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These (almost idiot proof) 5 Ingredient Cranberry Brie Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls are my favorite easy appetizer. They’re quick, simple, and most importantly, everyone LOVES them. Flaky puff pastry, creamy Brie cheese, dried cranberries, and a touch of sweet cinnamon sugar (promise it works). All rolled together then baked to create the perfect cheesy pastry swirls. These are the perfect, sweet and savory festive appetizers that are ideal for holiday entertaining.
There are very few recipes I turn to time and time again. But these fun, slightly sweet yet still savory, pastry swirls have been my go-to Thanksgiving appetizer for years now. It’s not all that often that I repeat recipes in my kitchen, but when it comes to holiday recipes, I LOVE tradition more than anything. Some of you might recognize these from way, way back when. And for some of you, this might be a brand new recipe. Regardless of whether it’s old or new, I am SO EXCITED to be sharing these swirls today. These are one of my mom’s favorite holiday appetizers.
Originally I was going to share a completely different, very dessert-like post today. But then something on Monday morning just told me that I NEEDED to instead share another easy appetizer. I know we just talked about these goat cheese stuffed bacon wrapped dates, but with Thanksgiving next week, and all of the upcoming holiday parties, I figured we needed all of the appetizer recipes we can get our hands on.
Right? Yes, yes, certainly hoping so! Plus, these are just so fun, easy, and DELICIOUS. I’ve yet to meet a person who doesn’t love this recipe.
Here is what you need to make these cranberry brie pastry swirls…
Store-bought puff pastry…holiday tip, always keep puff pastry in the freezer, especially during November and December.
Salted butter…just a little, but it goes a long way.
Cinnamon sugar…yes, cinnamon sugar. Again, only just a little, but it’s the secret ingredient here.
Creamy Brie cheese…for obvious reasons. It’s the most delicious ingredient here.
Dried cranberries…a pantry staple that never gets enough love that’s perfect for pairing with creamy Brie.
If you can make cinnamon rolls, you can me these swirls. Just layer the pastry with butter, cinnamon sugar, brie, and cranberries. Roll up the pastry, slice, and bake. DONE. That’s it. These take only minutes to prepare, minutes to bake, and come out of the oven looking more incredible than you could imagine.
Trust me. I make these every year and I’m still taken back every single time I pull them out of the oven. There’s just nothing not to love about bubbly melty Brie with cranberries and flaky pastry. And the addition of a little cinnamon sugar? Just two simple words…
SO GOOD.
The Secret?
Um, yes, it’s that cinnamon sugar. I know it’s odd and unusual, but let me explain. First, you should note that we are not using a lot of sugar, only a pinch and it really goes a long way.
The sweet cinnamon in combination with the cranberries, Brie, and pastry is what makes these swirls sparkle. Literally.
Whenever I’m working with cranberries I always find they need to be paired with something sweet to break up their tartness and highlight just how delicious they really are. Since I love playing with sweet and savory flavor combinations, I tested out the addition of cinnamon. At first I was nervous, but after the first bite, I knew I stumbled across something crazy delicious. The sweet cinnamon adds a nice warmth that pairs perfectly with the creamy Brie and balances out the tart cranberries.
It’s the perfect marriage of flavors and feels especially fitting for this time of year.
An import note…
These are a little messy. When you pull them out of the oven, you may worry that they’re too messy. But, just let the swirls sit on the pan for a few minutes and the cheese will set and be much easier to work with. They’re still going to be a little messy, but such a great appetizer, and so worth a few sticky fingers! They’re bite-sized and great for prepping in advance and then popping in the oven just as guests arrive.
These take only a few minutes to bake. They’ll come out of the oven just as everyone is settling in and beginning to look for apps.
My biggest tip? Double the recipe. This recipe makes about sixteen pastry swirls, but everyone eats at least two…sometimes more. Again, they’re bite-sized…and so very, very GOOD!
If you make these 5 Ingredient Cranberry Brie Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How-To Video Here:
5 Ingredient Cranberry Brie Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls.
Servings: 16 Swirls
Calories Per Serving: 206 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 6 ounces Brie cheese, rind mostly removed and finely diced
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2-4 tablespoons cinnamon sugar, using more or less to taste
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. Unroll the puff pastry on a clean work surface. Brush the pastry with 1 tablespoon melted butter and then sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar. Sprinkle the diced brie and cranberries evenly over the pastry. 3. Starting at the long end, roll the pastry up as tightly as possible (like a cinnamon roll). Brush the roll with the remaining melted butter and then sprinkle the roll with cinnamon sugar to coat. Using a sharp knife, cut into 16 swirls.4. Place the swirls on the prepared baking sheet and bake 15-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the pastry golden, these are a little messy. Allow to sit on the pan about two minutes and before transferring to a serving plate. Serve warm.
Notes
To Make Ahead:Â prepare through step 3. Place the swirls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, preheat the oven and bake the swirls as directed.Â
Cinnamon Sugar: mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Store in an airtight container.
I made these for thanksgiving and they went like hot cakes! I barely grabbed one for myself ? going to repeat for Christmas! Delicious and easy recipe, thank you!
Hey Kim,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Not bad. Nothing too special about it. They were quite hard to cut because it all just flattened out, it definitely wasn’t a circle after I had cut it. Not sure if I would make it again.
Hi Felishia,
Is there something I can help you with? My family really enjoys this recipe…It really helps if the puff pastry is super cold when cutting! Please let me know how I can help! xTieghan
delicious but printing the recipe on the computer starts printing from your archives of comments that started on November 2014 and possibly before that date but I had to hang up the printer as there was no way to stop it. I used 1/2 package of printing paper. Isn’t there anyway to stop at the end of the instructions instead of at the end of all the comments.
Hey Mary,
So sorry about this, before printing I would recommend to always double check which specific pages you want to print. xTieghan
Simple and delicious! These were definitely a hit!
Thank you Alison! xTieghan
These were so delicious and super easy! I will definitely make several times throughout the holiday season.
Thank you Pam! xTieghan
Made this for Tgiving dinner! Everyone including myself loved the recipe. Cinnamon sugar really was the secret star ingredient. I should have taken your advice on doubling it but now I know for next time!
Might I suggest making the roll and leaving it in the fridge overnight, (or a few extra hours) to make the slicing process smooth and making the final result a little less messy! Worked like a charm, Thanks for this!
Thank you so much AJ! I am really glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
These were the hit of our Thanksgiving appetizers (and next day’s breakfast). I swapped in prosciutto for the cinnamon sugar to make them more savory. Freezing the roll for 5 minutes before slicing made it neater and easier. I bet a few batches could be frozen before baking to have on hand all holiday season!
Thank you so much Barb! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan!! Can I use filo pastry instead of puff pastry? Are there any adjustments needed to be done to the recipe if I use filo?
Hey Janelle,
I have not tested this recipe with phyllo, but I would follow the recipe as is, the only thing I worry about is that it could be too delicate. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So easy, yet so impressive!
Thank you so much Tacie! xTieghan
So easy and delicious! I am not an expert at cooking and most recipes intimidate me, but this was a simple and delicious hit that helped me build my confidence!
Thank you Jess! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
How would these turn out if you used the cranberry jam concoction from your hand-pie recipe instead of dried cranberries?
Hey Natasha,
That should work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I was about to make these delicious things but I bought regular cranberries. Would it work with just sweetening the cranberries? Any advice? Recent big fan, loving all your inspiration and recipes.
Hey Candy,
I haven’t tried this recipe with fresh cranberries. My worry is they would be too difficult to roll up. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
For prepping ahead of time, can you also freeze them for traveling?
Hey Alex,
That would be totally fine to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
If you aren’t a cranberry fan could you use fresh raspberries? Or does it have to be dried fruit?
Hey Sara,
That would work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan- fantastic job on all of your recipes & photography!
Wondering if this recipe would be good with fresh cranberries…or if that would make swirls too tart.?
Thank you!
Mary Jo
Hey Mary Jo,
For this recipe I would stick with dried cranberries. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan