Wow your guests with this easy Cranberry Baked Brie, wrapped in crispy puff pastry. The brie is topped with honey and fresh thyme, which pair perfectly with tart cranberry sauce and buttery brie cheese.
Another great way to serve this appetizer is as baked brie in a bread bowl. Or, if you want to try another flavor, you may also love my Baked Brie with Fig Jam, or these adorable Brie Bites.
Cranberry Baked Brie
Baked brie is a classic for a reason—it’s classy, it’s cheesy, and it is so incredibly easy to make. It’s typically composed of brie cheese and some kind of sweet or tart fruit preserve all wrapped up in puff pastry or phyllo dough and baked.
Email This Recipe
Get a link to this recipe emailed so you can save it for later + get all the latest Carefree Kitchen recipes!
By submitting this form you consent to receive emails from The Carefree Kitchen
The combination in this recipe of buttery brie cheese, tangy cranberry sauce, and crisp puff pastry is made even more unreal with the addition of sweet caramelized honey and fresh thyme that bakes on top of the cheese.
Follow along and feel free to get creative, making your own versions of this favorite holiday appetizer. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes—Making Brie Bites
An easy variation of this appetizer is brie bites, which can be made by pressing squares of puff pastry or phyllo dough into muffin pans. Top with a piece of brie, a little cranberry sauce, and bake until golden brown and melted.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy. There is very minimal prep needed before putting this appetizer in the oven to bake.
- Good for any size crowd. You can easily serve up to 8 people with just one eight-ounce round of Brie. For a larger crowd, just prepare another and bake it all on the same sheet tray!
- Prepare it ahead of time. This is a perfect appetizer to prep the night before. Just build the baked brie, wrap with plastic, and store in the fridge overnight. Before baking, pull it out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking so that it has a chance to warm up to room temperature.
Key Ingredients You Will Need
- Puff Pastry – you will need 1 sheet of store bought puff pastry for this recipe, which comes frozen. The easiest way to thaw it is to set it on a countertop at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes, but you can also put it in the fridge for a few hours.
- Brie – you will need one wheel of brie cheese for each baked brie that you make. Most wheels are about 8 ounces which is the perfect size. I like to use triple cream brie because it is extra gooey when melted.
- Honey – the sweet honey melts and almost caramelizes the edges of the puff dough as it bakes.
- Cranberry Sauce – you can use my homemade cranberry sauce recipe, purchase some from the store, or even substitute another fruit preserve like raspberry jam, apricot jam, or fig jam.
- Fresh Thyme – the herbal flavor of fresh thyme and tangy cranberry go together so well. Adding a little fresh thyme to anything with cranberry is a great way to enhance the flavor.
- Egg Wash – to keep the outside nice and shiny after it is baked, brush on a simple egg wash made from whole eggs and a little water.
How to Make Baked Brie in Puff Pastry
- Prepare the puff pastry. Defrost a sheet of puff pastry either at room temperature or in the fridge, then lay on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Add the brie and other ingredients. Put the Brie wheel into the center of the puff pastry, then top with the honey, minced thyme, and cranberry sauce.
- Fold the puff pastry up. Gently fold each of the four corners of the puff pastry into the center, containing all the ingredients. Brush with a little water when needed to make the puff pastry stay in place, then gently fold each of the four corners in again until you’ve secured the pastry around the brie.
- Bake. Brush egg wash over the outside, then bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20-24 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and shiny.
- Serve warm. Once baked, remove from the oven and place the baked puff pastry on a serving dish or large plate. Serve warm with crackers, baguettes, crostini, or fruit. Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: store completely cooled leftover baked brie wrapped well in plastic wrap or inside an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: this can be assembled and egg washed, then wrapped well in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you are ready to bake, transfer to the fridge overnight to thaw and then bake as directed.
- To reheat: preheat your oven to 300 degrees F, then transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil. Warm just long enough to melt the cheese, then enjoy!
More You’ll Love
Cranberry baked brie is the perfect holiday appetizer to serve at any size party. The melty brie cheese and tangy cranberry sauce is all held in by a thin layer of crisp puff pastry.
Baked Cranberry and Brie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 8 ounces brie cheese wheel
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon thyme, minced
- 3/4 cup cranberry sauce
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Defrost a puff pastry sheet by removing it from its packaging and laying on the countertop for about 40 minutes.
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper, then unfold the puff pastry and place it on top. Put the Brie wheel into the center of the puff pastry, then top with the honey, thyme, and cranberry sauce.
- Gently fold each of the four corners of the puff pastry into the center, containing all the ingredients. Brush with a little water when needed to make the puff pastry stay in place, then gently fold each of the four corners in again until you've secured the pastry around the brie.
- Beat the egg and water in a small bowl, then use a pastry brush to brush the outside of the pastry with the egg wash.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and shiny.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and place the Baked Brie on a serving dish or large plate. Serve warm with crackers, baguettes, crostini, or fruit. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this?
Don’t forget to leave a rating below and make sure to follow on Pinterest, Instagram and Tiktok for more!
More of the Best Holiday Appetizers
Categories:
Appetizers, Cheese, Christmas, Fall Recipes, Game Day, Nut-Free, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Vegetarian, Winter Recipes,
