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Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie, the holiday appetizer. It’s quick, easy, and most importantly…incredibly delicious. Store-bought puff pastry wrapped around creamy brie cheese with homemade cranberry sauce and toasted pecans. Then baked until the pastry is golden and the brie warm and melty. A truly mouth-watering appetizer that’s perfect for holiday entertaining. It’s festive, easy to prepare, and always a crowd favorite.
I can remember so many holiday parties spent at my Nonnie’s house when she served this brie. This was her go-to appetizer. She perfected the Brie appetizer. And let’s be honest, she really perfected the holiday party.
My Nonnie had a way of making every party she held, whether big or small, feel so special. She paid attention to detail and was always the perfect host. She was welcoming, social, and she did her parties up in her own style too.
She could give us all a lot of tips when it comes to throwing a holiday party that people really want to attend. I know that at the top of her list would be two things, keep the wine flowing, and always, always have good appetizers.
She had an assortment of easy appetizers she’d turn to for her parties. But cranberry baked brie was a holiday staple. On Christmas day she’d serve this before dinner and it was always the first dish to go.
I don’t have her exact recipe, so this recipe is more from memory, but it’s totally delicious. She’d very much approve.
This brie is easy – start with the cranberries
If you happen to have cranberry sauce in the fridge, you can skip this very first step. Otherwise, start with the cranberries!
I made a quick sauce with fresh cranberries, orange juice, and maple syrup. Nonnie definitely used brown sugar, but maple feels little less sweet to me. I added a splash of vanilla and a tiny pinch of cinnamon for a sweet/savory combination.
Next, the pastry
Nonnie knew that appetizers needed to be simple, so store-bought puff pastry was a must.
Unwrap the brie, then sit it on top of the pastry. Top the brie with the cranberry sauce, and then a handful of toasted pecans. Then wrap the brie up.
Last step, brush the pastry with a beaten egg and add a sprinkle of course sugar. This step isn’t needed, but it makes the pastry really sparkle. It’s fun for the holidays and adds a nice deliciousness too.
Throw the brie in the oven, and done.
Quick, easy, and perfect!
When the brie comes out of the oven, serve it immediately with your favorite crackers or toasted bread. It’s hard to describe just how good this really is. But if you love cranberries, and you love brie, you must make this. It’s classic, but turned up a notch, and it really is roll-your-eyes-back GOOD.
Promise, this will be the favorite appetizer of the night!
Looking for other easy brie recipes?? Here are my favorites:
5 Ingredient Cranberry Brie Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls
Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread
Mini Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie Bites
Lastly, if you make this Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie, 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!
Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 495 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Cranberry Sauce
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch sea salt
Brie
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 8-12 ounce wheel of brie cheese
- 2/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- coarse sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- 1. To make the cranberry sauce: in a medium pot, bring the cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a boil over medium heat. Boil 10-15 minutes or until the cranberries burst and the sauce becomes jammy.2. Preheat the oven to 425° F.3. Lay the puff pastry flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the brie in the center of the pastry and remove a little of the rind from the top of the brie. I leave the rind on the bottom and sides intact. Spread the cranberry sauce over top and then sprinkle over the pecans. Fold the corners of the pastry over the brie. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with sugar. 4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is deep golden brown. 5. EAT and enjoy with your favorite bread or crackers…or just with a spoon.
Hi. What happens with the cranberry seeds?
Hey Karen,
Those will be in the cranberry sauce. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Do you think this can be made in the air fryer? Trying to save oven space for other Thanksgiving sides 🙂
Hey Eliza,
So sorry I’ve never made something like this in an air fryer so I honestly don’t know. Let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Can I make the cranberry sauce ahead of time?
Hey Dannette,
Totally fine to make the cranberry sauce ahead of time and keep in the fridge. I hope you enjoy this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Any way I can bake this longer at 325 to have in while my oven is cooking, or will that affect the dish in a big way?
Hey Stephanie,
That would be totally fine! I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi! Would this cranberry sauce recipe make a tasty side on its own? Or is it more of a topping?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Heidi,
You could totally use this as a side! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan,
Do dried cranberries work in the sauce in place of fresh ones? Thanks ?
Hey Kayla,
Sorry, you will want to use fresh cranberries for this recipe. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
What brand of brie do you recommend? Every time I buy brie I must not know what I am doing, because they taste awful! Help!!!
Hey Michelle,
I really use a variety of brands typically from Whole Foods. Some great options are Le Petit, Brie de Paris, Marin French Cheese. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Can any part of this be prepped the day before?
Hey Courtney,
Sure, you could prep through step 3 and then bake when ready to serve. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Taigan,
How much of the rind do you scrape off the top of the brie? And is it off the entire top surface or just the centre? In your pic it doesn’t look like much but difficult to tell!
Thanks!
oops sorry Tieghan!
Hey Karen,
I just did some of the center, not too much, I think he rind adds a lot of flavor. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I usually dislike the wax layer on Brie – can I remove first or do you not notice it once it bakes?
Hey there,
You can certainly remove the rind if that is your preference. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Is it possible to make this ahead of time and if so… at what step can this be refrigerated? As always, this looks wonderful!
Hey Carla,
Totally, just pop in the fridge after step 3 and then follow the baking instructions when you are ready to serve. I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Hi! Making this for my Friendsgiving tomorrow & I’m so excited! What are your favorite crackers to serve this with?
Hey Breckyn,
I like to use Raincoast Crisps, I get them from Whole Foods. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Looks delish!! Where do you get the crackers that are pictured with the brie/cranberry appetizer?
Hey Kitty,
The crackers are called Raincoast Crisps, I found them at Whole Foods. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I was just about to make an older version of this recipe with fig jam and plums for dinner (which I chave also made before and loved), but this seems like a lovely new twist to that recipe, so definitely trying this tonight. I haven’t managed to find round-shaped brie where I live, so last time i did it with a triangle shaped one (not ideal). This time I thought I would try to do it with Camembert, since it has a nice round shape. Do you think it would work, or is Camembert too gooey for the pastry to be able to hold it in?
Hey Tea,
I think Camembert would also work well for you here. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
It turned out delicious, thank you 🙂
Awesome!
Warum werden mir die Rezepte nicht mehr übersetzt?
Hi Sabine,
Tut mir leid, ich bin mir nicht sicher, was Sie meinen, wir haben die Rezepte nur auf Englisch verfügbar. xTieghan
I love that it’s not totally encased, looks so pretty.
I hope your Nonnie saw some of your HBH recipes and posts Before she passed? I bet she would have been thrilled and proud. Xx
Thanks so much Kelly-Jane! Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
What brand of Brie do you recommend?
Hey Vanessa,
Whatever you like from your local grocery store, I typically switch it up, Whole Foods has great options. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
My favorite recipes to make and eat are from my nonna as well!
Miki x
https://www.littletasteofbeauty.com/
I hope you love the recipe!