Why I love this cranberry brie bites recipe
I love appetizers that look like they took a lot more effort than they actually did.
Especially when I’m getting ready for a party and have plenty of other things to do.
These cranberry Brie bites are one of those recipes that give you a pretty, festive appetizer without a complicated preparation process.
Of course, an appetizer needs to taste as good as it looks.
And these definitely deliver on that front, too.
They’re rich and creamy, with just enough sweetness to balance the savory flavors. The kind of appetizer that’s hard to stop at just one!
More Cranberry appetizer recipes
Ingredients
Here is your shopping list (for 12 bites):
- Refrigerated Dough – 1 sheet puff pastry (from a 17.3 ounce package)
- Dairy – 4 ounces Brie
- Canned goods – ½ cup cranberry sauce
- Nuts – 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
- Herbs – fresh thyme (for garnish)
Substitutions & Additions
- Swap chopped walnuts or pistachios for the pecans if you prefer.
- Or omit the pecans for a nut-free version.
How to make cranberry brie bites
1 | Prep work
Take the puff pastry out of the freezer a few hours ahead of time so it has time to thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350°F so it reaches the correct temperature before the pastry goes in.
Grease a 12-hole muffin pan with butter, shortening or non-stick cooking spray.
Cut the Brie into 12 pieces.
Chop enough pecans to make about 2 Tablespoons. We’ll be sprinkling them on top so this doesn’t have to be exact.
Chop the fresh thyme.
2 | Prepare the puff pastry
Unfold the thawed puff pastry on a cutting board or lightly floured surface.
Run a rolling pin over it just enough to flatten the fold lines, keeping the sheet roughly rectangular. Avoid rolling it paper-thin.
Cut the puff pastry sheet into 12 pieces by making four rows and three columns.
Try to keep the pieces approximately equal in size so they fit the muffin cavities and bake evenly.
Place one pastry square into each cavity of the prepared muffin pan.
Press the center down so it forms a small cup, leaving the corners pointing upward to hold the filling.
3 | Assemble the appetizer
Put one of the 12 Brie pieces into each pastry cup.
Then spoon a little cranberry sauce on top.
Divide the filling as evenly as possible so each bite has both cheese and cranberry.
Scatter the chopped pecans over the filled pastry cups, dividing them among the 12 bites.
Add a small sprinkle of fresh thyme to each filled cup before baking. Use the tender leaves rather than the tough woody stems.
Use only a little cranberry sauce in each cup. Overfilling can make the pastry soggy or cause the filling to bubble over.
4 | Bake
Bake the filled muffin pan for 22 to 25 minutes, until the exposed puff pastry is puffed and golden brown and the Brie is melted.
5 | Garnish and serve
After baking, add a little more fresh thyme to the tops for garnish.
Let the bites cool briefly before removing them from the pan, since the melted cheese and cranberry filling will be very hot.
How to make ahead
For the best pastry texture, I recommend preparing the components up to 1 day ahead of time but waiting to assemble and bake the brie bites until just before serving.
To do this:
- Thaw the puff pastry according to its package instructions. Then cut it into squares and add them to the muffin tin. (Or if you’re short on fridge space, store the squares in a ziploc bag).
- Cut the Brie and chop the pecans.
- Keep the Brie and pastry squares refrigerated until needed.
- Then assemble as directed above with the cranberry sauce and bake.
Cranberry Brie Bites
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry from a 17.3 ounce package, thawed
- 4 ounces Brie chopped into 12 pieces
- ½ cup cranberry sauce
- 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
- fresh thyme chopped (for garnish)
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- cutting board
- Rolling Pin
- knife
- 12-hole muffin pan, greased
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Unfold the puff pastry and roll out slightly to remove the creases.1 sheet puff pastry
- Cut into 12 pieces, 4 rows down the long side by 3 rows across the shorter side.
- Put each piece of puff pastry into a muffin tin cavity.
- Add a piece of brie to each.4 ounces Brie
- Then top with a little cranberry sauce½ cup cranberry sauce
- Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top.2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
- Add a little fresh thyme.fresh thyme
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, until golden.
- Sprinkle with a little more fresh thyme for garnish. Serve warm.
Notes
- Replace the pecans with walnuts or pistachios, or omit them altogether, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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