Cream Cheese Herb Crostini (Printable)

Crispy baguette rounds with creamy, herbed cheese and fresh herbs for elegant entertaining.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crostini

01 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (approximately 24 slices)
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 garlic clove, halved

→ Cream Cheese Spread

04 - 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
05 - 2 tablespoons sour cream
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Herb Toppings

12 - Fresh chives, finely chopped
13 - Fresh dill sprigs
14 - Fresh parsley leaves
15 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
16 - Fresh thyme leaves
17 - Microgreens
18 - Edible flowers, optional
19 - Flaky sea salt, to finish
20 - Freshly ground black pepper

# Method:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F and allow to reach full temperature before baking.
02 - Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with olive oil.
03 - Toast in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and rub each slice lightly with the cut side of garlic. Allow to cool to room temperature.
04 - In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, chives, dill, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth and well blended.
05 - Spread a generous layer of herbed cream cheese mixture over each cooled crostini slice.
06 - Top each crostini with assorted fresh herbs, microgreens, and edible flowers as desired. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and additional black pepper.
07 - Arrange on a large serving board or platter and serve immediately.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble just before guests arrive, so you're not stuck in the kitchen while people are arriving.
  • The herb combinations are endlessly customizable depending on what's fresh at your market or growing in your garden.
  • It's one of those rare dishes that feels elegant enough for a dinner party but casual enough for a weeknight snack board.
02 -
  • Don't assemble these more than 30 minutes before serving, or the crispy toast will start absorbing moisture from the cream cheese and turn soft and chewy.
  • If you're making the spread ahead, cover it tightly with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface so it doesn't develop that thin crust that happens when cream cheese sits exposed to air.
03 -
  • Toast your bread just until it's golden and crisp—any darker and it becomes sharp-edged and unpleasant, any lighter and it loses that essential crunch.
  • Use really fresh herbs if you can, because they're the main attraction here and their flavor will shine or fade depending on how recently they were cut.
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