We’re sharing 4 of our favorite Crostini Toppings for a crostini platter perfect for hosting your next gathering. We love serving these sweet and savory crostini as appetizers for holidays, baby and bridal showers, book clubs, potlucks, dinners, parties, or just a fun night at home. The recipe ingredients include whipped ricotta, brie cheese, pears, apples, honey, fig jam, cherry balsamic sauce, and tomato basil, and instructions are included for how to assemble the crostini for a platter.
What we love about these Crostini Appetizers
For Valentine’s Day this year, I decided to do a crostini platter for our family as an appetizer, and it was so fun and easy to prepare. I laid out the toppings on a platter and let everyone assemble their own. I did the same thing for my book club this spring, and it was a big hit. You can go with my recommendations or create your own! Crostini platters are a great appetizer choice for so many occasions: holidays like New Year’s, Valentine’s, Easter, Mother’s Day, summer holidays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, baby and bridal showers, book clubs, potlucks, game days, movie nights, a light lunch, and family dinners and gatherings. They are great for casual get-togethers or can be shared for a formal party as hors d’oeuvres.
The four toppings I include here are:
Whipped Ricotta with Cherry Balsamic Sauce
Whipped Ricotta with Pear, Honey & Fig Jam
Tomato and Basil Bruschetta
Apple, Brie, and Fig Jam
Looking for other small appetizers and platter ideas? Try our Fall Themed Charcuterie Board, Halloween Themed Charcuterie Board, Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon, Shrimp with Bang Bang Sauce, Lemon Tassies
What you need to make this Crostini Platter
I used the following ingredients:
- Cherry Sauce from Baked Brie with Pecans and Cherry Sauce
- Ricotta cheese (whipped, see recipe instructions)
- Honey
- Fig jam
- Sliced apples
- Sliced pears
- Brie cheese
- Tomato basil bruschetta (see recipe instructions)
- French baguette
- Crusty French bread
- Cracker or gluten-free option
- Assorted nuts (I have pistachios and pecans here)
Crostini Appetizer Substitutions
The great thing about crostini toppings is that you get to choose your favorite foods to use as toppings. For this platter, I focused on four of our favorites. Feel free to make a platter with your favorites or with what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- Other bread options can include different sizes of bread and flavors, including sourdough, ciabatta, or rustic peasant bread.
- You could substitute the brie for Camembert cheese or include another spreadable cheese like goat cheese, burrata, cream cheese, or Boursin.
- You could substitute the fig jam for another flavor like apricot, plum, or something different like hot pepper jelly, or include a variety of jams if interested.
- Add a variety of cheeses and cured meats like prosciutto or salami, which offer the opportunity for guests to create their own toppings.
- Include other ready-made dips or spreads like spinach artichoke, artichoke jalapeño, cranberry dip, hummus, pesto, or a creamy dill spread. The possibilities are endless here.
- You could include flavored butters like pumpkin or apple.
- Include vegetable or meat toppings, like roasted vegetables, olive tapenades, sauteed mushrooms, smoked salmon, thinly sliced steak, or shrimp.
Step-by-step Instructions for a Crostini Platter
Step 1. First, place your small bowls or ramekins on your board/platter and spread them out in different places.
Step 2. Next, put your larger and main items down to make sure there is room for them. Group similar items together. I try to have something similar in color or of similar importance on the opposite side of an item. This brings balance and focus to the entire board/platter instead of just one section. You may not be able to fit all of your items on the board, but extras can be placed on a plate or a cake stand on the side of your board if desired.
Step 3. Fill in the empty areas, starting by framing around the small bowls you have in place, and then fill in any empty spaces on the board. Some great ideas for smaller items to use as accompaniments include dried fruits, nuts, fresh fruit or cheese, small chocolates, candies, salty crackers, or snacks. Here, I used nuts as a possible topping for the crostini.
Step 4. Add any items that need to be refrigerated last. Refrigerated items can be left at room temperature for two hours, and you want them to last as long as possible for your gathering. Add any utensils for serving. I use small spoons for the bowls, a wooden honey dipper for the honey, and a small cheese knife for the Brie cheese. Next to the crostini platter, provide small plates for guests to assemble their own crostini. You can provide a list of the 4 ideas for toppings they could use for reference.
Tips for creating a board/platter
- Start with a theme; this one is crostini toppings, but a special occasion, holiday, season, or time of day for serving can be the theme.
- When planning a charcuterie board, choose at least several items that you are excited about putting on your board. For this platter, I focused on the 4 crostini topping ingredients.
- Shop for small ingredients, the complementary accompaniments, to use on your board that support your theme. I find it helpful to browse the grocery store or other specialty shop for ideas. You can use salty and sweet. Some ideas for complementary items include dried or fresh fruit, cubed and sliced cheese, nuts, chocolates, small crackers, or candies. My focus here was on the crostini, and I chose chopped nuts as a topping for the crostini.
- Pick a board or platter; the size will partially depend on the number of people you are serving. If using a wooden board, make sure it says it is food-safe. The board here is a 15-inch round board. I have an 11×13 board and a larger rectangular board, 14×16 inches, which I love. You can use a serving tray, pizza board, large cutting board, large platter, or baking sheets as well. Look for sales, I have bought some of my best boards that way.
- When assembling the board, choose several ramekins or small bowls that you can put on the board and on the side. These can hold dips, salsas, jams, small items, etc.
- For instructions on building the board, see the recipe instructions.
- You will need extra ingredients to fill the board when items run out while serving. You can include some in small bowls or plates next to your board, or use a cupcake or cake stand.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Can you assemble the crostini toppings and platter in advance? |
| a. Yes, you can assemble everything here in advance except the sliced fruit and bread. You can plate the cheese, and place the whipped ricotta, fig jam, cherry sauce, and the honey in the small bowls you are using for serving. Cover and refrigerate the brie cheese, ricotta, jam, and cherry sauce until time to serve. The whipped ricotta and cherry sauce can be made up to 3-4 days in advance if needed. b. Bruschetta topping lasts up to 48 hours, covered in an airtight container in the fridge. If you are making it in advance, I would add the basil closer to serving for the best presentation. The tomatoes will break down a little over time. The bruschetta topping texture is best the day that you make it, so I recommend making it the day you serve it and storing it in the fridge in an airtight container beforehand if making in advance. c. The fruit should be sliced just before serving to avoid browning. d. The crostini is best fresh, but it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Like the bruschetta, I recommend making it the day you serve it. |
| How do I store the crostini toppings? |
| a. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. I use a gallon Ziplog bag or two for the crostini. b. Any refrigerated items should be stored, covered, in an airtight container in the fridge and shouldn’t be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours for food safety purposes. Store each item separately in a different container. |
Crostini Toppings
We’re sharing 4 of our favorite Crostini Toppings for a crostini platter perfect for hosting your next gathering. We love serving these sweet and savory crostini as appetizers for holidays, baby and bridal showers, book clubs, potlucks, dinners, parties, or just a fun night at home. The recipe ingredients include whipped ricotta, brie cheese, pears, apples, honey, fig jam, cherry balsamic sauce, and tomato basil, and instructions are included for how to assemble the crostini for a platter.
8
servings25
minutes15
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 French baguette, sliced on the diagonal, 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick
1 loaf of crusty French bread, sliced on the diagonal 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup +1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Whipped Ricotta with Cherry Sauce
1 cup ricotta cheese, divided use
Whipped Ricotta with Pears, Honey, and Fig Jam
1 -2 pears
1/3 cup honey
1 cup fig jam (I like Bonne Maman brand), divided use
Apple, Brie, and Fig Jam Topping
1 -2 apples
8 ounce brie cheese
Tomato Basil Topping
3 Roma tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh basil chiffonade
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Crackers big enough to hold toppings, or a gluten-free bread option if desired
Assorted chopped nuts for topping if desired.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Lay the bread slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet (two may be needed). Brush each side of the bread lightly with olive oil and bake for 6-8 minutes until lightly toasted with a light golden crust. Remove from the oven to cool to room temperature before serving or storing.
- Place the ricotta in a food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
- Make the cherry sauce and refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
- Slice the tomatoes in half, core the tomatoes and remove the seeds, and dice.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic. Whisk in the oil until emulsified.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and basil. Let the tomatoes marinate for about 20-30 minutes before serving.
- Slice the apples and pears thinly just before serving.
- To assemble a platter for serving the crostini toppings, place your small bowls or ramekins for the toppings on your board/platter and spread them out in different places. Make sure to include a small plate for the Brie cheese.
- Next, place your bread and crackers on the platter, grouping similar items together. You may not be able to fit all of your items on the board, but extras can be placed on a plate, or a cake stand on the side of your board if desired.
- Place the tomato basil topping, fig jam, whipped ricotta, honey, and cherry sauce in the small bowls already placed on your platter. Plate the brie cheese. Fill in the empty areas, starting by framing around the small bowls you have in place, and then fill in any empty spaces on the board with the fruit and nuts.
- Add any utensils for serving. I use small spoons for the bowls, a wooden honey dipper for the honey, and a small cheese knife for the Brie cheese. Next to the platter, provide small plates for guests to assemble their own crostini and a list of the 4 ideas for toppings they can use as a reference, if desired.
- To make each crostini: 1. spread whipped ricotta on a crostini and top with cherry sauce, 2. spread whipped ricotta on a crostini and top with fig jam, a slice of pear, and drizzle with honey, 3. top a crostini with a slice of brie, apple, and fig jam, 4. top a crostini with the tomato basil mixture.
I love this idea so much! We’re hosting Mother’s Day brunch this year and I think this will be absolutely perfect since everyone can pick and choose their favorite topping.
It will be perfect for Mother’s Day! We have used it for various celebrations and it is always a hit!
I LOVED following along in this recipe to see all the different ideas! I am definitely using these soon when I have company. Thank you!
Happy to share! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
We have been planning brunch for Mother’s Day and came across this post. It has wonderful suggestions and we will be trying them for sure.
I am so happy to hear it! This crostini board is a personal favorite. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
I was really struggling with some simple appys to add to a get together I was planning and this made my life sooo much easier. Thank you for all the tips!
I am so glad to hear it! Happy to share! It’s fun to have the variety of toppings and they are all so good!
These crostini sound so perfect for hosting! Love the mix of sweet and savory toppings, such a crowd-pleaser for any gathering.
Thank you! We really enjoy the various toppings. They are so easy and yummy!
I was looking for the perfection appetizer for my girls night at this was it! So good and so easy!!
I love hearing that! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s a great girls night appetizer, I shared it with my book club and it was fun to see everyone use the topping suggestions and create their own!
Instead of having candy and chocolate at movie night we opted on making this crostini platter. I prepped the sauces beforehand (loved the cherry one), and then we all helped with the rest of the prep. It was fun and we all enjoyed noshing on the crostinis!
That is so fun! We have enjoyed serving this at gatherings too. I love that everyone can make their own and the toppings are all so good. Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this!