The fabulously festive, outrageously easy, ooh and ahhh-worthy appetizer that will lead you to wonder why you’d fuss with any other appetizer ever again: EASY Brie Bites!
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Melty pieces of Brie cheese tucked inside personally-sized pieces of golden, buttery puff pastry, then topped with cranberry sauce, pecans, and a sprig of rosemary for festive color, these tasty morsels are a total show stealer.
These easy Brie bites are the low-maintenance version of my mini Cranberry Brie Bites, which are essentially like bite-sized versions of a wheel of Brie wrapped in puff pastry.
They are delicious but labor-intensive. So much stamping and sealing!
Today’s version? DEAD SIMPLE.
Instead of making little pockets of puff pastry, you cut the pastry sheets into squares, then tuck the squares into mini muffin tins.
Add your cheese and the topping of your choice (our favorite is this quick Cranberry Orange Sauce), sprinkle with nuts, then pop them into the oven.
In 18 to 20 minutes, your stunning appetizer is ready to serve.
We’ve attended a cache of holiday parties, and I have brought some version of these tasty Brie bites to every single one of them.
A new party will come along, and I’ll think “I’ll make something else this time!”…and then I find myself right back here.
Can you blame me?
These brie bites wow the crowd each time I make them.
They’re easy on the chef (me!), and since they can be prepped in advance, it’s easy to make them in bulk, then freeze all or a portion until party time.
How to Make Easy, DELISH Cranberry Brie Bites in Puff Pastry
The Ingredients
- Puff Pastry. My holiday appetizer secret weapon! I love using this simple, buttery, and flaky freezer staple any chance I get this time of year (and my guests love it too). You can find puff pastry in the freezer section at your local grocery store (buy extra and use it for Spinach Puffs).
- Brie Cheese. If you have never tried Brie cheese, you need to make this recipe immediately. Brie cheese is buttery, unbelievably creamy, and proves that heaven on earth does, in fact, exist.
- Cranberry Sauce. I love the combination of the sweet cranberry sauce with the nutty Brie cheese flavor. I used my Homemade Cranberry Sauce here, but you could also use any jam you like.
- Sea Salt. A pinch of good, flaky sea salt makes the other flavors pop. Don’t skip it.
- Pecans. The pecans add a nice crunch and special flare.
- Rosemary. A sprig of fresh rosemary is delicious and beautiful on each Brie bite. Plus the red and green makes them look perfect on a holiday plate.
The Directions
- Place the Brie in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up, and generously coat your mini muffin pans with nonstick spray.
- Roll the puff pastry into a rectangle, then cut into squares.
- Press the squares into each muffin cup. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the puff pastry in a couple places.
- Dice the Brie and add one piece to each muffin cup.
- Top the Brie with the cranberry sauce, salt, and pecans.
- Place the muffin pans on top of baking sheets to catch any drips. Bake the Brie bites for 18 to 20 minutes at 375 degrees F, until puffed and golden. Let cool in the pans for a few minutes. Transfer the bites to a serving plate, and garnish with fresh rosemary. Serve hot or at room temperature, and DIG IN!
Quick Tips: How to Prepare Brie for Brie Bites
- Do I Need to Cut the Rind of Brie Before Baking? No, you do not need to remove the rind before baking the Brie. It is edible and barely noticeable once the Brie is baked. If you prefer to cut the rind off, you can cut it off and use only the inside, but I find it wastes a lot of cheese.
- I recommend popping the Brie into the freezer for about 15 minutes before preparing the recipe. This will make it easier to slice into pieces for these bites; Brie is so creamy, it tends to come part otherwise (delicious for regular snacking but less convenient for a Brie appetizer).
Recipe Variations + Topping Suggestions
- Cranberry Brie Bites. Now that we’ve enjoyed a wide sampling of these baked Brie bites, I feel confident playing favorites. Our #1 is the version of the bites topped with homemade cranberry sauce.
- Raspberry Brie Bites. This was a close second, made using store-bought raspberry jam in place of the cranberry sauce. Quick and delicious!
- Fig Brie Bites. I used fig butter purchased at Trader Joe’s; fig jam would work as well. Since figs are quite sweet, I recommend dialing it down to ½ teaspoon per bite. (Are you a fan of figs like me? Be sure to check out these Mini Fig Goat Cheese Bacon Phyllo Bites.)
- Apricot Brie Bites. The next flavor of jam I want to try. Honestly, the jam possibilities are endless!
- Pepper Jelly Brie Bites. Sweet and spicy! Use pepper jelly in place of the cranberry sauce.
- Savory Brie Bites. Instead of jam, use a store-bought savory chutney. Pesto (like these Pesto Pinwheels) would be ultra tasty too.
Prefer goat cheese over brie? Try these Goat Cheese Balls instead.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- To Store. Store leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Place bites in a mini muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through. You can also serve these bites at room temperature.
- To Freeze. Bake the Brie bites as directed and let cool completely. Then arrange the bites in a single layer on a baking sheet, and place in the freezer until solid. Store the frozen bites in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, reheat directly from frozen in a 350 degree F oven until hot.
Meal Prep Tip
Fully assemble the bites in the muffin pan, and refrigerate them unbaked for up to 3 days before baking. You can also fully bake and freeze these bites for up to 2 months. See notes on this above.
Mini Muffin Pan Recommendations + A Note on Batch Size
This recipe yields 48 bites, which means that you can either:
- Bake ONE Batch (fastest option) using two, 24-cup muffin pans like this. Bake both pans at the same time, placing one pan in the upper third of the oven and one in the lower third of the oven; switch the pans’ positions once halfway through.
- Bake FOUR Batches using two, 12-cup mini muffin pans like this. Bake two pans at the same time, rotating the pans’ positions as directed above.
- And if you only have one mini muffin pan of any size you can bake these bites in as many batches as it makes sense. I own two, 12 cup pans, so I baked 24 bites (filling both pans) one day, froze the bites, then baked the second 24 bites the next day. I reheated the frozen bites just before party time. No one could tell the difference!
Enjoy the holiday festivities more and stress over what to bring to a holiday party less with these simple, sublime cranberry Brie bites!
Frequently Asked Questions
While I haven’t tried this myself, another reader has reported success with it. I recommend reducing the cook time to roughly 12 to 14 minutes, but check them very early and often.
Yes! Try a Brie bite variety plate: Arrange the puff pastry and Brie in the muffin tin as directed. Top some of the pieces with raspberry, some with cranberry, some with pesto, etc. You can use a mix of nuts as well. Then, let guests sample and choose their favorites.
If you’d like to switch out the nuts, swap the pecans for chopped walnuts or pistachios.
Brie Bites with Cranberry
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Ingredients
- 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry thawed overnight in the refrigerator
- 8 ounces Brie cheese
- 1 cup Homemade Cranberry Sauce or whole berry cranberry sauce or jam of choice
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt such as Maldon or fleur de sel
- 1/2 cup finely chopped raw pecans
- 4 springs fresh rosemary cut into 6 pieces
Instructions
- Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the Brie in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up. VERY generously coat 2, 24-cup mini muffin pans with nonstick spray (if you only have 1 pan or if you have 2, 12-cups pans, make the Brie bites in batches).
- Unroll 1 sheet puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface (leave the second sheet in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it). Roll into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Cut the sheet lengthwise into 4 even strips. Cut crosswise into 6 even strips. You will have 24 squares total (each square will be about 2 1/2 inches on each side). Gently separate the squares and press them into the mini muffin tins to create a puff pastry cup. With the tines of a fork, prick the bottom of each puff pastry in 2 to 3 places.
- Cut the piece of Brie in half, then place 1 half back in the freezer. Dice the remaining Brie into 24 pieces (they will be between 3/4 and 1/2-inch on each side). Place one piece of Brie in the center of each mini muffin cup. Top each piece of Brie with 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then half of the chopped pecans. Place in the refrigerator. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry, second half of Brie, and the remaining salt and pecans.
- Place each muffin pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any cheese or cranberry that bubbles over. Bake the pans on the upper and lower thirds of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and the corners are golden brown, switching the pans’ positions on the upper and lower racks once halfway through. Let cool in the pans for 3 minutes. If any of the Brie or cranberry has bubbled out, use a fork to scoot it back into the center of the bites (no one will know!).
- Gently transfer the bites to a serving plate (I find a fork works well to transfer them). Garnish each with a small piece of fresh rosemary. Enjoy hot or at room temperature.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Place bites in a mini muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through. You can also serve these bites at room temperature.
- TO FREEZE: Bake the Brie bites as directed and let cool completely. Then arrange the bites in a single layer on a baking sheet, and place in the freezer until solid. Store the frozen bites in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe storage container or ziptop bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350 degree F oven until hot.
- TO MAKE AHEAD: Fully assemble the bites in the muffin pan, and refrigerate them unbaked for up to 3 days before baking. You can also fully bake and freeze these bites for up to 2 months. See notes on this above.
Nutrition
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I also “GENEROUSLY” greased the pan and was left with soggy dough. Even if you follow the recipe correctly, if you over grease these will not turn out – baker beware.
Sorry to hear you had trouble Kate. As stated in my other comment, there could be a few factors to the results that you go. Restating this incase anyone else needs some suggestions: Definitely go a little lighter on the spray. I say spray generously but it is always going to depend on what mini muffin pans you use too. Some require more of a coating and some do not. Also puff pastry is buttery so it will always have a slightly greasy feel to them. All ovens are different so my best guess is to cook them on the bottom rack a little longer. They should definitely be puffed and baked. Lastly, the mini muffin pans will make a difference in how the pastry comes out. Darker coated ones seem to bake better than lighter coated ones. Hope this helps!
I made the recipe using the puff pastry, brie cheese and a raspberry chipotle sauce on top. The raspberry chipotle sauce is just raspberry preserves and canned chipotles in adobo (not the chipotle peppers)-sauce mixed together to taste.
I have made this sauce many times and I serve it using long toothpicks in a small crockpot with small Italian meatballs cooked in it early Christmas day before the big turkey is served. It’s always a huge hit. You can also buy the raspberry chipotle sauce, but it is somewhat pricy.
You could add dijon mustard for a more “bitey” sauce, although I haven’t tried it this way.
The raspberry chipotle sounds delicious Annie!! Thanks so much for sharing!
I will NEVER make these again. Looked nothing like the picture. Puff pastry was a nightmare to separate and never raised like the picture. Whole berry cranberry sauce….well the berries were all at the bottom of the can…had to dig for them. I’m thinking of selling my stove!!!! They tasted OK, but not what I expected AND as someone said, they ARE labor intensive.
Hi Marie! I am so sorry to hear these didn’t work out as you anticipated; I know that’s a big disappointment. Can you let me know what you mean by the pastry being hard to separate? If it was (and also if it didn’t rise), I am thinking that it might have been too warm. For the whole berry cranberry sauce, I use a spoon to stir the can, either right in the can or in a bowl.
Use crescent rolls :) Open them flat and make them the size you need. I have made this many times and not used pastry. I also used high end preserves. Like blueberry and raspberry. This recipe is a bit over the top but easy modifications make it cheaper and easier!
Thanks for the suggestions Pamela!
Marie, did you possibly use phyllo instead of puff pastry? I have done that before. Very frustrating!
LJ
Mine puffed to much twice I’m over this recipe
I’m sorry to hear that Jeana. I’d recommend leaving it a few minutes more in the freezer to firm up or assemble and then refrigerate them for a few minutes. This is definitely going to affect how much the pastry puffs up during the cooking process. Hope this helps!
Anyone ever make these in liners? I am planning to use the mini tulip cups.
Also planning to us a Chambord soaked raspberry and lemon curd topped with chopped pecans and sprinkled with flaked salt.
Sounds tasty, not sure about the liners. I think I would bake them then place them in the cups after they have cooled.
I just needed an idea of how to manage the dough in the muffin tins and temp and timing. Worked beautifully. I filled them with goat cheese and carmelized onions. I served them with a dab of chili fig jam. Really great app. Going to do the brie next time.
Sounds delicious! Thanks Eleanor!
I made these for a Christmas cocktail party and they were a hit! Very easy and a delicious little bite. I had never used puff pastry before but these were easy and quick. I like that they could be served room temp. I loved the tip about using a fork to scoop wayward filling back in the cup!
So glad they were a hit! Thank you Amy!
I made these with breadmaker bread (I did not have any puff pastry), spreadable brie and fresh cranberry with apple sauce in a mini muffin tin. It took more time than using puff pastry but they are SOOO good. Highly recommend! The sea salt makes the bite. Yummy
Wow! Such an amazing idea! Thank you for sharing Sandy!
The directions are absolutely correct. I had zero issues with mess, soggy pastry or anything else. I made sure my puff pastry was mostly frozen (thawed enough to manipulate), kept my brie chilling in freezer as well. I was cautious not to overfill the pastry and they baked up perfectly. Baking times will differ if using a lighter colored muffin pan. They are super simple and yummy.
So pleased to hear this Savannah, thank you!!
I wanted to like this appetizer so much, because I love Brie AND puff pastry in a wide variety of recipes. So sorry, but this was an epic waste of perfectly good Brie – as with other commenters, the pastry was undercooked and doughy, and trying to bake it longer resulted in filling/sauce that bubbled over and nearly set the smoke alarms off.
I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Kim. The timing has worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you.
I made these several times and never had an issue. I made them for a July 4th BBQ, fantasy football draft, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve parties. No matter what the theme, these are a fan favorite. I did not grease my mini muffin tin at all and they were still perfect. I made the cranberry sauce with dried cranberries. Topped the bites with pistachios. Other than that, followed the recipe.
I’m so glad to hear it, thank you!
I was SO looking forward to these, but since I didn’t bake a test batch first I will def do these again as they can be versatile and are so pretty. First, using pastry dough gives the cup a crunch on top. Second, I was bummed I didn’t have much cheese left after cooking…could it have seeped through the holes poked in the dough? or maybe I didn’t put enough cheese even though I did as you suggested. Third, I used my homemade bourbon peach jam and it paired fantastic w the pecans. LMK your thoughts on the cheese. I still have my other sheet of dough the half round of brie. Looking fwd to trying again.
Hi Christine! You could definitely use a bigger piece of cheese if you’d like but brie melts pretty good, so it will be in the cup just not a solid chunk. Enjoy!
I made these again, and I did much better. Letting the dough completely relax at room temp allowed me to roll it out more to the size you say. I prebaked just the dough for 5 mins and it helped to ensure the bottoms were cooked. I took your suggestion and used bigger pieces of Brie. I also used your cranberry recipe this time and they were fantastic.
Thanks for the feedback!
very nice
Thank you!
Mine was amazing and tasted great! Super easy to make, took me just a few minutes to prepare. Thank you for the recipe, I will make this again <3
So glad you enjoyed it Anna!
First, I want to say you are by far my ~favorite~ food blog. Anything I’ve ever made of yours has not let me down! If I’m searching for something and I see “wellplated.com” I’m like… okay, I’m in good hands.
Second, just wanted to drop in and say that this has become a food that people BEG for anytime we’re doing a family gathering! I always have to make extra for my brothers and set it aside. Instead of adding cranberry sauce/pecans, I have been slow roasting cherry tomatoes with herbs and red wine, then following your recipe exactly with the puff pastry and brie, just with the tomatoes. I am forever thankful to you for giving me the inspiration and providing the logistics to pull it off!
Keep up the amazing work, from a forever fan <3
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for your kindness, Carla!
I made these for work I generously sprayed the muffin pans then floured them and it came out perfect not greasy at all. I also poked holes on the bottom of the puff pastry before i filled
Great to hear! Thank you!