Cranberry Brie Bites: the easy, bite-sized recipe for a delicious holiday appetizer

Cranberries are quite popular around this time of year. In the US, cranberry season stretches from September, through to January which means that fresh cranberries are abundant at Thanksgiving. Fortunately, thanks to food preservation processes, we can have cranberries right through the year in the form of cranberry sauce. In this recipe, we use it to make delicious Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites. It’s the perfect bite-sized appetizer for the holidays when you make a lot of cranberry sauce at home.

This recipe is usually made with crescent roll dough, but we decided to use puff pastry. It is buttery and flaky, with the right balance of sweet and salty from the cranberry sauce and brie cheese. It’s super easy to make too. So if you’re having guests over, you won’t need to worry about slaving away in the kitchen, while the others enjoy themselves. You can even customize this tasty holiday appetizer as you want according to taste.

Cranberry Brie Bites Ingredients

One pack of puff pastry. Every great hostess needs this secret shortcut in their freezer. Sure, you can make your own pastry, but why would you? It leaves more time to celebrate with friends and family.

Brie cheese. While brie cheese is a mold-ripened cheese, it’s milder than blue cheese.

Cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce is a good pantry staple to have on hand for times when you want to whip up a quick appetizer. Don't use cranberry jelly.

Rosemary. Feel free to omit, but the sprigs are perfect for presentation.

Pecans. Pecans add crunch. You can also use walnuts or crushed almonds.

How To Make Cranberry Brie Bites

These cranberry brie bites are super easy to make. First, unroll the puff pastry and cut it into 24 even squares, then press each one into the center of greased muffin tin slots so that the dough puffs up the sides as it bakes, so it resembles a small basket.

Now, slice the brie very cold so that you get 24 even chunks, you can also run the knife under hot water before cutting the cheese. Next, add a block of brie for each square of puff pastry  – there is no need to remove the rind before baking, it will become unnoticeable. Add the cranberry sauce, and top with a pecan half and rosemary. Bake at 190°C/375°F for about 15 minutes or until golden and puffy, then enjoy!

Can you make Cranberry Brie Bites ahead of time?

Yes! Simply assemble the bites and refrigerate them unbaked for up to 3 days. Before serving for your next holiday party, bake them in the oven.

Cranberry Brie Bites Variation Ideas

For the puff pastry. You can use a crescent roll instead of puff pastry. You can make these cranberry bites into any shape you like. If you feel like getting fancy, you can cut the pastry into shapes, or use a ravioli cutter for a scalloped edge.

For the cheese. If you think you won’t like it, swap it out for feta cheese. Or if you’re up for an intensely-flavored cheese, try goat’s cheese.

For the sauce. If you don’t have cranberry sauce on hand, feel free to use any fruit jam or jelly. Apricot, apple, and blueberry jam work especially well.

For the herbs. In this recipe, rosemary is added more for presentation, but feel free to use thyme instead. Not only with the green add nice flair, but it will also taste delicious!

You can leave out the nuts, and make this with only puff pastry, cranberry sauce, and brie.

You can also make cranberry brie bites without a muffin tin. Simply place the dough squares on a greased baking tray, add cranberry sauce and chopped pecans, then top with another piece of dough like a sandwich. Then bake and enjoy!

How To Store and Reheat Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites

Keep leftovers in an airtight storage container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven or air fryer until warm, in order to maintain crispiness and not to make these bites soggy.

Can You Freeze Cranberry Brie Bites?

Yes, you can freeze cooked Cranberry Bites! Place on a baking sheet and place in the freezer until frozen solid. Transfer to a Ziploc bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.

More Recipes You'll Like

• Soft pretzel bites
• Brussels sprouts sliders
• Sausage stuffed mushrooms

Instructions

Roll out pastry to about 0.5 cm/2 inches and cut out 24 squares of around 7 cm/2.8 inches.

Spray a mini muffin tray with baking spray.

Cut the brie into 24 chunks.

Place one square of pastry into each muffin case, and press it down onto the bottom of each slot.

Place one chunk of brie in the puff pastry case.

Top with ½ a teaspoon of cranberry sauce.

Top with one pecan half and a twig of rosemary.

Repeat for the other 23 bites.

Bake in a preheated oven 190°C/375°F for about 15 minutes or until golden and puffy. Remove the muffin tin from the oven, let the treat cool a bit, then serve and enjoy your cranberry brie bites.