The flavours of Provence! Fresh apricots, stuffed with goat cheese, topped with toasted walnuts and drizzled with lavender honey make delicious summertime finger food appetizers.
These fresh apricot canapés with goat cheese and lavender honey are my latest favourite summertime appetizer!
While traveling in France last year, I was somewhat obsessed with the amazing lavender fields in Provence. Apricots were in season and they were plentiful in the markets. While in the French countryside, we ate locally-made creamy chevre almost every day.
So when I returned home and found fresh apricots in my local market and lavender blooming in my garden, I was stoked to make this fresh apricot appetizer for summertime snacking.
We have favourite appetizers that I make regularly, like these Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Walnuts and Mint and Lemon Ricotta Crostini with Honeyed Peaches. But when I spotted the apricots, I knew right away I wanted to create something a little different. Savoury appetizers made with honey and stone fruit never disappoint!
Make your own Lavender Honey
While you can often buy lavender honey in specialty stores, it's not difficult to make your own. You can follow the traditional instructions for How to Make Herb-Infused Honey (which takes 5 days) OR you can do like I did and use a fast infusion using heat as outlined here in Lavender Infused Honey. See my easy instructions in the recipe card below.
It's so delicious! Lavender gives the honey delicate floral notes that pair perfectly with slightly tart apricots.
Ready to get started on these fresh apricot appetizers? Here's what you'll need.
Ingredients
apricots: fresh, not dried. Look for ones with no blemishes. They'll be best in this recipe if they are perfectly ripe and naturally sweet. To tell if an apricot is ripe, look for those that have a deep orange-gold colour and avoid those that are pale orange or yellow. The best apricots will be plump and firm, but slightly soft. You don't need to peel apricots.
goat cheese: look for a mild creamy goat cheese or chevre.
lemon zest: adds another layer of fresh flavour to these stuffed apricots
walnuts: toasting brings out their flavour and it also improves their texture, so they'll stay crisp on top of the goat cheese. While I usually prefer to toast nuts in the oven, you need such a small amount for this recipe that I suggest toasting them in a skillet on the stove top instead. Watch carefully as they may scorch. Use your nose to tell you when they're ready to be removed from the heat.
honey: see notes in recipe card about how to make infused lavender honey
How to make stuffed fresh apricots
Slice the apricots in half, remove the pit and stuff with a small amount of creamy goat cheese.
Sprinkle a little lemon zest on top of each one, then press toasted walnuts on top.
Finish by drizzling with lavender honey and serve to your appreciative friends!
Make ahead
You can make these fresh apricot appetizers a few hours ahead of time. Follow steps 1 and 2 above, cover and refrigerate, then add the honey just before serving.
Looking for more finger food ideas? You might like 20 Easy Finger Food Appetizers for your next party.
Fresh Apricots with Goat Cheese and Lavender Honey
Ingredients
- 6 fresh apricots, halved, stone and stem removed
- 4 oz chevre or soft goat cheese
- 2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
- 2 tbsp walnuts, finely chopped, toasted
- 2 tbsp lavender-infused honey
Lavender-infused honey
- 2 tbsp dried lavender buds
- ½ cup honey
Instructions
Lavender-Infused Honey
- Pour ½ cup honey into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Add 2 tbsp dried lavender buds and bring to a boil. Let it boil gently for 4 - 5 minutes. Watch carefully as honey will scorch.
- Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a sterilized glass jar.
- Let cool for an hour then cover.
Fresh Apricot Appetizer
- Finely chop walnuts, toast by heating over medium-low heat in a small skillet.
- Slice fresh apricots in half and remove pit and stem.
- Fill cavity with 2 teaspoons soft chevre or goat cheese.
- Sprinkle each apricot with a pinch of lemon zest.
- Press ½ teaspoon toasted chopped walnuts into the cheese.
- Drizzle with ½ teaspoon lavender honey and serve.
Nutrition
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Sharon
Beautiful as always Elaine! This is a stunner of dish. And thanks for the links on homemade lavender honey. That could very well happen here soon.
Yvonne Langen
I love so many things about this recipe. 1) it's healthier than most dessert options, 2) it comes together effortlessly, 3) it has a tremendous complexity of flavour and texture, in spite of how easy it is to execute.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Yvonne! That's my kind of recipe, too. Health, quick, full of flavour!
Melanie @ Bon Appét'Eat
Your pictures are so so lovely! You totally got me interested in that flavour combo! I always eat my apricot alone BUT I'm from Provence and I'll try anything lavender!
Pinning for later 🙂
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much, Melanie. We had a wonderful week exploring Provence. This was our second trip there, but I'd love to return! The lavender fields were in full bloom and absolutely stunning! Thanks for pinning my recipe!
Kristen
Elaine this recipe is stunning. I love the simple ingredients and beautiful flavours. This is definitely coming out this weekend.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much, Kristen. I'm sure you'll love it!
Leanne @ Crumb Top Baking
I just published a post where I talked about the delicious combo of goat cheese, fruit and honey, so I'm all over this one Elaine! And fresh apricots are so good right now. I need to pick up some more and give this appetizer a try! And love that it was inspired by your travels. I followed on IG, and it looked lovely!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Leanne, I was inspired by the French chevre which is oh-so-delicious! This was a fun appetizer to create and it's incredibly quick and easy! Thanks for commenting.
Joss
I am loving the lavender honey drizzled over the goat cheese in these apricots, so fresh and summery! This appetizer has a great combination of textures and flavors.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Joss. Agreed, this one is perfect for summer!
Bernice Hill
Such a great way to savour seasonal apricots! This would be a great snack or even a dish I would love to serve for brunch.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Bernice!
Sabrina
Simple and delicious, the perfect mix of sweet and tangy, grounded with the nuts. I really love the flavour of these and bonus-they’re healthy too! Thanks 🙂
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Sabrina! Fruit, nuts and cheese: we can't go wrong with that!
Julia
What a beautiful and fresh looking dish for summer! I have never ever cooked with lavender but I imagine it has such a wonderful flavour.. And with the goat's cheese and honey, just delicious!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Julia! Lavender seems like an odd flavour to add to a dish, but it's very delicate. Hope you can try it soon!
Colleen
What a delightful appetizer! I have a garden full of lavendar, and the apricots are very close to ripening here, so I cannot wait to make this!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Colleen! You will love it! I've made it for three get-togethers and it's received rave reviews!