Vegan Cranberry Crostini is the perfect holiday appetizer! Whipped cream cheese beautifully complements cranberry jalapeño salsa all in one delicious bite on top of homemade crostini.
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This is the best Christmas crostini appetizer you can imagine!
It plays with flavors and textures in a truly irresistible way that will keep you coming back for more.
Homemade crostini is both sturdy and crispy yet soft and buttery on the inside. This makes it the perfect vessel for delicious cranberry jalapeño salsa and a creamy spread.
What's even better is that this cranberry crostini appetizer comes together in no time and can be made ahead.
Serve this finger food at a holiday party or before Christmas dinner, and it is sure to be a hit!
Looking for more crostini recipes? Try strawberry balsamic crostini and tomato basil crostini!
Ingredients
There are three simple yet delicious components to vegan cranberry crostini:
- Homemade Crostini is the all-important base for this appetizer. A day-old baguette is best for making crostini as it will sop up a generous drizzle of olive oil and become crisp yet buttery.
- To make this holiday appetizer gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free baguette, crackers, or baked potato rounds.
- Whipped Cream Cheese sounds fancy, but it’s really just a quick way to elevate store-bought vegan cream cheese by mixing it with your favorite plant-based milk in a food processor. This provides a soft, velvety texture against the crisp bread and chunkier salsa.
- Alternatively, use tofu ricotta cheese or vegan goat cheese for more of a savory feel.
- Cranberry Jalapeño Salsa is beyond delicious! It has a relish-like texture, which is perfect for a bite-sized appetizer like cranberry crostini. This salsa consists of cranberries, jalapeño, green onions, and cilantro. It has a variety of flavors that bring a festive cheer to this appetizer, from its outstanding flavors to its deep red color that stands out beautifully.
- Instead of salsa, you could use leftover cranberry sauce or cranberry chutney.
- Garnishes such as lime zest, cilantro leaves, or chopped jalapeño help to bring out the green for an extra festive touch!
The recipe card below includes the full list of ingredients + instructions.
Make the Cranberry Jalapeño Salsa
Prepare the salsa at least 2 hours prior to assembling the cranberry crostini to allow it to chill and for the flavors to meld.
Place washed and dried cranberries, jalapeño, green onions, and cilantro into a food processor.
Process the salsa for about 45 short 1-second intervals until all the cranberry pieces are roughly uniform in size and have a chunky, relish-like consistency.
Transfer the salsa to a bowl and add the sugar, salt, and lime juice. Mix until the sugar has dissolved into the salsa.
Make the Crostini
Once the salsa has chilled for about 2 hours, prepare the crostini.
Use a serrated knife to cut a skinny baguette or bread loaf into ¼” thick slices.
Lay the slices on a sheet pan and use a pastry brush to generously coat each piece with olive oil, including the sides of the bread. Sprinkle each bread slice with sea salt.
Bake in the oven at 375°F for about 12 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.
Whip the Cream Cheese
While the crostini is cooking, whip the vegan cream cheese.
Place a tub of vegan cream cheese into a small food processor. Add a couple of tablespoons of plant-based milk and blend for about a minute until a light, airy texture is achieved.
Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer or immersion blender.
Assemble the Vegan Cranberry Crostini
Here's a step-by-step guide to assembling the best vegan cranberry crostini:
- Lay the crostini on a serving dish in an even, flat layer.
- Use a butter knife to spread a thick layer of cream to the edges of the crostini in an even layer.
- Spoon the cranberry salsa on the center of the crostini and gently spread it into a layer, but not to the edges, so the juices don’t run over.
- Garnish vegan cranberry crostini with lime zest or cilantro leaves, if desired. Enjoy!
Make Ahead Tips
Vegan cranberry crostini is excellent to make ahead of time. However, you must store each of the components separately!
- Cranberry jalapeño salsa is actually best made a day ahead to allow the flavors to meld. It can be made up to 3 or 4 days ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Whipped cream cheese can last for up to a week in the refrigerator. But for its light and fluffy quality, it is best if prepared only a few days before serving, if not the day of.
- Crostini can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature. Make sure to fully cool the crostini before storing them. Any moisture will degrade its crispy quality.
Once you’re ready to serve the cranberry crostini, prepare it as instructed. It should not be left out at room temperature for more than 1 or 2 hours.
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Vegan Cranberry Crostini with Whipped Cream Cheese
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Ingredients
Crostini
- 1 baguette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- sea salt to taste
Toppings
- ½ batch cranberry jalapeño salsa
- 16 ounces vegan cream cheese 2 tubs
- ¼ cup plant-based milk
Instructions
Make the Crostini
- Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into ¼” thick slices.
- Lay the slices on a sheet pan and use a pastry brush to generously coat each piece with olive oil, including the sides of the bread. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake in the oven at 375°F for about 12 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.
Whip the Cream Cheese
- While the crostini is baking, place vegan cream cheese into a food processor.
- Add the plant-based milk and blend for about a minute until a light, airy texture is achieved, scraping down the sides as needed.
Assemble the Cranberry Crostini Appetizer
- Lay the crostini on a serving dish in an even, flat layer.
- Use a butter knife to spread a thick layer of whipped cream cheese over the crostini, about 1 tablespoon. Spread the cream to the edges of the crostini in an even layer.
- Spoon the cranberry salsa on the center of the crostini and gently spread it into a layer, but not to the edges, so the juices don’t run over.
- Garnish with lime zest or cilantro leaves, if desired.
Notes
- Cranberry jalapeño salsa: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Whipped cream cheese: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. It is best if prepared only a few days before serving.
- Crostini: Store in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature up to 3 days ahead.
- Crostini: Use a rimmed baking sheet without any parchment paper or reusable baking mat. Placing the baguette slices directly on the metal pan helps the underside of the crostini bake as well. Otherwise, you will need to flip the bread slices halfway through to ensure a golden brown color on both sides.
- For more tips, check out the post on how to make crostini from a baguette.
- Salsa: Check out the post on how to make cranberry jalapeño salsa. You only need a half-batch for this appetizer. Feel free to make a full batch and double the crostini and whipped cream cheese or serve the remaining salsa with chips and crackers!
* The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy will vary on specific ingredients and brands used.
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