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5 from 35 votes

Baked Brie with Cranberries and Walnuts

An easy and elegant appetizer that is easy and quick to make. The brie is baked until it is gooey and then topped with a sweet, crunchy glaze of cranberries and walnuts.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: French Recipes (Provençal, Occitan, Corsican)
Keyword: 30 minues, Easy Recipe, Egg-Free, French
Diet: Mediterranean
Servings: 4
Calories: 344kcal

Ingredients

For the Baked Brie

  • 8 oz brie cheese wheel
  • ¼ cup cranberry sauce (homemade or store-bought)
  • 2 tbsp dried cranberries
  • ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 springs fresh rosemary

To Serve

  • French baguette warmed and sliced diagonally
  • Pita chips or crackers
  • Fresh vegetables for dipping, such as baby carrots, celery, and cucumber rounds
  • Fresh fruit for dipping, like apple or pear slices

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 oF and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place the brie on the prepared baking sheet and transfer it to the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the brie from the oven, and gently expose the creamy layer beneath the crusty top of the cheese using two forks.
  • Spread the cranberry sauce on top of the cheese, followed by the dried cranberries and walnuts.
  • Chop a few of the rosemary leaves.
  • Drizzle with honey and top with finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves.
  • Return the brie to the oven. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until all the toppings are warm and the brie is heated through.
  • Transfer the baked brie to a serving and serve platter alongside sliced baguette and vegetable dippers. Add the rosemary sprigs around the tray to provide more color, and you could even place a few cranberries.

Video

Notes

Notes and Cooking Tips

If you use jarred or canned cranberry sauce, mix it thoroughly to loosen it; you don't want it to look like a glop out of a container.
Don't over-cook your brie.
Let the cheese sit 5 minutes before serving so it's not scorching hot that it would hurt your guests.
Enjoy the brie for the ooziest consistency within 20 to 30 minutes of baking. As the cheese is exposed to room temperature, it will start to cool down and firm up. Of course, it will still be delicious, but melted cheese is incredible. 

Make-ahead tips

I don't recommend making this appetizer ahead of time. As the cheese is exposed to room temperature, it will start to cool down and firm up. Of course, it will still be delicious, but melted cheese is incredible. So, just bake and assemble as the party gets going. 

Storing leftovers

If you have any leftovers, cover the brie and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
To reheat: You reheat the brie in the microwave in 5 to 10-second intervals until melted.

Variations

You can get creative with your brie toppings. If you are like me and love playing with textures and flavors, you may want to experiment and change things up. I used cranberry sauce, dried cranberries, walnuts, and a bit of honey and rosemary for my toppings this time.
Feel free to replace the cranberry sauce with orange or apricot marmalade. You can use other nuts, such as hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, and pecans. 
Or use different dried fruit like raisins or apricots, dried figs, plums, and dates. Chop the dried fruit, if they're big, into small pieces.
Feeling more adventurous? Use camembert instead of brie. It is a more robust, earthy, and intense aged cheese.
You can swap lavender or thyme for rosemary for a different aroma profile. Thyme would add a fresh, grassy, with hints of lemon aroma, while lavender would add a lovely floral one.

Nutrition

Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 358mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g