Cinnamon Free Gluten Free Goat Cheese Pear Endive Boats
These elegant little bites prove that appetizers can be both stunning and completely fuss-free. Crisp Belgian endive leaves act as natural cups, cradling creamy goat cheese, juicy pear slices, and maple-candied walnuts in every single bite. The combination of tangy cheese, sweet honey drizzle, and that satisfying crunch from the toasted walnuts is genuinely hard to stop eating. Tossing the pear in fresh lemon juice keeps everything looking beautiful on the platter, which matters when a dish is this pretty. Because every ingredient here is naturally gluten free, there's no swapping or substituting required — just straightforward, confident cooking. A finishing scatter of fresh thyme and cracked black pepper pulls the whole thing together with an herby, aromatic lift. These are the kind of appetizers that disappear fast and always prompt someone to ask for the recipe.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the boats
- 2 heads belgian endive
- 4 oz goat cheese, softened
- 1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
For the candied walnuts
- ½ cup walnut halves
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ⅛ tsp fine salt
For serving
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (optional)
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the walnut halves and maple syrup, stirring to coat, and cook for 3–4 minutes, watching closely, until the syrup thickens and the walnuts are glossy and lightly toasted. Sprinkle with the fine salt, transfer to a piece of parchment paper, and spread into a single layer to cool completely, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Separate the endive leaves and select the 16–18 largest, most cup-shaped leaves for the boats. Arrange them in a single layer on a serving platter.
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