Easy Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log

This Easy Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log is an impressive holiday appetizer. It comes together in a snap and brings a pop of seasonal flavors and colors to the table. Serve it with a variety of crackers, crostini or pita chips for your appetizer and small bites menu.

What Is A Cheese Log?

Cheese logs come in a variety of flavors and cheese combinations. It’s shaped cylindrically, hence the name. Most often they begin with a soft spreadable cheese such as cream cheese, mascarpone cheese or goat cheese. The sky’s the limit when it comes to additions. They can be made with various seasonings, toasted nuts, meat, and chopped veggies combined with semi-soft cheese to complete the flavor profile. They make an easy, yet delicious, make-ahead option for entertaining, and can be served as a starter for special occasions.

Ingredients to Make Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log Recipe

The flavor combination in these cheese logs has stood the test of time, it’s tried and true. The dark red cranberries and the light green hue of the pistachios blends with the festive colors of the holiday season perfectly. Ingredients to make simple Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card.)

• Cream Cheese – Plain cream cheese plus chive and onion cream cheese.
• Shredded Cheese – Colby jack or sharp cheddar cheese.
• Seasonings – – Granulated garlic, onion powder and salt.
• Nuts – Pistachios shelled, roasted and salted. The pistachios should be chopped into small pieces.
• Cranberries – Sweetened dried cranberries.

How to Make the Best Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log Recipe

• Cream Cheese: Remove the cream cheese from the fridge and let stand on the counter to soften for 2 hours or so.
• Combine Cream Cheese and Seasonings: Using an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese plus onion and chive cream cheese with the seasonings until fully combined and smooth.
• Stir in the Shredded Cheese and Cranberries: Using a large spatula or spoon, mix in shredded cheese and cranberries until evenly distributed.
• Divide the Cream Cheese Mixture: Divide in half.
• Pistachios: Roll each log in chopped pistachios to cover all sides and ends. Shape with your hands until it’s cylindrical and between 6-8 inches long.
• Refrigerate: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal then chill until firm.

Tips for Making Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Log

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: A hand mixer or a stand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, nut chopper or food processor, cheese grater, rubber spatula or spoon and plastic wrap.
• Start with Softened Cream Cheese: Softened plain cream cheese and chive and onion cream cheese will blend more easily.
• Where to Find Pistachios: Roasted, salted and shelled pistachios are available in the nut section of most grocery stores, including big box stores like Target and Walmart.
• Make-Ahead Tip: Starting with the freshest of dairy products, these cheese logs can be made up to 3 days in advance. Keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled.
• Soften the Cheese Log for Serving: Allow the cheese log to soften for about 20-30 minutes prior to serving, and it will spread more easily.
• Optional Serving Idea: Honey pairs beautifully with pistachios. While I don’t recommend drizzling the entire log with honey, I like to offer it as a condiment on the side. This gives guests the option to choose if they’d like to drizzle with a touch of honey, or not, to suit their taste. It’s completely optional, these cheese logs are outstanding on their own.
• How to Serve: Serve this cheese log with your favorite crackers for holiday parties around Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve as part of a charcuterie board. Wheat crackers, butter crackers, Ritz crackers or pita chips all work well.
• Give as Gifts: Since this recipe makes two cheese logs, keep one and give the other one as a gift. 

Recipe Variations

• Shape Options: You can shape the cheese mixture as two cheese logs as demonstrated in this recipe, or roll into two round cheese balls.
• Cheese Substitutions: You can experiment with different flavors of shredded cheese. You could use pepper jack cheese for more spice or colby jack cheese for a mild creamy flavor.
• Cranberry Pistachio Goat Cheese Log: You could replace the chive and onion cream cheese with creamy goat cheese.
• Herbs: You could add fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme or chives.
• Cranberries: You could replace the cranberries with chopped dried apricots or dried cherries for a year-round appetizer.
• Nuts: You could roll this cheese log in chopped toasted pecans or walnuts.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store Cranberry Pistachio Chose Logs chilled in the refrigerator for up to one week.
• Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this cheese log. It can change the texture of the cream cheese when thawed.

 

More Easy Cheese Logs and Cheeseballs to Make

• This Beef and Cheddar Cheeseball is packed with flavor.
• If you’re a fan of pimento cheese you’ll love the flavor of this Peppered Herb Pimento Cheese Ball.
• Sweet and salty Pineapple Cheeseball.
• You may also enjoy this Southern Pimento Cheese for slathering on crackers, bread and celery.
• Snowman Cheese Ball from Food Network.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Hand Mixer
• Silicone Spatulas
• Measuring Set
• Mixing Bowls