Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Cheese Log

Cranberry-cinnamon goat cheese on a cracker with the log of goat cheese in the background

5 from 8 votes

This homemade cranberry cinnamon goat cheese log is the ultimate addition to your fall or winter cheese board. It features a cinnamon and orange infused cranberry sauce coating, and is perfect for holiday entertaining whether its Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve or any day in between!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Resting Time1 hr 40 mins

Total Time2 hrs

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 169kcal

Author: Victoria

Ingredients

6 ounces (about 1 ¾ cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 ounce log goat cheese
Crackers, for serving

Instructions

Add the cranberries, sugar, water, orange zest, and cinnamon to a medium saucepan and heat over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for about 8 to 10 minutes (or possibly up to 15 minutes give or take if your cranberries are frozen). The cranberries will pop, the mixture will foam and subside, and the sauce will get thick as the cranberries break down. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter. Spread about ½ cup of the thick cranberry sauce onto the plastic wrap, a bit longer and wider than the goat cheese log. Lay the goat cheese log on top of the cranberry sauce and spread more sauce over the top and sides of the goat cheese (much like frosting a cake). There should be about ¼-inch thick layer of cranberry sauce over all the sides of the goat cheese. Wrap the plastic wrap around the cranberry-coated goat cheese log and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
Remove the goat cheese from the refrigerator and carefully unwrap the plastic wrap and transfer to a serving dish or board. Let it sit out for about 30 minutes before serving to allow the cheese to slightly soften and become easier to spread. Serve the cranberry cinnamon goat cheese with crackers.

Notes

It can be a little messy to unwrap and serve. Here are a couple suggestions on how to do this with minimal mess:
- Lift it from the plastic wrap with 2 spatulas (one on either end of the cranberry goat cheese log) and transfer onto a serving plate. You can always smooth the cranberry coating back into place.
- Unwrap most of the log leaving the plastic wrap covering the top. Scrunch up the plastic wrap you've peeled away (so remnants of cranberry sauce don't rub off on your serving dish) holding the log upside down so the bottom is unpeeled and facing up and your hand is holding the "top" of the log which is still covered in plastic. Invert your plate or serving dish and carefully place it over the cranberry goat cheese log. Hold them together and invert the entire thing so the log is now on the serving dish and carefully peel away the remaining plastic wrap. Use a spatula to smooth out the cranberry coating where it might have gotten dented by your hand.
Serve this with your favorite all-purpose crackers like butter, wheat, club, or table water crackers. I like the 6 cracker assortment from Aldi and Trader Joe's because it includes a little bit of everything, although they may only sell it seasonally around the holidays.
This cranberry goat cheese log provides a tangy and sweet element to your fall and winter cheese board. Complement it with a hard aged cheese and a stinky cheese for a range of flavors and textures. You can even try making your own homemade stilton or homemade camembert if you're feeling adventurous!

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