Cranberry Brie Bites are the appetizer you set out when you want to look like you fussed, and you didn’t. I keep the brie small and the cranberry sauce to about two teaspoons per cup, since an overfilled bite bubbles over and glues itself to the pan. Five ingredients and a mini muffin tin make two dozen in about half an hour, baked fresh right before you serve them.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Five ingredients, two dozen bites. Puff pastry, brie, cranberry sauce, pecans, and an egg wash are all you need, with a little thyme as an optional garnish, and one batch fills a 24-cup tin.
- Sweet-tart cranberry, creamy brie. Whole-berry cranberry sauce and melty brie sit in a crisp puff pastry cup, so each bite has the sharp fruit and the soft cheese together.
- The tin does the shaping. Press a pastry square into each cup and the mini muffin pan gives you the shell, with no folding or crimping to fuss over.
- The pecans add crunch. A sprinkle of chopped pecans on each one breaks up the soft cheese and fruit with a bit of bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what’s worth noting before you start; the printable card below has the full list with quantities.
- Frozen puff pastry: One 17.3-ounce package holds two sheets, and each sheet cuts into 12 squares for 24 bites. Thaw it as the package directs and keep it cold until you fill the cups, since pastry that warms up turns slack and bakes with less lift.
- Brie: Eight ounces, with the rind cut away and the cheese cut into 24 pieces. Taking the rind off lets the brie melt smoothly into the cup instead of sitting in a firm skin, and the cheese is easier to cut into even pieces straight from the fridge while it’s cold.
- Whole-berry cranberry sauce: Choose the whole-berry kind, not the smooth jelly. The berries hold their shape and stay put in the cup, while jellied sauce melts into a thin layer and runs as it bakes.
- Pecans: A third of a cup, finely chopped, for a little crunch on top. Chop them small so they scatter evenly over each bite.
- Egg: Beaten with a tablespoon of water for the wash that brushes onto the exposed pastry and bakes up golden.
- Fresh thyme: Optional, for a few green leaves scattered over the top at the end. It’s a garnish, so leave it off if you don’t have it.
How to Make Cranberry Brie Bites
Assemble the Bites
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 12 squares, 24 in all, and press one square into each cup, pushing it gently into the bottom and up the sides so it holds a shell.
Set a piece of brie in each cup, spoon about two teaspoons of cranberry sauce over it, and scatter on a few chopped pecans. Brush the exposed pastry with the egg wash. To get ahead, you can fill the cups a few hours before you want to bake and keep the tin in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
Bake and Serve
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden and the brie has melted. Let the bites cool in the pan for 5 minutes before you lift them out, since they firm up and release more cleanly after a short rest. Scatter a little fresh thyme over the top if you’re using it, and serve them warm.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- Keep the puff pastry cold. If it turns soft and tacky while you work, slide the tin back into the fridge for a few minutes. Cold pastry meeting a hot oven is what gives you lift and flaky layers.
- Don’t overfill the cups. The brie melts and the cranberry sauce bubbles as they bake, so a small piece of cheese and about a spoonful of sauce is the ceiling. More than that spills over and sticks.
- Trim the rind off the brie. The card has you cut it away, and it’s worth the minute; the cheese melts down into the cup instead of holding its shape in a rubbery edge.
- Give them the full rest. Five minutes in the pan lets the melted cheese set up just enough that the bites come out whole instead of tearing at the pastry.
Recipe Variations
- Swap the pecans for walnuts, or leave the nuts off altogether for anyone avoiding them; the bite still holds together.
- A spoonful of fig jam or apricot preserves in place of the cranberry sauce gives a different sweet edge against the brie.
- Rosemary stands in for the thyme if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Store Leftovers
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days, refrigerating within 2 hours of baking, or 1 hour if the room is above 90°F (32°C). Reheat at 350°F (177°C) for about 10 minutes or air fry at 320°F (160°C) for 6–8 minutes to keep the pastry crisp; they’re best the day they’re baked and aren’t ideal for freezing.
Serving Suggestions
Cranberry brie bites belong on an appetizer spread, so set them out next to things that don’t fight the sweet-tart brie: a bowl of marinated olives, a little cured meat, some spiced nuts, or crackers with a sharper cheese.
They also work passed around at the start of a holiday meal, with a glass of something sparkling, while the main course finishes in the oven. Bring them out warm in small batches rather than setting the whole tray down at once, since they taste best fresh and shouldn’t sit out long.
FAQs
Almost always it’s too much in the cup: a piece of brie cut too large, a heavy spoonful of cranberry sauce, or both. Keep the cheese small and the sauce to about two teaspoons, and pull the bites when the pastry is golden and the cheese has just melted rather than leaving them in longer. A little bubbling at the edges is normal, so don’t read a few spots as a failure.
The recipe takes the rind off, which lets the cheese melt into a smooth pool in the cup. The rind is edible, so if you like its firmer texture you can leave it on, but expect the melted centers to look a little less even.
You can, but you’ll get a different bite. Crescent dough bakes up soft and bready rather than puffing into the crisp, flaky layers you get from puff pastry, and it browns on its own timing, so it isn’t a one-for-one swap. If the crisp pastry shell is the part you want, stay with the puff pastry.
Cranberry Brie Bites
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen puff pastry 17.3 ounces, thawed
- 8 ounces Brie cheese rind removed and cut into 24 pieces
- 1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
- 1/3 cup pecans finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Fresh thyme for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan.
- Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 12 squares, for 24 squares total.1 package frozen puff pastry
- Press one pastry square into each mini muffin cup, gently pushing it into the bottom and up the sides.
- Fill each pastry cup with one piece of Brie, about 2 teaspoons of cranberry sauce, and a sprinkle of chopped pecans.8 ounces Brie cheese, 1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce, 1/3 cup pecans
- Lightly brush the exposed pastry with the egg beaten with water.1 egg, 1 tablespoon water
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and puffed and the Brie is melted.
- Let the bites cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully removing them.
- Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired, and serve warm.Fresh thyme
Video
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips:
- Keep the puff pastry cold while working with it so it stays easy to handle and puffs properly.
- Don’t overfill the pastry cups. The Brie will melt and the cranberry sauce will bubble as they bake.
- Whole-berry cranberry sauce gives these better texture than smooth cranberry jelly.
- The bites can be assembled a few hours ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to bake them.