball.
Heart - To use a metal mold for your shape, lift the cheese into the mold with plastic wrap around it. Use your hands on top of the plastic to spread into all sides of the mold.
Football or Ball - Lift the edges of the plastic wrap upward and twist the wrap to form the cheese into a ball. You can wrap the ball in aluminum foil for the night. Once the cheese if firm, you will flatten the top & pinch the ends to form a football shape.
Refrigerate your shape until firm - 4 hours at least, or overnight works best. If you have any trouble with the cheese firming up, use the freezer!
Before serving, put the granola in a shallow bowl and choose a serving platter. Unwrap the goat cheese and push it in the granola. Once you have granola on top of the cheese, set it on the platter. Press granola into the top and sides using your fingers or plastic wrap. Once covered in granola, reshape if needed. If you want to make football lacing, use cheese slices cut into strips!
Gluten-Free - To make a gluten-free appetizer that is also and nut-free, use RTK's Triple Seed Berry granola and serve with gluten-free, nut-free crackers, fruit or veggies!
