Make the perfect holiday bite of cream cheese, savory herbs, and dried cranberries. Dress up your cheese board with this easy cheese log.
I’m not sure how to prove this but I’d bet over the holidays we consume at least twice as much cream cheese as we do in any other month. Whether it’s in cheesecake, mac-and-cheese casseroles, Jell-o salads, sauces, or as part of a cheese board, Americans love their cream cheese.
To make this festive Cranberry and Herb Cheese Log we start with a block of cream cheese then add some dried herbs and cranberries plus chopped pecans for a simple yet impressive holiday appetizer.
Whether on its own before the main course or part of a large charcutier board, your guests will gobble up this snack that features Tastefully Simple’s Rustic Herb Seasoning. I recently made this for a gathering of my friends, and everyone loved it! Another friend made this for a birthday party in her family and she said it was a hit. I think you’ll like it, too.
Ingredients for Cranberry and Herb Cheese Log, which yields 8 servings:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
¼ cup gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1½ teaspoons Rustic Herb Seasoning
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped and divided
½ cup chopped pecans
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 Tablespoon honey
The gorgonzola and cranberries are a great combination. Rustic Herb Seasoning — a mix of rosemary, thyme, granulated garlic, black pepper, and other spices — provides the traditional holiday flavors we love to the recipe from Tastefully Simple. I love having this versatile blend in my pantry, but if you don’t have it, try grinding together dried rosemary and thyme with granulated garlic and pepper; try 1 teaspoon each of dried herbs and ½ teaspoon of garlic and pepper. The great thing about Tastefully Simple’s blend is all the guess work has been done for you.
How to make Cranberry Herb Cheese Log
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, gorgonzola, Rustic Herb Seasoning, and ½ cup of chopped cranberries. Refrigerate 2 hours until firm.
Shape into a log. Here’s a hack to use; transfer the cheese mixture on to a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap up the cheese and roll with your hands into the log. Unwrap and place the cheese log on a cutting board.
Mix the remaining cranberries, pecans, and fresh parsley in a smaller bowl and sprinkle over cheese log. Roll the log in the mixture until fully covered. Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with honey.
Serve the cheese log with your choice of crackers and bread.
Tips to help you build a beautiful cheese board
Remember when charcuterie took off in 2020 when we were isolating at home due to COVID? This culinary trend hasn’t gone away; if anything, it continues to get more creative. But it’s important not to forget some basics, so here are a few points from the St. Louis Dairy Council to keep in mind before you build your holiday charcuterie presentations.
1. Cheese falls under eight categories: blue, hard, semi-hard, pasta filata (example, mozzarella), fresh soft, semi-soft, soft ripened, and processed. The first seven are applicable for charcuterie, but let’s leave the processed cheese to casseroles or mac-and-cheese.
I’ve seen a variety of suggestions as to the rules of how much cheese to include, but for a basic board, I think a good rule of thumb is semi-hard (cheddar, for example) and either a semi-soft (a Havarti) or a soft ripened (such as brie). Our Cranberry Herb Cheese Log would fill in beautifully for a soft ripened cheese. You could add a hard cheese (Parmesan) or a blue veined if you like, but a basic board starts with two cheeses.
2. Keep pairings on your board simple. With so many selections, it’s easy to go overboard at the specialty store or supermarket or be overwhelmed in front of the shelves. But if you select one item to pair with your selected cheeses, you’ll be in good shape.
As an example, a semi-soft cheese is paired with seasonal fruit. Ripened soft cheeses love a nice chutney. Blue-veined cheese is always great with a drizzle of honey and walnuts. Pair a semi-hard cheese with sausage, and Parmesan can stand up to cured meats (salami, for example) or spiced nuts.
3. Quality cheeses can be pricey, so following the correct way to store these is important. The dairy council recommends wrapping cheese first in wax paper and then in plastic wrap. Only blue cheese can be wrapped in aluminum foil. Store cheese in the vegetable crisper. How long cheese will keep properly stored in the fridge has to do with the type of cheese. For example, cream cheese when properly stored can keep seven to 10 days. Harder cheeses typically stay longer.
4. The question of crackers or bread on charcuterie comes up, but my thinking is a good crusty bread, especially if you have something to spread like the Cranberry Herb Cheese Log or a soft ripened cheese. Of course, you can make everyone happy with a little of both on the board.
No matter what your holiday cheese board looks like, I hope you’ll include the Cranberry Herb Cheese Log. Please remember me as your Tastefully Simple consultant should you order. And if you make this, tag @threewomeninthekitchen when you post to Instagram or Facebook; I’d love to see your creations!
About the blog
Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.
