Baked Brie In Puff Pastry

Creamy brie coated in cranberry sauce, wrapped in puff pastry & baked till its golden brown on the outside, and melted and gooey on the inside.  This Baked Brie in Puff Pastry is one of the easiest and tastiest vegetarian appetizer recipes that is sure to impress your guests.

Easy to Make Appetizer with a WOW Factor

Whenever I am hosting a party, especially during the holidays, I look for easy recipes that take very little time to put together, yet have the wow factor. 

This baked brie recipe is one of those aces up my sleeve.  It takes me 5 minutes to put it together, the oven does the rest of the work, and when I take it out, it draws everyone to it.  It’s a great conversation starter!

Great Prep-Ahead Appetizer Recipe

Hosting a party should never be stressful, and to achieve that I plan my menu with recipes where the prep or part of the cooking can be done ahead of time.  This recipe fits the bill perfectly.

I assemble and wrap the brie in pastry and refrigerate for up to a day before serving.

Then, about 40 minutes before my guests are expected to arrive, I brush it with egg wash and bake it in a pre-heated oven for about 30 mins. 

I take it out, and set it up on my prepared platter with crackers and fruit. That simple!

Using Cranberry Sauce to Flavor Brie

In this recipe, I make baked brie with cranberry sauce.  I always make a few extra jars of my homemade cranberry sauce when they are in season.  I fill up a few mason jars, and either can them, or store them in the freezer.  They come in real handy for cheese platters, and of course, baked brie!

In this recipe, I spread a few tablespoons of cranberry sauce at the base, and on top of the brie before wrapping it in puff pastry. The combination of sweet and tart cranberry sauce and creamy and slightly salty brie is a match made in food heaven!

Baked Brie Variations

This recipe is pretty versatile, and you can use your favorite fruit spread instead of cranberry sauce.  Some other popular flavors in my home include:

• Plum Jam (similar sweet and tart flavor as cranberry sauce)
• Fig jam, I love the one at Trader Joe’s
• Strawberry preserves, we love Smucker’s ‘Simply Fruit’
• Peach Chutney
• Caramelized onions

Vegetarian Substitute for Egg Wash

This recipe uses 3 essential ingredients that are vegetarian, Puff Pastry, Cranberry Sauce and Brie Cheese.

Once I assemble the brie wheel in puff pastry sheet, I brush the puff pastry with egg wash to get a golden brown crispy shell.

If you want to skip the egg and want to make this 100% vegetarian, you can melt 1 tbsp butter + 2 tsp milk and brush the pastry with that.

How To Make Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

Making this yummy appetizer is a quick and real easy process with only 4-ingredients.

Ingredients for Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

• Store-Bought Puff Pastry. Thawed, but kept in the coolest part of the refrigerator till ready to use.
• Brie wheel. An 8 oz size of Creamy Brie is ideal for this recipe, but a 10 oz size works too.
• Cranberry Sauce, or your favorite fruit spread
• Egg for making egg-wash (see instructions above for egg substitutes)

Step by Step Instructions for Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

Step 1: Unwrap Puff Pastry, Spread Sauce, Place Brie

Unwrap store-bought puff pastry sheet on a parchment lined baking sheet and lay it flat. Spread 1/4-1/3 cup cranberry sauce, or fruit spread.  Place the brie wheel on top.

Step 2: Top with Sauce, Brush Egg Wash

Spread another 1/4-1/3 cup fruit spread on top of the brie.  Now, prepare the egg wash. Beat an egg with a a few tablespoons of water.  Brush the puff pastry with egg wash all around the brie, covering corners as well .

Step 3: Wrap Brie in Puff Pastry

Fold the pastry sheet corners over the brie, just like you would wrap a present. Gently press down on all sides to ensure it is sealed.

Step 4: Brush Egg Wash and Bake

Brush egg wash on, and around the top.  Using another parchment paper, invert the wheel so the smooth side is facing up.  Brush with egg wash and bake at 400°F for about 30-35 mins, or till golden brown.

Step 5: Cool 5-10 minutes Before Serving

Rest the brie wheel for 5-10 minutes. This gives the hot melted cheese time to firm up a little. If you cut into it sooner than that, most of the cheese will gush right out and will be too hot to eat anyway.

If you want a more lava-like cheese texture, 5 minutes should be enough.  But for a firmer texture, wait 10 minutes. 

Once cooled, transfer it on to the serving platter and serve with Baguette slices. crackers, apple slices or anything you want to dip into that gooey cheese 🙂

Do you Cut off the Rind on Brie cheese?

Unlike most other cheese rinds, the white Brie rind is edible, and is usually eaten along with the melted interior.

But, if you do not want to eat the rind, it is easy to trim from a cold Brie wheel. Simply stand the wheel up on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, slice off the top, bottom and edges.

Is there a Substitute for Brie?

If you cannot find Brie cheese, Camembert Cheese is a good substitute. It is also available in wheel forms.

Since both, Camembert and Brie, are soft-ripened cheese made from cow’s milk, they have many similarities. But there is a slight flavor difference. Camembert is more intense and earthy, whereas Brie is more creamy and buttery.

Recipe Tips for Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

1. Picking Brie: An 8 oz size wheel is ideal for this recipe, but a 10 oz will work as well. Pick a good brand, but not necessarily the most expensive brie.  Remember, we’re going to flavor it with fruit, then cover it in puff pastry.  It will taste phenomenal no matter what. 
2. Puff Pastry: Store-bought puff pastry works beautifully here. But if you really want to make it from scratch, make it a day ahead, or give it enough time to rest and chill. 
3. Use Frozen Puff Pastry: Thaw it out overnight in the refrigerator and keep it in the coolest  
4. Using Cranberry sauce: I love using my homemade chunky cranberry sauce. Store-bought is fine too as long as it’s not runny.  I would not recommend using the canned sauce here.  Any other fruit spread will work just as well.
5. Substitute for Egg Wash: You can skip the egg wash and melt 1 tbsp butter + 2 tsp milk and brush the pastry with that instead.
6. To Make ahead:  Assemble and wrap the brie in pastry and refrigerate for up to a day before serving. Brush with egg wash just before baking.
7. How Long Does the Cheese Stay Gooey: That really depends on the weather.  Best case, the cheese will stay gooey for 15ish minutes, like dip-and-pull consistency, after that you can re-heat it.
8. To Re-Heat: Simply pot it in the microwave for 2 mins. 

More Appetizer Recipes from My Kitchen

• Peach Ginger Chutney (Goes Great on a Cheeseboard) 
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Cheese Straws
• Oven Roasted Chickpeas
• Stuffed Mushrooms
• Tandoori Fish Tikka
• Mango Salsa

Also Check Out: 10 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes

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This recipe was was updated in 2019 with new photos, helpful information, tips, and step-by-step photos.