Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe delivers buttery, crisp puff pastry with melty brie, tart cranberry, and a whisper of orange and rosemary. It suits holiday hosts and last-minute snackers, and you can pull it off in about 30 minutes flat.
Easy Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe
This Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe works because buttery puff pastry, creamy brie, and bright cranberry sauce hit salty, sweet, and tangy in every bite. The mini muffin tin shapes tidy cups, so the cheese stays put and the pastry stays crisp. A touch of orange zest and rosemary adds a bakery-level finish with almost no extra effort.
You can scale the batch for a crowd, and you can use pantry shortcuts like canned cranberry sauce or store-bought phyllo shells. I tested both puff pastry and phyllo cups, and both bake up golden with minimal fuss. The bites reheat well, which saves stress during party hour.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Puff pastry, 1 sheet (Pepperidge Farm thaws fast and puffs reliably; shortcut: Athens mini phyllo shells, no rolling needed)
- Brie, 8 oz (double-cream brie melts smoothly; rind stays on and tastes great)
- Cranberry sauce, 3/4 cup (whole-berry canned works; homemade cranberry-orange sauce adds zing)
- Orange zest, from 1 small orange (bottled zest lacks aroma, so use fresh if you can)
- Fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 1–2 tsp (or swap thyme for a softer herbal note)
- Egg, 1 beaten with 1 tsp water for egg wash (skip if using phyllo shells)
- Honey or hot honey, 1–2 Tbsp for drizzling (optional but tasty)
- Chopped nuts, 1/3 cup (pecans or pistachios add crunch; leave out for nut-free)
- Flour for dusting the board
- Fine sea salt flakes and black pepper, to finish (optional)
Equipment:
- 24-cup mini muffin tin
- Rolling pin and sharp knife or pizza wheel
- Zester or microplane
- Small spoon and pastry brush
- Cooling rack
How to Make Cranberry Brie Bites
- Prep Time 15 minutes
- Cook Time 12–15 minutes
- Total Time About 30 minutes
- Heat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. Set the rack in the center position.
- Thaw the puff pastry until it bends without cracking. Dust the board, roll it to a 10×10-inch square, and cut into 24 equal squares.
- Press one pastry square into each muffin cup, tucking corners to form little baskets with space for filling.
- Cut the brie into 24 small cubes. Keep the rind on for structure and flavor.
- Place one brie cube in each pastry cup. Add about 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce on top.
- Sprinkle each cup with a pinch of orange zest and a few rosemary bits. Go light so the flavors stay balanced.
- Brush the exposed pastry with egg wash for glossy, golden color. Top with chopped nuts if you like crunch.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the pastry turns deep golden and the cheese looks oozy.
- Cool the bites in the pan for 5 minutes, then loosen edges with a small knife and move them to a rack.
- Finish with a light drizzle of honey, a tiny pinch of sea salt, and a crack of pepper. Serve warm.
Expert Baking Tips & Mistakes to Avoid
- Keep the pastry cold; cold dough puffs, warm dough slumps.
- Cut chilled brie; warm brie smears on the board and slows you down.
- Don’t overfill; too much cranberry sauce leaks and scorches around the edges.
- Aim for small, even pastry squares; even sizes bake evenly.
- Use whole-berry cranberry sauce; jellied sauce slides off during baking.
- Brush only the pastry, not the cheese; egg wash on brie turns gummy.
- Rotate the pan at the 8-minute mark if your oven browns unevenly.
- Let them rest 5 minutes; molten cheese burns tongues and breaks pastry if you yank too soon.
- Reheat in a 350°F oven for crisp texture; the microwave softens pastry.
Variations I’ve Tried
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free puff pastry (Schär, if available) or gluten-free phyllo shells.
- Vegan: Choose a vegan puff pastry (many brands qualify) and a plant-based brie; swap honey for maple syrup.
- Savory spin: Add a tiny dab of caramelized onions or bacon crumbles under the brie.
- Heat lovers: Use a touch of hot pepper jelly instead of cranberry sauce.
- Nut swap: Try pistachios, walnuts, or skip nuts for allergies.
- Herb swap: Thyme or sage work nicely in place of rosemary.
- Citrus twist: Use lemon zest if you don’t have an orange.
How to Serve Cranberry Brie Bites
Serve these warm on a platter with a little extra rosemary and zest for color. Pair with bubbly, a light pinot noir, or a crisp hard cider. I also set them next to a charcuterie board and a citrusy salad so everyone can build a bite with something fresh and something salty.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Assemble and freeze unbaked: Fill the pastry cups in the tin, freeze until firm, then store in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F and add 3–5 minutes.
- Chill unbaked for short holds: Cover the filled tray and refrigerate up to 24 hours, then bake as directed.
- Store leftovers: Refrigerate baked bites in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm on a sheet pan at 350°F for 8–10 minutes (use a rack on the pan for max crisp). You can reheat from frozen at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Calories: about 105 per bite (base recipe without nuts or honey). Protein sits on the low side from brie, carbs come from pastry and cranberry sauce, and most calories come from fat in the pastry and cheese. Estimates use puff pastry, brie, and whole-berry cranberry sauce; add-ins change the numbers slightly.
Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a mini muffin tin.
- Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface and cut into 24 squares.
- Place each puff pastry square into a mini muffin cup, gently pressing to fit.
- Add a piece of Brie into each cup, then top with a small spoonful of cranberry sauce.
- Sprinkle with chopped pecans and rosemary, if using.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.