Mini Baked Brie Bites – the Easy Holiday Appetizer Every Party Needs!
I’m not sure about you, but my ideal holiday menu consists of an epic snack table where I can graze on different nibbles throughout the day. & no snack table is complete without cheese, right?!?
Since baked brie is simply irresistible (so creamy! so gooey! soooo cheesy!), I’ve always wanted to create a baked brie recipe to share here on PWWB. The idea to make mini baked brie bites actually came to me after all of our winter holiday recipe development was completed, but as soon as I made a batch, I knew I had to share them with you in time for the holidays.
I love these brie puff pastry bites because they’re just pure deliciousness: gooey melted brie, crisp buttery pastry, tangy preserves…yes, please! They’re a great standalone appetizer for your holiday snack tables, but they’re also a pretty epic add-on for holiday cheese boards.
Plus! They’re such a simple yet oh-so-fancy way to impress for the holidays! This mini baked brie recipe delivers big on wow factor, but there’s very minimal work involved! The brie bites call for just 3 main ingredients & they come together in about 20 minutes of hands-on prep. An easy, savory-sweet upgrade to traditional holiday cheese boards!
Mini Baked Brie Recipe Highlights
You need brie puff pastry bites this holiday season because they’re…
- SO SIMPLE. Baked brie bites use just a handful of simple seasonal ingredients & they come together super quickly. These are easy to make & impressive to serve – my favorite combo!
- SERIOUSLY VERSATILE. You can change up the puff pastry bites in about a billion different ways by using different types of preserves or swapping out the brie with another cheese.
- PERFECTLY SHARABLE. Mini baked brie is always a crowd-pleaser, especially around the holidays. Serve brie bites on their own or add them to your next cheese board & jazz things up!
Festive, savory-sweet deliciousness! ♡ Read on to learn more about how to make Mini Baked Brie for the holidays, or jump straight to the recipe & get cooking!
Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.
Brie Puff Pastry Bites Key Ingredients
You need just 3 main ingredients to make mini-baked brie, plus 2 more to make the pastries look extra gorgeous:
- Puff pastry – While you can certainly make your own puff pastry dough, I find that the store-bought options are just as good here. (Plus, they save you a ton of time & effort!) Puff pastry is usually in the dessert freezer section of the grocery store. My favorite store-bought pastry dough is from Trader Joe’s – good quality & super super affordable!
- Brie cheese – The buttery flavor & creamy texture of brie cheese makes it super flavorful & perfectly meltable for baked brie bites. Feel free to use another cheese if you prefer!
- Jams & preserves – Make the mini brie bites your own by choosing your favorite sweet, tangy, or savory filling to pair with the cheese! I love using whole cranberry sauce because its tanginess balances the creamy brie, but there are no rules here! I’ve also made this baked brie bites recipe using fig spread, apricot preserves, caramelized onions, & pepper jelly – it’s always been fantastic. Use whatever you love most!
- Large egg – Coating the puff pastry with egg wash helps it bake up to bakery-worthy golden brown perfection.
- Turbinado sugar – Often labeled ‘Sugar in the Raw,’ turbinado is a partially refined sugar with beautiful brown crystals from the natural molasses in the sugar cane. It adds a sparkly extra touch for decorating the top of the mini baked brie bites.
What Jam Goes Good with Brie Cheese?
It comes down to what you like most! The mild flavor & creamy texture of brie cheese pairs well with pretty much any sweet or savory jam.
Sweet & fruity flavors like whole cranberry sauce, fig preserves, raspberry preserves, & apricot preserves are some of my favorite pairings with brie. For something a bit different, try the sweet & spicy kick from hot pepper jelly. You can even use caramelized onions (since they’re gooey & slightly sweet like a preserve) or a savory onion jam. Onions are a sneaky good pairing with cheese, especially when their natural sugars are released & caramelized.
The options are endless!
How to Make Baked Brie Bites
Making brie puff pastry bites is a super simple process that only takes about 20 minutes of active prep. The rest of the time, the mini baked brie is either chilling in the freezer or baking in the oven – easy!
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
Roll & cut the puff pastry. Store-bought puff pastry is typically packaged in folded sheets. Once it’s thawed, be sure to carefully unfold one sheet at a time. Use a rolling pin to roll each sheet into a large rectangle (roughly 10×14) to yield 24 three-inch circles to make a dozen baked brie bites. Tip! ⇢ If you have a three-inch biscuit cutter you can use it here, but I actually use the lid of a wide mouth mason jar to trace out the circles with a paring knife (hey, if it works, it works, right?!).
Assemble the mini baked brie bites. Place a heaping half teaspoon of jam or preserves into the center of one of the puff pastry circles, then top it off with a cube of brie cheese. Very lightly brush egg wash around the edge, then top with a second puff pastry circle & crimp the edges well to seal. Why? ⇢ Egg wash acts like glue, helping to hold the two halves of pastry together & make neat hand pies!
Chill the mini baked brie.The brie puff pastry bites need time to chill before going in the oven. Place them in the freezer for about 15 – 20 minutes as the oven preheats. Why? ⇢ The temperature of the pastry dough is key to creating the crispy, flaky layers that make pastry so delicious. Chilling the dough before baking keeps it nice & cold so the buttery layers remain separate & then burst open when they hit the heat of the oven.
Finish & bake the brie puff pastry bites. Before the mini baked brie goes in the oven, brush a little egg wash over the surface of the pastry & add a generous sprinkle of Turbinado sugar on top. The egg wash makes the pastry crisp & golden brown & the sugar adds a deliciously festive sparkle! How long to bake brie varies based on the size of the cheese. A whole wheel of brie takes much longer, but these mini baked brie bites cook up pretty fast. Plan to bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.
*Easy Variations for Mini Baked Brie
I love how incredibly versatile this baked brie bites recipe is. Make it your own with other fresh jam & gooey cheese combinations. I also love making several flavor combinations in each batch! It’s fun to serve a platter of brie puff pastry bites & have each bite be a flavorful surprise! Some inspiration to get you started:
- Stick with brie but try other jam & preserve combinations. Hot pepper jelly, onion jam, & raspberry preserves all pair beautifully with the creamy cheese!
- Swap out brie for a different cheese. Goat cheese has a similar smooth texture & would be great in this recipe. Or, choose something more flavorful like Boursin cheese for a savory, herbaceous pastry bite. You can’t go wrong!
Mini Baked Brie FAQs
Do you take the rind off brie before baking?
Nope! The rind is completely edible. Leaving it on helps the brie hold its shape so it doesn’t get too melty (especially important if you’re baking a whole wheel of brie!). These mini baked brie bites only have a small amount of rind on them since the brie is cut into pieces.
Should brie be at room temperature before baking?
Bringing the brie to room temperature may be helpful when you’re baking a whole wheel, but it’s not necessary for mini baked brie bites. In fact, since we’re cutting the brie into small pieces, it’s much easier to handle when it’s still pretty cold.
Can puff pastry appetizers be made ahead of time?
Yes, definitely! Feel free to prep these mini baked brie bites up to 3 days ahead of time. Once you assemble the puff pastry appetizers, wrap the baking sheet in plastic & store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance.
What to serve with baked brie?
Baked brie bites are perfect served warm out of the oven or at room temperature. They totally shines on their own, but you can also serve mini baked brie as part of your holiday cheese board with nuts, fruit, & other jams.
How do you store & reheat leftover baked brie bites?
Keep any leftover mini baked brie in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, then enjoy them at room temperature or reheated in a warm oven. Just make sure you don’t reheat them in the microwave – that will make the pastry soggy! Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance.
Can you freeze brie bites?
Once the brie puff pastry bites are baked, storing them in the freezer takes away from the crispiness of the pastry dough. Leftover mini baked brie is not very freezer-friendly, but that’s alright – you won’t be able to resist them fresh out of the oven!
I can’t wait for you to try these festive Brie Puff Pastry Bites! They are so simple & easy to throw together, & everyone who tries them loves them. If you do give them a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!
Need more festive snacks & apps to fill your holiday table? Give these a try! My family’s famous Bacon Cheddar Cheese Ball, show-stopping Bejeweled Goat Cheese (a PWWB reader fave!), or sweet & savory Goat Cheese Truffles. ♡ Happy snacking!
Print
The Easiest Mini Baked Brie
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes (mostly inactive)
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Appetizers, Snacks
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Mini Baked Brie Bites are the easiest 3-ingredient appetizer for the holiday season! Mini puff pastry hand pies are filled with brie cheese & cranberry sauce (or your preserves of choice), then baked until the pastry is golden & flaky & the brie is ooey-gooey melted perfection. A simple yet show-stopping holiday treat, perfect for Christmas & New Year’s Eve snacking!
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour, for dusting
- 2 sheets puff pastry (about 18 ounces total), homemade or thawed from frozen (see Recipe Notes)
- 4 ounces brie, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup jam or preserves of choice, such as whole cranberry sauce, fig preserves, raspberry preserves, apricot preserves, pepper jelly, caramelized onions or onion jam, etc.
- 1 large egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon water
- turbinado sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Roll & cut puff pastry: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper as desired for easy clean up & set aside. Lightly dust a clean, sturdy work surface with flour. Carefully unfold the puff pastry, lightly dusting it with flour. Use a rolling pin to gently roll out the puff pastry into an 10×14-inch rectangle. Cut 24 3-inch circles – a 3-inch biscuit cutter works beautifully if you have one, though I just use the lid of a wide mouth mason jar as a template, tracing around it with a paring knife. You will have scraps of puff pastry left over – this is expected! Arrange 12 of the circles on the prepared baking sheet – these will be the bottom of the mini baked brie. Set the remaining 12 circles aside – these will be the top.
- Assemble mini baked brie bites: Place a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of preserves in the center of one of the 12 puff pastry circles on the baking sheet. Top with a cube of brie. Use a pastry brush or your finger to very lightly brush the egg wash around the preserves & brie. Place the reserved puff pastry circles over top. Seal the mini baked brie by pulling the top puff pastry circle over the brie & preserves & pressing it into the egg washed border on the bottom puff pastry circle. Use a fork to crimp the edges, sealing the mini baked brie tightly. Repeat with the remaining 11 mini baked brie.
- Chill the mini baked brie: Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer to chill 15-20 minutes. At this point, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the top third of the oven. When the oven is preheated, the mini baked brie will be chilled perfectly!
- Finish the mini baked brie: Once chilled, remove the mini baked brie from the freezer. Brush the egg wash all over the surface of the mini baked brie for a golden brown finish. If desired, generously sprinkle turbinado sugar over top. Use a paring knife to cut a small slit in the center of each mini baked brie.
- Bake the mini baked brie: Transfer the mini baked brie to the oven. Bake 20-22 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the mini baked brie are crisp & golden brown. Remove from the oven & allow to cool briefly, 5-10 minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- Puff pastry: While you can certainly make your own homemade puff pastry (this is a great recipe), it’s one of those instances where our store-bought options are just as good. Puff pastry is usually sold in the ‘dessert’ freezer section of the grocery store, next to bread dough & pie crusts. I really like the frozen puff pastry from Trader Joe’s. It’s really affordable, & 1 box contains 2 sheets – perfect for this mini baked brie recipe!
- Storage & Reheating: Leftover mini baked brie will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. I like enjoying leftovers at room temperature – just take them out of the refrigerator & let them warm up for 15-20 minutes before enjoying. You can also reheat these mini baked brie in a warm oven. Place the mini baked brie bites on a baking sheet & transfer to a 200 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes, until warmed through. Due to the pastry, I do not suggest reheating in the microwave – it will get soggy.
- Simple Recipe Adjustments:
- Portions: As written, this recipe yields a batch of baked brie bites to feed a crowd of 12. You can easily halve the recipe to make just 6 mini baked brie bites, which conveniently uses just 1 sheet of puff pastry.
- Make-Ahead Mini Baked Brie: These mini baked brie bites are also very make-ahead friendly! To make ahead of time, I suggest preparing the mini baked brie according to Steps 1-3 of Recipe Directions, above. Wrap in plastic & store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’d like to bake them off, simply preheat the oven & finish the mini baked brie according to Steps 4-6 of Recipe Directions, above.
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.
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so easy!! I made a small batch – halving the recipe made a perfect 6 – and my niece and nephew devoured them before anyone else got to try them. I used black raspberry jam. BIG HIT! will def be making again:)