The perfect appetizer! Baked brie in puff pastry with apples and cranberries make this the perfect flavor combination.
One of my FAVORITE combinations from my time living in the UK was brie, cranberry, and bacon.
It’s just so yummy. I love recreating any type of appetizer recipe using these combinations and this is no different.
And if you love apples, you’ll love our apple pound cake with caramel.
Watch How to Make Baked Brie in Puff Pastry (with Apple and Cranberry)
Baked Brie Appetizer (With Puff Pastry) Details
This appetizer uses one of my favorite cheeses…brie. It is a soft cow’s-milk cheese named after the region where it all started…France.
This cheese has been called by the nickname “The Queen of Cheeses” and is fit for royalty. It is pale in hue with a slight grayish tint under a rind of white mold.
It pairs perfectly with the light, crispy, and flaky texture of puff pastry and makes for a delightful appetizer when paired with apples and cranberries. You get salty and sweet all in one delectable bite.
Substitutions for the baked brie appetizer
This recipe calls for the combination of cheese, pastry, and fruit…specifically apples and cranberries. If you aren’t a lover of cranberries you could substitute its less fancy cousin, the raisin. It still teams up well with the apple and cheese. You could also try using chopped dates for another savory/sweet combination.
In terms of apple choices, Golden Delicious, Ambrosia, and Honeycrisp apples are suggested for pairing with the brie. The choice might be determined by availability of apples or personal preference.
You can try local varieties of your favorite honey or substitute molasses, fig jam, or maple syrup. The change will result in slightly different tastes and aromas.
Pecans give it texture and crunch and add their own unique taste. However, you could easily substitute walnuts or almonds if desired…walnuts being slightly sweeter and almonds having a more neutral taste.
Ingredients for the brie appetizer with puff pastry
Ingredients
- 1 (12 ounces) round brie, chilled
- 2 sheets puff pastry (one sheet for decorations)
- 1 apple, cored and chopped
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
How To Make the Appetizer
Directions
It is best to refrigerate the brie overnight. On the day of cooking, preheat the oven to 400° and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. This type of pan will keep the pastry from spreading beyond the borders of the pan, and the paper will prevent sticking. As the oven preheats, in a bowl mix together the apple (your choice), pecans, cranberries, cinnamon, and honey.
Slice the chilled brie in half horizontally and place the bottom of the brie in the center of the puff pastry with the cut side up. Spread half of the fruit mixture over the cut side of the brie on the puff pastry. Place the other half of the brie on top, so that the cut side is in the middle and the rind side is up.
Top the brie with the remaining fruit mixture. Fold the edges of the puff pastry up over the top of the brie, pleating it as you work around the sides. This will not only help to seal the pastry but gives it an interesting visual appearance as well. Place the brie on the baking sheet. Use a cookie cutter to make leaf shapes or other festive cut-outs from the second pastry dough sheet for decorations, if desired. Gently press these onto the top.
Beat together the egg and water. Brush the brie with the egg wash. This gives the pastry a beautiful sheen and golden color. It also helps to bind the pastry parts together.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the brie en croute is browned. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Other appetizers we love:
- Oven baked turkey meatballs
- Bacon ranch cheeseball
- Pimento cheese dip
- Charleston cheese dip
- Dried beef cheese ball
Baked Brie In Puff Pastry (With Apple & Cranberry)
Ingredients
- 12 oz Brie cheese chilled, round
- 2 sheets puff pastry one sheet for decorations
- 1 apple cored and chopped
- 1/4 cup pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup cranberries dried
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 each egg
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Refrigerate the brie overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- As the oven preheats, mix together the apple, pecan, cranberries, cinnamon, and honey.
- Slice the chilled brie in half horizontally and place the bottom of the brie in the center of the puff pastry with the cut side up.
- Spread half of the fruit mixture over the cut side of the brie on the puff pastry. Place the other half of the brie on top, so that the cut side is in the middle and the rind side is up.
- Top the brie with the remaining fruit mixture.
- Fold the edges of the puff pastry up over the top of the brie, pleating it as you work around the sides.
- Place the brie on the baking sheet.
- Use a cookie cutter to make leaf shapes or other festive cut-outs from the second pastry dough sheet for decorations, if desired. Gently press these onto the top.
- Beat together the egg and water. Brush the brie with the egg wash.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the brie en croute is browned.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
