These peach goat cheese bites with hot honey are the perfect two-bite appetizer! Warm goat cheese surrounds a juicy peach slice and gets fried with a golden breadcrumb crust. The chile infused honey creates the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory!
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It's safe to say I'm obsessed with these fried goat cheese balls.
It all starts with a ripe peach. The tender peach is surrounded by savory goat cheese, then dredged in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
It then gets fried until golden brown, and smothered in a homemade hot honey. I love the crunch of the fried breadcrumbs, the soft goat cheese, and the sweet/hot honey all together. I seriously couldn't stop eating these!
Ingredients
Fried goat cheese
- 10 ounces goat cheese
- 1 ripe peach, pitted, peeled, and diced
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt (optional)
Hot honey
- ½ cup raw honey
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
How to make peach goat cheese bites
Hot Honey
- In a small saucepan, combine honey and red pepper flakes.
- Heat over medium low heat until it comes to a low bubble. Let simmer 1-2 minutes, making sure it doesn't come to a full boil.
- Remove the honey from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar.
- Serve as a dip for the goat cheese, or drizzle over the top of the peach goat cheese bites.
Peach Goat Cheese Bites
- In a small, shallow bowl, whisk the egg.
- In another small, shallow bowl, add the breadcrumbs.
- In a third small, shallow bowl, add the flour.
- Cut the goat cheese into thin slices. Surround each peach cube with two slices of goat cheese and use your fingers to form it into a small patty or ball. Repeat with the remaining peaches and goat cheese.
- Dip the goat cheese patty into the flour first, coating on all sides. If your patty came out irregularly shaped, this is a great time to form it into a more perfect circle.
- Next, dip the patty into the egg, coating it completely.
- Transfer the patty into the breadcrumbs, turning it around and pressing crumbs against it to coat all sides.
- Heat olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the goat cheese patties in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Allow to cook for a few minutes until golden brown.
Top tips
What kind of peppers to use for hot honey
Hot honey has really taken off as a condiment, and it's really easy to make at home! I find it easiest to use crushed red pepper flakes, but you could swap these for one or two small, spicy peppers cut into slices. Fresno, Jalapeno, or Red Thai Chiles would be a good choice.
If using fresh peppers, strain them out of your honey before storing, and store the hot honey in the refrigerator for up to one week.
How to handle goat cheese
Goat cheese is a soft cheese, and can stick to your fingers and other work surfaces. I found it easiest to form these patties with my fingers, perfecting the shape after dipping them in the flour.
How to store
These fried goat cheese bites are best enjoyed shortly after frying, but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe because it would change the texture.
Hot honey can be kept in a jar at room temperature for up to 3 months and enjoyed on your favorite cheese boards, sandwiches, pizza, or whatever else you can dream up!
Tips for customizing
- Serve over a salad of leafy greens, such as arugula or spinach
- Form the patties into small balls instead of patties
- Season the panko breadcrumbs with salt, pepper, or your other favorite spices
- Try it with a flavored goat cheese
- Leave the peach out if you prefer
FAQ
Not all goat cheese is vegetarian, but some are. It depends on what type of enzymes the manufacturer uses to culture the cheese. Be sure to check your label for animal rennet if this is important to you.
The flavor and texture of goat cheese actually improves when it's a little warm, so frying these really brings everything together.
More appetizer recipes
- Whipped Feta Dip
- Basic Hummus
- White Bean Dip
- Vegetarian Buffalo Dip
- Zesty Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
- Burrata with Tomatoes, Pesto, and Toast
- Taco Dip
- Avocado Chimichurri Chip Dip
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- White Bean Crostini Appetizer
- Apple and Honey Goat Cheese Appetizer
- Peach Burrata Caprese
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Peach Goat Cheese Bites with Hot Honey
Ingredients
Fried goat cheese
- 10 ounces goat cheese
- 1 ripe peach, pitted, peeled, and diced
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt, optional
Hot honey
- ½ cup raw honey
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Hot Honey
- In a small saucepan, combine honey and red pepper flakes.
- Heat over medium low heat until it comes to a low bubble. Let simmer 1-2 minutes, making sure it doesn't come to a full boil.
- Remove the honey from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar.
- Serve as a dip for the goat cheese, or drizzle over the top of the peach goat cheese bites.
Peach Goat Cheese Bites
- In a small, shallow bowl, whisk the egg.
- In another small, shallow bowl, add the breadcrumbs.
- In a third small, shallow bowl, add the flour.
- Cut the goat cheese into thin slices. Surround each peach cube with two slices of goat cheese and use your fingers to form it into a small patty or ball. Repeat with the remaining peaches and goat cheese.
- Dip the goat cheese patty into the flour first, coating on all sides. If your patty came out irregularly shaped, this is a great time to form it into a more perfect circle.
- Next, dip the patty into the egg, coating it completely.
- Transfer the patty into the breadcrumbs, turning it around and pressing crumbs against it to coat all sides.
- Heat olive oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the goat cheese patties in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Allow to cook for a few minutes until golden brown.
- Flip the goat cheese and cook for another 2-3 minutes until both sides are golden.
- If you made your patties on the thicker side, you may want to use tongs to help turn the patties onto their sides, turning them around to get all the way around, until golden brown on all sides.
- Transfer the cooked goat cheese to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.
- Serve alongside or drizzled with hot honey.
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