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    Home » Appetizers » Crostini Appetizers » 5 Tips for Making Crostini - Ultimate Guide

    5 Tips for Making Crostini - Ultimate Guide

    Published: Nov 18, 2021 · Modified: Dec 8, 2021 by Elaine · This post may contain Amazon affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This blog generates income via ads · 12 Comments

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    image with text for tips for making crostini appetizers

    Crostini appetizers are small canapés that make ideal finger food! You can pack a lot of interesting flavour combinations on top of one small slice of baguette! Avoid common mistakes by following these 5 tips for making perfect crostini appetizers your guests will love! This post includes 10 crostini recipe ideas.

    image of bacon wrapped shrimp with text 5 tips for perfect crostini appetizers

    Finger foods are fun foods! Crostini appetizers are a perfect solution for entertaining, particularly when you are not sure of your guest's likes and dislikes. You can easily provide a variety of appetizers from which your friends can choose.

    And with good choices in gluten-free baguettes available now, your gluten-free friends can enjoy these mini bites, too.

    Making crostini is easy, but there are some pitfalls to avoid. Read on for 5 tips for making crostini for sure-fire success, then browse through these ten crostini recipe ideas!

    Jump to:
    • 🛒 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions and Tips for Making Crostini
    • 10 Delicious Crostini Topping Ideas
    • Need more crostini ideas? Here are a few more!
    • Looking for more appetizer ideas? Try these!
    • 📖 Recipe Card

    🛒 Ingredients

    for the base: a baguette, regular or gluten-free provides a good base to hold the toppings. Crostini in Italian translates to "little toasts." But feel free to experiment. I often put some of the toppings described below on a slice of firm apple or pear! Officially I suppose they would be called canapés, but they're similar to crostini.

    for the filling: a crostini needs a filling of some sort to hold everything together. Common fillings are cheese, like cream cheese, goat cheese, whipped feta cheese, whipped ricotta cheese, melted Brie or cheddar, guacamole, date spread or olive tapenade.

    for the topping: Once you have the toasts made and you've decided on a filling, you can add interesting little toppings. Love seafood? Try topping your crostini with shrimp, crab, or smoked salmon. Keep them vegetarian by adding fruit, like strawberries, roasted grapes, roasted cherries, cranberries, sliced peaches, or figs.

    Holiday crostini could include combinations like Brie and cranberry, or goat cheese with smoked salmon. Fresh fruit crostini with strawberries or honeyed peaches are perfect for summertime appetizers.

    Cranberry Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Thyme leaves

    🔪 Instructions and Tips for Making Crostini

    1. Use a quality bakery bread. Avoid heavy, dense breads that might be difficult to chew. Crostini appetizers are best on bread with a light texture. Choose a baguette and cut slices about ½ inch thick. If they're too thin, they won't support the topping. If they're too thick, the appetizer becomes all about the bread and not the fabulous topping. Choose a gluten-free baguette for your gluten-intolerant friends.
    2. Toast them for just the right amount of time. Arrange thin slices of baguette on a baking sheet and brush them (don't just drizzle) with a little extra-virgin olive oil on both sides, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 375°F. for 7 - 8 minutes, turning over halfway through until golden brown. The crostini should be crispy on top but the inside should be tender. If the oven temperature is too low, the bread slices will bake and become too hard. Too hard to bite politely!
    3. Season! Rub with a cut garlic clove or a cut lemon or orange. This step may seem insignificant but it increases the depth of flavour in the finished appetizer.
    4. Avoid overloading the toppings so they don't fall off. Think carefully about how easy the crostini will be to eat, particularly if your guests are not seated. A crostini needs a filling of some sort, like cheese, a spread, or guacamole to hold the toppings.
    5. Prevent soggy bread by adding the toppings just before serving. The crostini toasts can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container, but toppings that may turn soggy, like tomatoes or fruit, should be added as close to serving time as possible.
    • cut a baguette on the diagonal
      1. Slice a baguette.
    • toasting crostini for appetizers
      2. Brush with oil and garlic and toast baguette slices in the oven.
    Crostini translates to "tiny crusts" or "tiny toasts."

    Try these crostini topping ideas, or create your own. Click on the photos below to take you to the recipes.

    10 Delicious Crostini Topping Ideas

    Cranberry Whipped Ricotta Crostini

    These tiny toasts have a light creamy ricotta spread and they’re topped with a slightly sweetened fresh cranberry-orange mixture. They’re a little bit sweet and delicately salty at the same time. Oh so good!

    a single slice of Cranberry Whipped Ricotta Crostini

    Honey Roasted Fig and Burrata Crostini

    Find your inner Italian soul! Fresh figs and burrata cheese with a honey-balsamic drizzle give this appetizer a WOW factor!

    Honey roasted fig and burrata crostini with arugula leaves

    Smoked Salmon Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese

    This Smoked Salmon Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese is made with slightly sweet honey-lemon goat cheese and wild-caught smoked salmon. Sweet, salty and smoky, all in one bite.

    Smoked Salmon Crostini with Whipped Honey Lemon Goat Cheese on a slate tray

    Blue Cheese and Crisp Honeyed Pear Crostini

    Top thin slices of toasted baguette with whipped blue cheese, a slice or two of crisp pear, a sprinkle of lemon zest and a drizzle of honey to make these tasty Blue Cheese Crostini appetizers.

    Drizzling honey on Blue Cheese and Pear Crostini

    Strawberry Whipped Feta Crostini

    Whip equal parts of feta cheese and light cream cheese together and spread on cooled crostini. Then top with thinly sliced strawberries, gently pressing into the cheese so they don’t fall off. Next, drizzle with a little honey and some balsamic glaze. And finally, add a fresh mint leaf. Serve and devour!

    Strawberry Whipped Feta Crostini with Balsamic Drizzle on a slate board

    Need more crostini ideas? Here are a few more!

    Lemon Ricotta Crostini with Honeyed Peaches

    So simple, but insanely delicious! Smear some creamy lemon ricotta cheese on a thin slice of toasted baguette, top it with a slice of fresh, juicy peach, drizzle it all with honey and sprinkle with tiny thyme leaves.

    Lemon Ricotta Crostini with Honeyed Peaches.

    Roasted Grape and Goat Cheese Crostini

    Soft, sweet warm grapes, nestled into creamy goat cheese, sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts, drizzled with honey, this is one you won't forget! No grapes? Try this recipe with cherries, instead! Roasted Cherry Goat Cheese Crostini

    Side view of Roasted Grape and Goat Cheese Crostini on a serving board

    Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Crostini

    Air fryer bacon-wrapped shrimp or prawns served on tiny pieces of avocado toast make easy and always popular little finger food bites. Crostini appetizers are always fun to eat and easy to make. These ones with bacon, shrimp and avocado will be quickly snapped up!

    A platter of bacon-wrapped shrimp tapas on mini avocado toasts.

    Whipped Feta Apple Hazelnut Canapés

    Create a tasty canapé appetizer on a slice of apple instead of a slice of baguette or cracker. Topped with whipped feta cheese, toasted hazelnuts and drizzled with honey, this delicious finger food appetizer will be appreciated by your gluten-free friends.

    whipped feta canapés with apple and hazelnuts

    Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini

    My personal favourite! Sweet soft figs with a hint of citrus spread on a toasted crostini and topped with creamy goat cheese in this easy appetizer.

    Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini

    Looking for more appetizer ideas? Try these!

    • Mini Cheese Balls on a Stick
    • How to Make an Antipasto Platter
    • Cranberry Brie Beggars' Purses
    • 20 Easy Finger Food Appetizers
    • Mini Spinach Artichoke Tarts

    📖 Recipe Card

    how to make perfect crostini appetizers title

    5 Tips for Making Crostini - Ultimate Guide

    Crostini appetizers are small canapés that make ideal finger food! You can pack a lot of interesting flavour combinations on top of one small slice of baguette! Avoid common mistakes by following these 5 tips for making perfect crostini appetizers your guests will love! This post includes 10 crostini recipes.
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 18 minutes
    Servings: 24
    Calories: 33kcal
    Author: Elaine
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 baguette loaf
    • olive oil extra virgin
    • 1 clove garlic peeled and cut in half
    • salt and pepper

    Instructions

    • Heat oven to 375° F.
    • Use a sharp knife to slice a baguette into ½ inch thick slices. Cut slightly on the diagonal. 
    •  Brush each slice lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
    • Space on a baking sheet and place in pre-heated oven. Bake for 7 - 8 minutes or until golden brown, flipping once halfway through. Crostini should be lightly browned, lightly toasted but still a little "springy" in the middle. 
    • Remove from oven and rub with a cut garlic clove. 
    • Add your choice of toppings. (see 10 ideas in the blog post) 

    Notes

    You can toast the crostini slices 2 to 3 days in advance and keep them in a covered container.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 11mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @enessman or tag #flavourandsavour!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dierdre

      September 27, 2019 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. I made the one with lemon ricotta and peaches last month and I'm planning to make the pear and blue cheese one this weekend!

      Reply
      • Flavour & Savour

        September 27, 2019 at 4:46 pm

        You're welcome. You're going to LOVE that blue cheese and pear crostini!

        Reply
    2. [email protected]

      April 05, 2019 at 8:11 am

      5 stars
      What a wonderful primer and excellent topping ideas for crostini, Elaine! This is definitely a pin that everyone will refer to often, I am sure. All of the topping ideas are wonderful and creative (I am so intrigued by the roasted grapes and goat cheese!). Many thanks for sharing this very useful entertainment post. ❤️

      Reply
      • Flavour & Savour

        April 14, 2019 at 7:56 am

        Hi Denise, that roasted grape and goat cheese crostini is a favourite in our house!

        Reply
    3. Leanne Combden

      April 04, 2019 at 8:58 am

      5 stars
      Always a great appetizer! Love all of your tips for creating a perfect crostini and your suggested toppings sound delicious! I want them all!

      Reply
      • Flavour & Savour

        April 14, 2019 at 7:57 am

        Hi Leanne, Agreed--everyone seems to like to munch on tiny toasts! Fun to make and fun to eat!

        Reply
    4. Terri

      April 02, 2019 at 6:29 pm

      5 stars
      I love all these crostini recipes and your 'bang on' tips for making them! I only have one on my website, but eventually hope to have more. Yours are all so scrumptious!!!

      Reply
      • Flavour & Savour

        April 14, 2019 at 7:56 am

        Thanks Terri! Crostini appetizers are fun to make, too.

        Reply
    5. Cathy

      April 02, 2019 at 12:06 pm

      5 stars
      I always enjoy your beautiful appetizers, so this is a valuable resource. Thank you for the thoughtful tips to make the best crostini!

      Reply
      • Flavour & Savour

        April 02, 2019 at 12:40 pm

        Thanks, Cathy! Crostini appetizers are fun to make, and there is no end to the toppings you can use!

        Reply
    6. Bernice Hill

      April 02, 2019 at 10:23 am

      Absolutely stunning post Elaine! I can't pick a favourite but those first cranberry crostini sure caught my eye.

      Reply
      • Flavour & Savour

        April 02, 2019 at 10:56 am

        Thanks so much, Bernice! That one is a favourite with us, too.

        Reply

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    Elaine from Flavour and Savour

    Welcome! I'm Elaine

    I create delicious gluten-free recipes that everyone can make. I’m here to show you that gluten-free eating doesn’t have to be complicated! I’ll help you make healthy meals that you’ll want to share with family and friends. About Me!

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