Pumpkin Crostini With Goat Cheese And Bacon

By Amy Dong
Updated Oct. 31, 2024

Jump to recipe

These Pumpkin Crostini with Goat Cheese and Bacon are a delightfully festive and tasty appetizer for the holidays! They’re crispy, salty, sweet, and so easy to pull together last-minute.

pumpkin crostini with goat cheese and bacon served on a platter. — Serve these Pumpkin Crostini at your next holiday gathering and watch the compliments come rolling in!

Why This Recipe Stands Out

Appetizers are the most fun eats at all the parties. They’re like the socialites of gatherings. They’re fashionably attractive, they stand out, and everyone loves gathering around them. Here’s why we love these Pumpkin Crostini:

Festive Fall Flavors: Maple syrup, pumpkin, pecans, and bacon – this appetizer has all the fall flavors just like this Apple Pecan Salad.
Takes No Time to Make: 10 minutes is all that’s needed to throw together this super simple Pumpkin Crostini.
Serves a Crowd: This recipe makes just about 45 crostini making it the perfect crowd-pleaser to kick off Thanksgiving Day or any fall party.
Can Be Made In Advance: The pumpkin/cheese spread can be prepped days in advance for super easy assembly the day of.

Key Recipe Ingredients

Cream Cheese – Cream cheese is one of the base ingredients for the spread. We gently microwave it to make sure it’s soft enough to easily mix in.
Goat Cheese – Goat Cheese adds a tangy flavor to the spread that pairs wonderfully with the pumpkin and maple.
Pumpkin Puree – Look for pure pumpkin puree for this recipe and not pumpkin pie filling, as the pie filling has added sweeteners and spices.
Bacon – Those little bits of salty, crispy goodness bring so much flavor to Pumpkin Crostini.
Pecans – Toasted, chopped pecans add a sweet, nutty flavor and just the right amount of crunch to this appetizer.
Dried Cranberries – We love the festive pop of red and the tangy sweetness that dried cranberries bring to this dish.
Pepitas – Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) not only make Pumpkin Crostini look picture perfect, they also add even more crunch and nuttiness.
Crostini – Reach for your favorite brand of crostini, bagel chips, or any sturdy cracker. You can also toast your own like we do in this Easy Crostini Recipe.

Substitutions And Variations

Here’s some of our favorite variations to Pumpkin Crostini with Goat Cheese and Bacon:

Vary the Cheese: If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, feel free to substitute it with ricotta! Ricotta has a similarly soft texture, but is slightly milder than goat cheese.
Spice up the Pecans: For a little extra sweetness, we sometimes like to sprinkle these Candied Pecans over top of Pumpkin Crostini.
Add Some Balsamic Glaze: Try substituting the maple syrup for Balsamic Glaze for a slightly tangier, bolder version of this appetizer.
Substitute the Fruit: We think fresh figs (if you can find them) or fig preserves – like we use in our recipe for Brie and Fig Crostini – would make a great substitute for the dried cranberries.

Easy Recipe Instructions

In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, goat cheese, and pumpkin puree until combined. Add salt and pepper and chill until ready to serve.
Spread pumpkin/cheese mixture over crackers.
Sprinkle on remaining ingredients and drizzle on the maple syrup. Enjoy!

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

Like we mentioned earlier, Pumpkin Crostini are super easy to make in advance. Here’s how we do it:

Prepare the Spread: Feel free to make the pumpkin/cheese spread in advance. It generally stays fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Cook the Bacon: We like frying up the bacon the night before to make our lives easier. Let the cooked bacon cool completely before placing it in an airtight container lined with paper towels. It will stay good refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Store Everything Separately: Try to avoid storing the pumpkin spread on the crostini as it can lead to stale and soggy crostini.

Commonly Asked Questions

Can I freeze the cheese spread for pumpkin crostini?

We don’t recommend freezing the cheese spread for this recipe, because it’s cream cheese-based. Cream cheese tends to get a wonky texture after freezing and thawing that isn’t the best. It will refrigerate well though!

What exactly is crostini?

Crostini is simply bread (usually French bread) that has been sliced thin and toasted with olive oil and salt until it gets nice and crispy. It makes a great base for sweet and savory toppings alike.

What does goat cheese taste like?

Goat cheese usually has a soft texture and can range from a sweet, mild flavor to a sharp, tangy flavor depending on the kind that you get. By itself, goat cheese can be too tangy for some people, but we love it mixed with the cream cheese and pumpkin in this recipe.

How much can you taste the pumpkin in this recipe?

You can definitely pick up on the slightly sweet and earthy flavor of pumpkin in this recipe, especially with the maple syrup and pecans. However, it’s not over-powering thanks to the cream cheese.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!