Pear and Gorgonzola Crostini

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If you need one appetizer that will make your guests think you spent the whole day in the kitchen when you actually pulled it together in 20 minutes, this is the one. Pear and gorgonzola crostini is the kind of thing that looks impossibly elegant and tastes even better than it looks. The combination of salty creamy cheese, sweet ripe pear, golden honey, and crunchy candied walnuts on a crisp little toast is one of those perfect flavor combinations that just works every single time.

I first made these for a girls’ night dinner party a few years back because I needed an appetizer that felt special without turning my kitchen into a disaster zone. They were gone in about eight minutes and I have been making them for every gathering since. They are also completely no-fuss once the crostini are baked, which you can do ahead of time, the assembly takes maybe three minutes.

Pear and Gorgonzola Crostini

Elegant toasted crostini topped with creamy gorgonzola, sliced ripe pear, a drizzle of honey, and candied walnuts. A sophisticated appetizer that comes together in under 20 minutes.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 20 crostini

Course: Appetizer

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 French baguette sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 3 tbsp olive oil for brushing
• 4 oz gorgonzola cheese room temperature
• 2 ripe pears thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp honey for drizzling
• 1/4 cup candied walnuts roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer.
2. Brush each slice generously with olive oil on both sides.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once halfway, until golden and crisp. Let cool slightly.
4. Spread a generous layer of gorgonzola on each crostini.
5. Top each with 2 to 3 thin pear slices.
6. Drizzle with honey, scatter candied walnuts over the top, and finish with fresh thyme leaves.
7. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

Notes

Use a baguette that is not too fresh or it will be chewy rather than crisp. Day-old bread toasts up perfectly. Assemble just before serving so the bread stays crisp.

Choosing the Right Pear

The pear you choose matters here. You want one that is ripe but still firm enough to slice thinly without falling apart. Bosc pears are my first choice because they hold their shape beautifully and have a lovely honey-like sweetness that plays so well with the gorgonzola. D’Anjou work great too. Whatever you use, slice them thin right before serving so they stay bright and do not brown. A little squeeze of lemon juice on the slices will help if you are prepping further ahead.

All About the Gorgonzola

I know blue cheese can feel intimidating if you are not a regular blue cheese person but gorgonzola is the mildest and creamiest of the bunch. Let it come to room temperature before you spread it and it goes on the toast like a dream. If you or your guests are genuinely not blue cheese fans, a good quality brie or even plain cream cheese with a little honey stirred in works beautifully as a swap. The honey on top is non-negotiable though. It ties everything together and adds that little hit of sweetness that makes these truly irresistible.

Tools for This Recipe

• Mercer Culinary Millennia 10 Inch Bread Knife: A wavy edge bread knife slices a baguette into thin, even rounds without squashing it, which is half the battle with crostini.
• Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet Pan: Big enough to toast a whole baguette worth of crostini in one batch so they all come out golden at the same time.
• Picnic Time Artisan 24 Inch Acacia Board: A long wooden board is perfect for lining up a whole row of crostini with a few thyme sprigs tucked around them.

Make Ahead Tips

The crostini themselves can be baked up to two days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. This makes party prep so much more manageable. Just do all your assembly right before guests arrive so the bread stays crisp and the pear stays fresh. I like to arrange these on a long wooden board and scatter a few extra thyme sprigs around for a really pretty presentation. These are the little details that make hosting feel really special without a ton of extra work. xo, Pam