Warm, melty brie cheese is topped with a savory & sweet cranberry compote in this gorgeous Baked Brie with Jam recipe. This 15-minute party appetizer looks impressive but is actually super easy to make - perfect for the busy holiday season!
Nothing screams party like warm, melty cheese! Made with only a handful of ingredients, this elegant Baked Brie with Jam recipe has a homemade cranberry quick jam that is both seasonal and seriously tasty.
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Why you'll love this recipe
➤ It's fast: Start to finish, you can have this impressive looking party appetizer on the table in just 15 minutes.
➤ It's extra flavorful: Everyone is a little bit extra at the holidays, and so is this recipe. You could top this brie with a store bought jam, but a handful of ingredients and 5 minutes on the stove produces a sweet and savory, ruby red cranberry compote that makes this seasonal snack stand out among the others.
➤ It's gluten-free: Many baked brie recipes wrap the cheese in puff pastry and bake it. Delicious but not friendly for guests who avoid gluten. This melty brie recipe doesn't use puff pastry, and, when served with gluten-free crackers, is an appetizer everyone can enjoy.
Ingredients
A well-stocked grocery store should have everything you need for this recipe:
A few ingredient notes:
- Cranberries - You can use fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe.
- Maple Syrup - 100% pure maple syrup will give you the best flavor. Avoid the maple-flavored pancake syrups.
- Rosemary - Fresh rosemary is preferred but dried rosemary will work in a pinch.
Tip: Have leftover homemade cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving? Feel free to swap it in for the cranberry-pecan compote in this recipe.
Instructions
Baked brie always looks so fancy but it might just be one of the easiest appetizers ever. Seriously.
This baked brie recipe is made without puff pastry but that doesn’t make it any less delicious. Only less putzy.
Start by baking your brie on a sheet pan lined with parchment. No need to remove the rind.
While the brie is baking, cook the cranberry mixture on the stove top. When the brie is done, remove it from the oven and top with the cooked cranberry quick jam.
FAQs
No, you don’t need to remove the rind. If you did, there would be nothing to hold the brie in place when it is heated. The brie rind is totally edible and adds texture and flavor to the cheese.
Baked brie never lasts at my house, but if you find yourself with a fair amount of leftover brie, feel free to wrap it tightly and pop it in the refrigerator. It can be gently rewarmed in the oven and slathered on crostini or other pieces of hearty bread.
Just know it won’t be as visually appealing as when you initially served it, but it can’t be beat as a tasty snack for the chef while you’re making dinner!
You can't pre-bake the brie but you can easily make the cranberry compote a few days ahead of time. Simply rewarm it before spooning over the top of the warm brie.
Expert tips for making baked brie with jam
✘ Choose your cheese. Wedges might be easier to find but you absolutely need a round of brie cheese for this recipe. Don’t feel like you need to go for a super expensive brie, either. A reliable grocery store wheel of brie will work just fine as it’s being combined with the sweet and savory cranberry compote.
✘ Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Any higher than that and you risk having the cheese get too hot too quickly and ooze out of the rind during baking.
✘ Place your brie on a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Parchment is key to easily transferring the brie to a serving dish after you remove it from the oven. I’ve tried using a spatula but it tends to stick to the bottom of the rind and not glide easily (again - running the risk sticking to the cheese, tearing the rind and having puddles of hot, oozing cheese everywhere). Alternately, you can also bake this in a small cast iron skillet or other baking dish if you prefer to serve it straight from that vessel.
✘ Bake for 12 - 15 minutes. You’ll know the brie is melted through if you touch the top of the rind and it jiggles underneath (think Jell-O).
✘ Allow the brie cool for at least 15 minutes before transferring it to a serving dish. Use the parchment paper as handles to lift the brie up and move it to the dish. You can either cut down the parchment to a more attractive size and leave it underneath the brie or try to slide it out once you’ve put it on the dish. Either option works just fine.
✘ Serve with a variety of sturdy crackers, pieces of warm baguette or even apple slices. I like to add a spreader and sometimes a small spoon to the brie, too, to make sure I enjoy every last bite of that cranberry cheese goodness.
More cranberry recipes
You can find all of our Appetizer Recipes in our archives
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Recipe
Baked Brie with Jam
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces brie
- 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake brie for 10-15 minutes or until soft.8 ounces brie
- While brie is baking, place cranberries, maple syrup, pecans, butter, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 6-8 minutes or until syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.1 cup cranberries,, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
- Carefully transfer brie to serving dish. Pour cranberry mixture over brie and garnish with chopped additional pecans, if desired. Serve immediately with crackers or baguette slices.
Notes
- No need to break the bank on an expensive wheel of brie. A reliable grocery store brand will work just fine.
- Don't forget to line your baking pan with parchment. This serves two purposes: 1) it keeps your pan clean, and 2) it enables you to easily transfer the baked brie to a serving dish without hot, melty cheese spilling all over. Cut away any excess parchment when serving, if needed.
- If time allows, let cheese cool for another 10 minutes before serving so the cheese can firm up just a bit.
- Serve with crackers, crostini, or even apple slices.
Make-ahead instructions:
- The cranberry mixture can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Warm mixture in the microwave or on the stovetop and add to baked brie.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Was a real hit at my cocktail party last night! I doubled up on everything but the rosemary, as the rosemary was a little strong the first batch. I also cooked the first batch a minute too long and it got very thick. Once I added more cranberries, etc, came back to syrupy and perfect. Everybody loved it!