Blue Cheese Grape Appetizer
Tangy blue cheese, crunchy walnuts, and juicy sweet grapes pair beautifully together in this blue cheese appetizer. Serve it as the perfect party food for holiday gatherings, weddings, baby showers, or any other special occasion that calls for something tasty. It's simple to prepare and the individual portions present well for serving.
If you love the bold tangy taste of blue cheese, also try our blue cheese dressing, blue cheese coleslaw, or blue cheese and roasted brussels sprouts pizza.
This recipe was originally published in 2014. We've updated the post with some new photos and more information, but we've left the delicious recipe exactly the same.
We love having recipes like this on the ready when we're planning a party or special occasion. This savory-sweet grape appetizer has lots of bold flavor, amazing texture, and is visually pretty to serve. It's easy to prepare ahead of time because most of it is hands-off, allowing the cheese to firm up in the fridge. If you have any leftovers, they make a great snack!
Ingredients you'll need
Here's everything you'll need to make this tasty blue cheese grape appetizer:
- Butter
- Walnuts
- Blue cheese
- Brandy
- Salt + pepper
- Grapes
You'll also need some toothpicks, for serving.
How to make this blue cheese grape appetizer
This pretty grape appetizer is simple to make by following a few easy steps:
- Start by making the blue cheese balls. Mix together the ingredients, scoop the cheesy mixture into small balls, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and pop them in the fridge to firm up.
- Next prepare the walnuts. Toast them in melted butter until fragrant. Chop them finely so it's easy to coat the cheese balls.
- Next, roll the blue cheese balls in the chopped walnuts to coat them.
- Get your grapes ready by slicing them in half (or just slicing the end off if they're small).
- To serve them use a toothpick to skewer them; cheese first, then the grape. You can place them back in the fridge at this point if you're not serving them right away or allow them to sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes to soften.
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
Tip: If you're prepping these for a party, they can be made and even assembled hours in advance. If you don't have room in your fridge for them all standing up, just make the balls up to 2 days in advance and then assemble them right before serving. Enjoy!
Blue Cheese Grape Appetizer: FAQS
You could try another soft cheese like goat cheese.
Yes, we think pecans, almonds, or pistachios would all work really well.
Yes, you can omit it or swap it for a whisky, rum, wine, or fruit juice for a slightly different taste.
How to serve blue cheese grape appetizer
These are the perfect sweet and savory party food. Enjoy them at happy hour with a glass of wine, sangria, or a bourbon sour.
We love serving them to a crowd or for special occasions with other snacks or appetizers like pesto popcorn, easy marinated olives, and prosciutto wrapped grilled peaches.
Serve them before a meal, or as part of any finger-food menu! Ideas for when to serve a blue cheese appetizer:
- Wedding or baby showers
- Birthday parties
- Before dinner with family or friends
- Game night
- Backyard BBQ
- Happy hour
More popular appetizers
- Bacon and Goat Cheese Pops
- Beet and Goat Cheese Salad Bites
- Mini Chicken Satay Skewers with Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Mini Cucumber Smoked Salmon Bites
- Bacon Scallop Lollipops
Blue Cheese Grape Appetizer
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
Walnuts
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 cup walnuts
Blue Cheese Balls
- 7 ounces blue cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
- Sea salt , to taste
- 30-60 grapes, see notes
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl mix the blue cheese, butter, brandy, and pepper. Taste and add salt as necessary. Scoop ½ teaspoon portions onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet then place them in the fridge until firm, at least 3 hours.7 ounces blue cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons brandy, 2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper, Sea salt
- Melt the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and cook, tossing the pan frequently, until they're brown in spots, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set them aside to cool. Finely mince once cool enough to handle.1 cup walnuts, 1 teaspoon butter
- Dip the blue cheese portions in the finely minced walnuts then roll them into balls using the palms of your hands. Dip each ball into the finely minced walnuts and roll the ball in your hands so that the walnuts stick. You may need to put the cheese back in the fridge if it warms up and becomes too difficult to roll.
- Cut the grapes either in half if large or cut off the end if small, so that each grape sits nicely on a plate.
- To serve, skewer a cheese ball with a toothpick then skewer the grape. Let them sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before serving.30-60 grapes
These were perfect. Easy to make and tasty. Thank you!
You’re very welcome!
Hi Kristen
These look amazing, going to try this weekend for a canapé event I am catering for. How far in advance could I make these balls? Do you think I could make Thursday for serving on Saturday?
thanks Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I’ve made them myself for catering events and know for sure that they’re just as good the next day. If you wrap them well and keep them refrigerated they’ll definitely be ok for 2 days.
Hope everyone loves them. They’ve always gone over really well when I’ve served them.
Thanks so much x
Can you recommend an alcohol free substitute for the brandy? Thanks.
You can just leave it out if you don’t have any brandy 🙂
Oh yes, I would definitely be all over these! I have a weakness for the cheese/nut/fruit combo.
wow very creative recipe, love this, great pictures too.