simple homemade crostini topped with salty prosciutto, tangy goat cheese, & an easy homemade cantaloupe & honey jam. these 4-ingredient crostini are just as simple as they are elegant. perfect to serve as an appetizer at your next dinner party or to bring along with you to any summer parties you have this year!

this Recipe for Later!

say hello to my little friends.

pahhhhhahaha.

so cheesy.

BUT ACTUALLY CHEESY…do ya see that goat cheese?!?!?!

hahahahaha. HA.

you GUYS! regardless of my terrible jokes (i could really go on for days, but i’ll spare you further torment for now), you’re going to be so obsessed with this recipe.

let’s cut straight to the chase: CROSTINI! i looooove me some good crostini.

& before you roll your eyes & think to yourself “gahhh soooo dated!”, hear me out. i mean, yes i agree that crostini in general can be a little obvious & maybe a liiiiittle dated.

BUT they’re just so damn tasty! they’re basically crunchy little open faced sandwiches with SO MUCH good stuff piled on top. (& a much better stuff-to-bread ratio, at that.) plus, their bite-sized-ness is basically a permission slip to nom away on as much bread as you want.

so. when it comes to crostini, we can all be winners. ya feel me?

i love, love, love making crostini, especially when i need a quick & easy snack to feed to some guests.

a few crostini tips & tricks:

1. don’t slice your bread too, too thin. it will shrink down a bit as it bakes & loses moisture. i generally stick with slicing my bread to about ¼-inch thick slices on the bias.
2. generously oil & salt your pan before adding all of your thinly (but not too thinly) sliced bread. i like to slide the pieces of bread around the pan to evenly cover one side with oil & salt before flipping the bread to its other side & doing the same. again, this ensures even coverage of oil & salt, which ensures a 100% golden brown crostini.
3. once they’re seasoned but before you toss them into the oven, toss a handful of whatever your favorite fresh herbs are over top. hearty herbs are best since they’ll be roasting at 425 degrees. i love the subtle earthy flavor that thyme adds to crostini!
4. the 22 minute bake time is VERY important. at 20 minutes, the bread isn’t golden & crunchy enough yet, but at 25 minutes you’ll be past the point of no return. 22 minutes & rotate your pan halfway through…you’ll be golden (& so will your crostini).
5. make a batch anytime you have extra bread! they’re so easy to make & they can be stored for ages in a ziplock bag. perfect for unexpected guests!
6. top with ALL of the toppings.  get creative.  go crazy…any combination imaginable!

in particular, these prosciutto & goat cheese crostini with cantaloupe jam are ridiculously good.

like, to.die.for.

what’s totally crazy is the fact that the cantaloupe jam really steals the show.

yes! you heard me right. humble cantaloupe totally outshines the prosciutto & the goat cheese (aka 2 of the best foods ever).

crazy talk, i know.

but really, jam is such a completely unexpected & fun way to use up cantaloupe. we had something similar for the first time last year at an italian restaurant in our neighborhood, & ever since then i’ve been completely hooked.

plus, it’s beyond simple to make. simply simmer diced cantaloupe with water, honey, sugar, & lemon juice until it reduces into a thick, syrupy jam. also, feel free to run the finished jam through a blender to make it super velvety smooth…i honestly opt to skip this step because i prefer the texture that the big pieces of cantaloupe lend to the jam (plus, one less dish to wash…). cantaloupe jam carries through the mellow flavor of the melon beautifully & the cantaloupe’s natural sweetness is highlighted by the honey.

you may or may not be inclined to eat it by the spoonful.

i’d highly recommend making cantaloupe jam a fridge staple this summer. it’s great to have on hand when you have guests over. you can make these fancy little crostini, or serve at breakfast with toast & bagels. it also makes a great hostess gift, because really nothing says “thanks for sharing your home with me” like a jar of homemade jam.

but, back to the crostini. these are seriously the perfect little bite. salty thinly-sliced prosciutto naturally pairs beautifully with the sweetness of cantaloupe. it’s one of those pairings that’s just quintessentially summer, you know? topped off with creamy & tangy goat cheese, one bite of these crostini offers pretty much everything you need out of an appetizer: salt, savory, sweet, tang, texture, crunch…

these beauties are perfect for a warm summer day. they’re easy to throw together before your guests come over (we’re talking 4-ingredient easy, too!). & they pair beautifully with a chilled white or a dry, french rosé.

& remember the whole bite-sized greatness about crostini? go ahead. have more than one. #yourewelcome

tell me…what are your favorite toppings for crostini?!? do you have any other go to appetizer ideas for summer entertaining? let me know in the comments below…I’d LOVE to chat! xx

afraid you’ll miss a recipe or entertaining idea?  be sure to follow along with plays well with butter on bloglovin. for daily foodie musings & tips, follow along with @playswellwithbutter on instagram & facebook!  & for tons of pin-worthy ideas to be the hostess with the mostest, follow plays well with butter on pinterest!

summer crostini with prosciutto, goat cheese & homemade canteloupe jam

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• Author: jess larson | plays well with butter
• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 30
• Yield: 16 1x

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Description

simple homemade crostini topped with salty prosciutto, tangy goat cheese, & an easy homemade cantaloupe & honey jam. these 4-ingredient crostini are just as simple as they are elegant. perfect to serve as an appetizer at your next dinner party or to bring along with you to any summer parties you have this year!

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Ingredients

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• 1/2 french baguette, thinly sliced on the bias into 1/4 inch slices
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 handful of your favorite hearty herb (I love thyme!)
• 2 C cantaloupe, diced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/4 C granulated sugar
• 1/4 C water
• 1 lemon, juiced
• pinch of kosher salt
• 8 oz thinly slice prosciutto
• 8 oz goat cheese, crumbled

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Instructions

for the crostini

1. preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. add olive oil & salt to the bottom of a cookie sheet. place each piece of thinly sliced baguette onto the pan & slide it around in the salt & olive oil. turn & repeat, so each side is evenly coated in seasoning. repeat with all slices of baguette.
3. arrange herbs over the bread.
4. bake for 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the crostini are crisp & golden brown.

in the meantime, make your cantaloupe jam

1. in a heavy-bottomed pan, combine diced cantaloupe, honey, sugar, water, lemon juice, & a pinch of salt.
2. simmer over medium heat until reduced & thickened.
3. if you’d like a smoother jam, run it through a blender.
4. cantaloupe jam can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.

assemble the crostini

1. onto each crostini, add 2 T cantaloupe jam, 1/2 slice of prosciutto*, & a few pieces of crumbled goat cheese.
2. serve with chilled white wine or dry rosé!

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Notes

• *the prosciutto can be hard to bite through as you take a bite of crostini. help your guests out by tearing the prosciutto in half & arranging the 2 pieces on each half of the crostini.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8