Published . Last updated By Elizabeth Lindemann   /  This post may contain affiliate links.
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5 from 1 vote
This easy Baked Brie en Croûte (baked brie in puff pastry) with cranberry sauce (or your favorite jam) is such an elegant, decadent, fuss-free appetizer! You only need four ingredients and 10 minutes of prep for this easy appetizer that’s perfect for the holidays or any time of year. Plus, this recipe uses a small, 8 oz. round of brie and only one sheet of puff pastry so it’s great for a small group OR you can easily make two different kinds!
Here it is, two weeks after Thanksgiving, and I still have leftover homemade cranberry sauce. Luckily, it stays good for weeks after making it due to the high sugar content. So that makes it the PERFECT thing to use in this easy Brie en Croûte recipe!
Brie en Croûte may sound fancy schmancy but it’s actually a breeze to make. And it tastes absolutely amazing. In this post, I’ll show you step by step how to wrap brie in a sheet of puff pastry AND how to decorate it with fancy leaves and berries on top if you’re so inclined (really easy, but totally optional).
With Brie en Croûte, a round of brie is topped with something sweet (in this case, cranberry sauce), then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. You only need FOUR INGREDIENTS and 10 MINUTES PREP to make this easy and elegant appetizer!
But given the current state of things, I didn’t make this as an appetizer. Instead, Zach and I had it for lunch and honestly I’m never waiting for an “appetizer moment” to make Brie en Croûte again! Who’s with me?!
Ingredients for Baked Brie en Croûte
- Brie Cheese – this recipe is for an 8 oz. round, but you can go bigger if you like.
- Puff Pastry – I used the frozen kind. You only need one sheet- usually there are two per package.
- Whole berry cranberry sauce – I used leftover spiced orange cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. You can use any kind you like, or substitute it with apricot jam, orange marmalade, or another jam of your choice.
- An egg – for an egg wash, essential for getting a beautiful golden color on the puff pastry and to keep it from drying out.
You’ll also want something to serve it with. I like water crackers, but crostini will also work. Or just dive in there and eat it with a fork and knife, no judgement here!
How to make Cranberry Brie en Croûte
- First, SLICE OFF THE TOP of the rind on one side of the brie round. This isn’t really 100% necessary, but it helps the top melt nicer and the cranberry sauce mix in with the melty cheese. You don’t have to get all of the rind, just most of it. (The rind is 100% edible, by the way.)
- ROLL the puff pastry so the seams are smooth and it’s as close to a square as you can make it. Do this on a piece of parchment paper- then you can just use the same parchment paper to bake it on.
- CUT the puff pastry into a circle by slicing the corners off with sharp knife or pizza cutter.
- SPREAD the cranberry sauce in a circle in the center of the puff pastry.
- PLACE THE BRIE cut side down on top of the cranberry sauce.
- WRAP the brie in the puff pastry, going around in a circle folding it up to meet in the middle. Pinch it together as best you can but it doesn’t have to stay together perfectly and it doesn’t have to look perfectly neat either.
- FLIP the brie over so the puff pastry is smooth-side up and place it + the parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet.
- BRUSH with an egg wash.
- Optional: To decorate, CARVE leaves and ROLL berries out of the puff pastry scraps. Place on top of wrapped brie and brush with egg wash.
- BAKE at 425 degrees F for about 20 minutes, or until it’s golden brown.
- ALLOW TO COOL for at least 30 minutes (and up to a few hours) before slicing (otherwise the cheese will be too melty). Serve warm or at room temperature.
Other fillings for Brie en Croûte
You can use almost any sweet (or savory!) concoction as a replacement for cranberry sauce. Almost any jam will work (I love apricot or orange marmalade). Here are some other yummy Baked Brie en Croûte recipes with different kinds of fillings.
- Sweet Pepper Jelly and Walnut Brie en Croûte
- Baked Brie en Croûte with Apple and Pear Compote
- Mushroom Stuffed Brie en Croûte
- Rosemary, Bacon, and Peach Brie en Croûte
Honestly it’s really hard to mess this up, and baked brie wrapped in puff pastry is a really great palette for experimenting with all kinds of flavors!
What to serve with Brie en Croûte
I love serving this baked brie recipe with plain water crackers. You want something pretty bland, so you can enjoy the flavor of the melty brie and puff pastry.
You can also use crostini, or another kind of cracker, or just serve it on its own! As long as it’s pretty cool, you can eat it by the slice. Yum.
Other elegant, easy appetizer recipes
- Prosciutto and Watermelon Skewers
- Roasted Figs and Goat Cheese Crostini
- Oven Baked Goat Cheese Balls with Fresh Basil and Honey
- Smoked Salmon and Caper Cream Cheese Toast
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Baked Brie en Croûte with Cranberry Sauce
Baked Brie en Croûte is an easy, elegant appetizer recipe with brie cheese wrapped in puff pastry, topped with cranberry sauce, and baked!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: French
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 233kcal
Author: Elizabeth Lindemann
Equipment
Rolling pin
Ingredients
- 8 oz. brie cheese round (about 4 inches in diameter)
- 1 egg
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed (about 8.5 oz)
- 1/3 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (or jam of choice- see notes)
- water crackers or crostini for serving
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and place a rack in the center.
Carefully slice the rind off the top of the brie round (it's OK if there is some left on). In a small bowl, make the egg wash by beating the egg with 1 tablespoon water with a fork or whisk until it's very smooth. Set aside.
Lay the puff pastry sheet out on a piece of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out the seams and make it as square as possible (but don't roll it out much bigger than it already is). Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the corners off so it's a circle (reserve the scraps). Place the cranberry sauce (1/3 cup) in the center of the circle and spread out so it's about 4.5-5 inches in diameter. Place the 8 oz. Brie round cut side down on top of the cranberry sauce. Fold the sides of the circle up to meet in the center, going around in one direction, until the brie is completely covered. Press the seam together as best you can (don't worry if it doesn't stick together perfectly and if it looks a little messy!) and flip over so the smooth side is up in the center of the parchment paper. Transfer the whole piece of parchment paper onto a rimmed baking sheet, lifting from each side so the brie is in the center of the baking sheet.
Use a pastry brush to brush the top and sides of the puff pastry wrapped brie with the egg wash. Optional: Use a sharp knife to cut leaves and roll berries out of the scraps of puff pastry. If you like, you can score lines for the veins of the leaves. Place them on top of the wrapped brie and press down gently to adhere them to the egg on top. Brush the tops of the leaves and berries with egg wash.
Bake at 425 degrees F in the center of your oven for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. If baking unevenly, rotate the baking sheet halfway through cooking.
Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with water crackers or crostini, with a small cheese knife for slicing wedges.
Notes
- No rolling pin?Use a drinking glass to smooth the seams.
- To use a larger round of brie,roll the puff pastry out to be bigger to accommodate for the bigger side. Also, spread the cranberry sauce out to a larger diameter, and you might need to use more.
- Cranberry sauce substitution: use apricot jam, orange marmalade, or another jam of choice in place of cranberry sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
My Fitness Pal Recipe Nutrition Calculator
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