Appetizers and Party Food Recipes

Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins

6 - 8 servings (about 2 slices per person)

My Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins is totally out of this world. It is so tasty and decadent, and at the same time, easy and fun to prepare. The perfect combination of baby Swiss cheese, creamy soft goat cheese, and sweet raisins makes this an excellent easy appetizer for any occasion. Read More

☆☆☆☆☆0x(write a review)👁313x

Tom the ChefPublished: 3.11.2026

Appetizers and Party Food Recipes

VegetarianGluten-free

15 min.

45 min.

1/5

882 calories Per Serving (of 6) Read More

Before You Start

Let’s talk about important parts of the recipe before you start…

Jump to Recipe

Welcome to My Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins

I am thrilled to share my Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins with you today. As a lover of cold cuisine, I created this recipe to be the ultimate easy appetizer that looks sophisticated but is surprisingly simple to make. The secret lies in the harmonious blend of melted baby Swiss cheese, rich cream cheese, and tangy soft goat cheese, all balanced beautifully by plump sweet raisins. Whether you are hosting a formal gathering or just need a delicious party snack, this cheese roulade delivers a perfect savory and sweet experience. You can even serve it on slices of baguette to create elegant canapes. Let’s dive into making this wonderful Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins together!

Preparing the Baby Swiss Cheese Base for the Roulade

When I start making my Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins, the most critical foundational step is setting up the cheese layer correctly. I use exactly 16 slices of baby Swiss cheese, which usually comes out to about one pound. To prepare this, I first place three layers of plastic wrap over an upside-down medium baking sheet, ensuring the entire surface is covered. Then, I arrange the baby Swiss cheese slices in the center of the plastic wrap utilizing a four by four grid. The absolute most important part of this step is making sure that each slice overlaps the next by about three-quarters of an inch. If they do not overlap each other, they will not fuse together to form the single sheet of cheese roulade that we need to roll up later. This meticulous preparation is what turns a simple party snack into a stunning piece of cold cuisine.

The Gentle Melting Process for the Cheese Roulade

Once my grid is assembled, the next step in creating the Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins is slightly melting the baby Swiss cheese. I slightly preheat my oven to the lowest possible setting, which is usually between 165 degrees Fahrenheit and 175 degrees Fahrenheit. After a short preheating, I actually turn the oven completely off. I only need a temperature just warm enough to slightly melt the cheese so that all the slices connect; I definitely do not want a temperature too high that melts the cheese totally. I place the baking sheet into this warm oven until the slices partially melt together, which usually takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on the temperature. When I take it out, I can still see the seams of the cheese, and that is perfectly okay. I then slide the cheese, including the food wrap, from the baking sheet onto a cooling rack to let it cool slightly for just one to two minutes before adding the soft goat cheese.

Whipping Up the Soft Goat Cheese Filling

The filling is where the Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins gets its luxurious texture. I take my kitchen mixer with the whisk attachment and combine two sticks of soft unsalted butter, six ounces of Laughing Cow cream cheese, and eight ounces of soft goat cheese. I always make sure to use any soft goat cheese that has a creamy texture across the entire cheese body, deliberately avoiding any aged cheese with surface mold. I add a pinch of salt and a pinch of freshly ground pepper, then process the mixture on high speed until nicely smooth and combined, which takes about two to four minutes. This combination of cream cheese and soft goat cheese provides a decadent flavor profile that makes this easy appetizer truly memorable. After tasting and adding more salt or pepper if needed, I put about one-quarter of this filling into a pastry bag with a pastry tip for future decorating, making sure to leave it at room temperature.

Folding in the Sweet Raisins

To bring that wonderful savory and sweet dynamic to the Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins, I incorporate one cup of sweet raisins into the remaining goat cheese filling which is still in my mixing bowl. Instead of using the mixer, which might ruin the texture, I thoroughly fold the sweet raisins in using a silicone spatula. This ensures that every bite of the final cheese roulade has whole, plump dried grapes tucked inside the rich soft goat cheese mixture. I want to mention that you can optionally decorate with grapes of both colors or colorful fruit and vegetables of your choice, but please note that adding these extra elements is a modification that is not part of my original recipe. Sticking to just the sweet raisins as directed keeps the flavor profile exactly as I designed it for this cold cuisine classic.

Assembling and Rolling the Cheese Roulade

Now comes the fun part of making the Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins: the assembly. I take the soft goat cheese filling mixed with sweet raisins and spread it evenly on the top of the cooled baby Swiss cheese sheet. However, I am very careful not to spread the filling to all edges. I make sure to leave approximately one inch of space empty on one of the long sides. This empty edge will become the clean top part of the cheese roulade after rolling is complete. To roll the roulade, I use the plastic wrap underneath to help me effectively lift and roll the cheese, very similar to sushi preparation. This technique ensures a tight, beautiful roll for our easy appetizer. When rolled, I dispose of the plastic wrap afterward and utilize the soft goat cheese filling in the pastry bag to decorate the top of the roulade.

Resting, Slicing, and Serving Elegant Canapes

Patience is key for the final step of my Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins. For the absolute best results, I place the finished roll to cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving, or preferably overnight. After the cheese roulade is fully hardened, usually after 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge, I make sure to cover it with a lid or plastic wrap in order to prevent drying. When it is time to serve, I slice the chilled roll and present it alongside bread, baguettes, or crackers of any kind. Because the filling has set beautifully, if you can cut thin slices of roulade, you can even serve it on a slice of baguette with a few microgreens or arugula to create elegant canapes. This party snack is a fantastic addition to any gathering, perfectly balancing savory and sweet notes.

Buy me a coffee

Cheese Roulade with Goat Cheese & Raisins

6 - 8 servings (about 2 slices per person)Tom the ChefPublished: 3.11.2026 ☆☆☆☆☆0x(write a review)👁313x

15 min.

45 min.

1/5

🖨Print

Ingredients:

Click any ingredient to learn more

Cheese for roulade:

16 slices of baby Swiss cheese (about 1LB *)

Other ingredients:

2 sticks of unsalted butter (½ LB)

6 OZ of the Laughing Cow cream cheese (European cream cheese)

8 OZ of soft goat cheese (chèvre) (*)

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper - ideally freshly ground

1 cup of raisins (dried grapes)

* Use any soft goat cheese (with a creamy texture across the entire cheese body). Do not use aged cheese with surface mold. If you prefer a milder flavor, reduce the amount of goat cheese.

Optionally Decorate With:
Raisins
Grapes of both colors
Colorful fruit or/and vegetables of your choice

Tools:

Click any tool to learn more

1x Kitchen Mixer with Whisk Attachment

1x Silicone Spatula

1x Offset Spatula

1x Pastry Bag with Pastry tips (optional)

Nutrition per 1 Serving:(recipe split into 6 servings)

Estimated

Calories 882 Protein 31.5 g Fat 73.3 g Saturated fat 44.9 g Carbohydrate 28.9 g Sugars 1.1 g Fiber 2.3 g Sodium 426 mg Cholesterol 201 mg

VegetarianGluten-free

Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients above using the United States Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central reference data. An estimate, not a measurement — brands, sizes and how much of a marinade actually ends up on the plate all move it.

Directions:

1.Slightly Preheat Your Oven:

1.1.

Slightly preheat your oven. Set the lowest possible temperature (with most ovens 165°F – 175°F) and after short preheating, turn it off.

Note: We are going to use the oven to just slightly melt the cheese. We need a temperature just warm enough to slightly melt the cheese (to be able to roll the cheese so that all slices get connected), but also not too high to melt the cheese totally. You can optionally use a temperature even higher while significantly shortening the time of melting (make sure that you do not exceed the maximum acceptable temperature for the food wrap).

2.Prepare Cheese for Roulade:

Note:

The goal is to utilize all 16 slices of cheese, which you will slightly connect by overlapping together, turning them into “one piece”, that will be later be rolled.

2.1.

Place 3 layers of plastic wrap on the upside–down medium baking sheet (cover the entire baking sheet).

2.2.

Place all 16 slices of baby Swiss Cheese on the center of the plastic wrap utilizing 4 x 4 grid with ¾” overlap of each slice.

Important:

Always let all slices overlap each other to be able to melt them into one piece.

2.3.

Place into the warm oven until slices partially melt together (usually 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the temperature).

Note:

You will still see the seams of the cheese (which is ok).

2.4.

Then slide the cheese (including the food wrap) from the baking sheet onto the cooling rack to let it slightly cool (just for about 1 – 2 minutes).

3.Goat Cheese Filling:

3.1.

Place into a kitchen mixer with whisk attachment:

2 sticks of soft butter

6 OZ of Laughing Cow cream cheese

8 OZ of soft goat cheese

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

Process on high speed until nicely smooth and combined (about 2 – 4 minutes).

3.2.

Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.

3.3.

Put about ¼ of the total amount (doesn’t have to be exact) of goat cheese filling into the pastry bag with a pastry tip for future decorating and set aside for a later step.

Important: Leave at room temperature.

3.4.

Add into the remaining goat cheese filling (which is still in the mixing bowl):

1 cup of raisins

And thoroughly fold in using a spatula.

4.Assemble:

4.1.

Spread all goat cheese filling evenly on the top of the roulade.

Important:

Do not spread the filling to all edges- leave approximately 1” space on one of the long sides empty (that will be the top part of the roulade after rolling is complete).

4.2.

Roll the roulade.

Tip:

Use the plastic wrap to help you effectively roll the roulade (similar to sushi preparation) and dispose of the plastic wrap afterward.

4.3.

When rolled, utilize the goat cheese filling in a pastry bag to decorate the top of the roulade.

5.Resting & Serving:

5.1.

For best results, place to cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving (or preferably overnight).

Important:

After the roulade is fully hardened (usually 20 – 30 minutes), cover it with the lid or plastic wrap in order to prevent drying.

5.2.

Serve sliced with bread, baguette, or crackers of any kind.

Tip:

If you can cut thin slices of roulade, you can even serve it on a slice of baguette with a few microgreens/arugula to create elegant canapes.

If parts of the ingredients stick to the side of the mixing bowl during processing, stop the blender and, using a spatula, add it back into the mixture. Then, continue processing.