Baked Brie en Croûte with Honey, Dried Cherries, Rosemary & Pecans
I would like to think it’s my “engaging personality” that makes me popular at parties but, if I’m being honest, I know it’s really my baked Brie — a warm and creamy round of Brie topped with honey, dried cherries and nuts, all encased in golden puff pastry. People clamor for this stuff and are always sidling up to me to get the recipe. When I tell them how easy it is to make, they’re always surprised. How can such a fancy-looking appetizer be so simple? The secret is store bought frozen puff pastry and knowing how to use it.
Most baked Brie recipes fall short because they call for wrapping one large sheet of puff pastry around the cheese, which results in a thick and doughy bottom layer that doesn’t cook through. To avoid that, I sandwich the Brie between two smaller pieces of puff pastry and crimp the edges with a fork. This both seals in the cheese and creates even top and bottom layers, which puff up and become flaky, just as puff pastry should.
Begin by rolling each pastry sheet into a 12-inch square. Trim the corners to make two circles.
Place one of the pastry circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut off the top rind of the cheese and place on top of the pastry. Then drizzle with honey.
Top with the dried cherries, pecans and rosemary, then brush the exposed pastry with an egg wash.
Place the second pastry circle on top; press the pastry directly against the cheese and bottom pastry.
Trim the pastry, leaving a 1-inch border around the cheese.
Use a fork to firmly crimp the edges and seal in the cheese.
Brush with the egg wash.
Next, use the scraps to make decorations. Simply cut out leaves and use a sharp knife to make indentations for the ribs.
Decorate the top of the pastry with the leaves, and a berry or two, if you like, then brush the decorations with the egg wash.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let the baked Brie sit for at least 45-50 minutes before serving, otherwise the cheese will ooze right out. I usually bake it right before a party, and then let it rest en route. When we arrive, it’s ready to serve with fruit and crackers — and so elegant looking.
Baked Brie en Croûte with Honey, Dried Cherries, Pecans & Rosemary
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen Puff Pastry, thawed (I use Pepperidge Farm)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 (16 oz.) Brie cheese round (about 6-inches in diameter)
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice off the top rind of the brie and discard.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll each pastry sheet out to a 12-inch square. Trim the corners of each sheet to form two circles. Set the scraps aside; you'll use those later for decorations. Put one of the pastry rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Cut off the top rind of the cheese and place the Brie on top of the pastry, rind side down. Drizzle the top of the cheese with the honey, and then top with the dried cherries, pecans and rosemary.
- Brush the exposed edges of the pastry with the egg mixture. Cover the Brie with the other pastry circle; press against the sides of the cheese and the bottom pastry to form a tight seal. Using a pizza cutter, cut off the excess dough, leaving a generous 1-inch border. Crimp the edges firmly with a fork to seal. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture. Set aside.
- Using a pizza cutter or cookie cutter, cut out nine leaves (about 2-inches long and 1-inch wide) from the scraps. Use a knife to draw the ribs on the leaves, pressing down but not cutting all the way through. Place the leaves on top of the pastry in the shape of a flower, overlapping them slightly and pressing them together in the center. Brush the leaves with the egg mixture. Roll up a 1/2-inch ball of dough and press it in the center; brush the ball with the egg mixture.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes, then serve with fruit and crackers.
- Note: You can prepare this appetizer ahead of time up until the baking step; refrigerate until ready to cook.
Reviews & Comments
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I made this for Thanksgiving last year. It was good in spite of the fact that all we had was a toaster oven! All the other ovens were in use. I shared it with my other family and at least 2 of them posted pictures of their flawless creations. It was a hit from PA to CO! Thanks Jen!
Hi Jen, thanks for this simple recipe. I tried it last Friday and my family loved it. I used 8 oz brier cheese instead of 16 oz. I substituted the dried cherries with dried raisins and did not add the rosemary. Apart from that l followed every direction to the latter. It was so yummy. Thanks for mouth watering recipes, bless you.
Hi Jen,
I made this baked brie appetizer and it looked and tasted fantastic. I was so amazed at how easy it was to make and how fancy it looked . This will definitely be my go to recipe when making an appetizer for guests.
Thanks, Megan
Can you use ordinary pie crust for this recipe.
Sounds delicious!
I’m afraid not, Gen. While it would be tasty, I think it would be a crumbly mess when you try to cut into it. Sorry!
I made this for a party, it was super good and easy. I goofed and didn’t put the cherry mixture on top of the brie before I closed up the puff pastry so I served it on the side. I got a ton of compliments and it was so good and easy.
This is absolutely delicious!
I have made this 4 or 5 times and each time it was a huge hit! Easy to make and absolutely delicious!!
I have made this 4 or 5 times and each time it’s a huge hit. Easy to do and absolutely delicious!!
What is the oven temp???????
Hi Tom, this gets baked at 425°F. Hope you enjoy!
Fabulous appetizer ! Can I assemble it & then freeze for use in a few weeks ? Having overnight company & time will be an issue . Thanks !!!
Lala, I wouldn’t suggest freezing the brie. Not sure how much time this will save you, but you can assemble and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking.
This was so easy to make but it looks and tastes like you slaved over it for hours!
Another amazing recipe. This one’s a big winner! Jenn you are making me more & more confident in the kitchen. This recipe was made exactly as written & looked exactly the same as yours. My hubby & I loved it & we took it to a party & the plate was wiped clean :-). Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Since I was cooking in the Adirondacks at the last minute, many substitutions were required, but the result was still delicious and appreciated by our host and fellow guests:
2 x 8oz rounds of Brie rather than 1 x 16 oz
filo dough rather than puff pastry
sliced almonds for pecans
chopped dried cranberries for cherries
As always, Jenn’s recipes are so sound to begin with that slight substitutions are always workable.
I made this today to bring to a friend’s home for a late afternoon appetizer. Oh my, it was a home run on all counts. First, it looked gorgeous: beautifully puffed and golden. Second, the taste was wonderful: puff pastry with yummy cheese and the additional ingredients made for a delicious treat.
A few notes:
1. I used my own puff pastry, an all-butter recipe from Joy of Cooking. I used 2 pieces of frozen dough from my freezer–one weighed about 7 ounces, the other weighed about 9 ounces. I let them thaw in the fridge overnight. Leftover dough scraps will be used tomorrow for palmiers. I would encourage others to give puff pastry a try–it’s been a fun adventure for me.
2. No leakage at all from the cheese. I think Jenn is correct in recommending her technique of rolling out a 2nd, larger piece of pastry to cover the cheese mound. Just remember to use egg wash to seal the two disks and crimp well. Also, I think this technique allows for a neater presentation.
3. I know you can easily cut leaves with a knife, but I used my 3 1/2″ metal cookie cutter to punch out 3 disks from the leftover dough. From each disk I was able to cut out 3 leaves by angling the cookie cutter appropriately–for a total of 9 leaves. I had stored the dough scraps in the fridge so that when I was ready to work on the leaves, the dough was nice and cold for neat, clean cuts.
4. I think there is lots of room for variation here. For example, I cut back on the honey, but used fig preserve.
This dish was heavenly good–thank you Jenn.
If I need to transport this to a party, should I tent with foil to keep it warm? Or will that make the pastry soggy? What do you recommend?
Hi Candy, Yes, I would tent it with foil but don’t wrap it so tightly that it steams.
Made this and took to a party tonight. Definitely a hit – everyone loved it and it looks gorgeous. The only thing I did different was I subbed the dried cranberries for the dried cherries. Thank you, Jenn, for sharing another great recipe
Hi Jenn, our local grocery store only carried 23 oz Brie. (I know, it’s a lot of cheese.) How would that affect the measurements of the other ingredients? As well, will it need to be baked for longer?
Thanks so much!
Hi Beatrice, I think you’ll have enough pastry because there’s a decent amount left after you’ve covered the brie (you’ll just have a bit less to work with.) I would assume you’ll need about 25 percent more of the other ingredients. Assuming the brie is the same thickness as typical brie (and just has a larger diameter than the one I used), the baking time would be the same. Enjoy!
This a quick and easy dish and just so lovely. I substitutue cherries with cranberries and then used chopped walnuts as that is what I had available. This was tasty with crackers. Everyone dived in and wanted more.
Everyone loved this, and asked for the recipe! Thanks Jenn!
I just made this for a neighborhood holiday party. Your tip about the puff paste is great!
I made this for thanksgiving. Definitely take that 45 min rest after the oven I only did 30 and had some oozing!
This is simply delicious. I’ve made it twice for company and everyone raves about it. I was asked to make sure it’s on the menu for Christmas. Wouldn’t change a thing with this recipe. It’s a winner.
I love pastries and brie, but I did not enjoy this particular dish. It’s just a bit too much brie.
In a word, Delish! Can’t wait to make again. I have made many of her recipes and they are all fantastic!
I made this last year and it turned out awesome! My guests were impressed! Will definitely make this again foe a Xmas appy?
I love this. Raspberry on top are very nice. They cream together very well with brie when warm.
Took the baked brie to a thanksgiving dinner and it received raved reviews. I followed the recipe exactly as written. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
This was so easy to prepare – my two little ones had so much fun helping me make this – and it was delicious too! Thanks so much for a great recipe!
This looks so delicious! I will be making this for Thanksgiving. I could only find 8 oz. brie rounds (not the 16 oz. you show pictured). Would you recommend stacking them or making two separate smaller ones? I’d rather have one large, so if stacking, should I do anything else differently? Thanks so much in advance! Love your recipes and site.
Hi Aimee, I’d definitely recommend making two smaller ones. Hope you enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
How far in advance can this be assembled before baking? I was hoping I could assemble it the night before?
Hi Maryanne, The night before would be fine. (I wouldn’t assemble it anymore than 24 hours ahead.) Enjoy!
I bought a 5″ brie wheel, but it weighs 34 oz. How will that change the baking time and or oven temperature
Hi Dick, are you sure it’s 34 ounces and not 3.4 ounces?
Hi!!
Jen I’ve made so many of your recipes, thank you for feeding my husband and I so well!!!
What crackers do you think work best with this??
Shauna
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes, Shauna! I wouldn’t suggest anything highly seasoned here so that you can enjoy the taste of the cheese, but any crackers will do.
Hi jenn, would I be able to assemble the Brie in the pastry and then freeze it, so that when I need to bake it, just defrost then put it in the oven? Trying to save some time over the holidays. Mona
Hi Mona, I wouldn’t suggest freezing the brie, but you can assemble and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking.
Wonderful recipe! Fantastic presentation. I made this for the first time last holiday season for my husband. Will be making for Thanksgiving with family this year. Used a double cream instead of Brie, much more mellow.
How far ahead can this be assembled and refrigerated?
Hi B, I probably wouldn’t wait longer than 24 hours to bake it. Hope you enjoy!
I made this baked brie last year (2015). And it’s so good I’m doing it again. Make this you can’t go wrong.
Love your recipes, and that looks delicious, but wouldn’t you rather use an all-butter puff pastry like DuFour? To me, the recommended pastry tastes unpleasantly like Crisco.
Hi Peggy, you can definitely use DuFour puff pastry. I recommend the Pepperidge Farm for the recipe because it’s more accessible in grocery stores. Hope you enjoy!
Could I use cranberries instead of cherries?
Thank you.
Sure, Marilyne – cranberries will work beautifully here.
Hi Jenn,
In reading the written recipe, it says to slice off the top rind of the brie and discard…then later says, “cut off the top rind of the cheese and place on top of the pastry, rind side down.” I feel so dumb, but am I placing the sliced-off rind UNDERNEATH the wheel of brie like an extra layer?? or do you just mean the brie wheel goes on the pastry with the bottom rind on the pastry and the exposed top showing?? I couldn’t tell from the pictures. Thank you!
Hi Mary, with the wording as it is, I can understand why that confused you. The top rind does get discarded and it’s just the brie wheel that goes on the pastry (with the bottom rind on the pastry). Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn, Which Brie do you recommend I use for the Baked Brie recipe ? Regular, double cream or triple cream Brie. Thanks for the pictures included in your recipes. Your attention to detail is wonderful. Love details !!
Yvonne
5 stars in advance.
Glad you find the details helpful! And regular brie is perfect here. Hope you enjoy!
Can you use the small puff pastry with this recipe ? I’ve made it with full size puff pastry but thought it might be fun to make mini ones. Can the Brea be cut up into smaller pieces & make it work?
Sure, Geraldine – I think that should work just fine. Enjoy!
Throw a little honey on it after it is baked. It drips down the sides and tastes yummy!
I should have said, drizzle a little more honey on top, after baking…
Incredible! Amazing flavours!
Hi, Jenn,
Made this recipe last week, for a dinner party we were hosting. Followed your recipe and directions exactly, except I toasted the pecans first. I assembled the evening before and stored in the refrigerator overnight, popped it on parchment lined baking sheet and baked and cooled so that it was ready when our guests arrived. Everyone loved it!! Thank you for another fabulous recipe.
I can’t find a large 6″ wheel of Brie. How can this be adjusted for a 4″ wheel or maybe two 4″ wheels?
Julie, you could use a 4″ wheel and use 3/4 of the rest of the ingredients. (It’ll just require a little mental math 🙂
I made this this past weekend and it was so delicious !!! Thank you so much for all the delicious recipes that you share.
I fixed this to take to a party. I messed up a little and didn’t put the honey mixture inside the brie. So I put it in a custard cup and baked it with the brie in the oven. Then I served alongside the brie. Everyone was highly complimentary and a few said, “I’ll have to make that, i receive her emails!” after I told them where I got the idea.
Can I prep up the Brie cheese in pastry the day before and cook next day?
Yes!
I made this for a family get together. It looked beautiful, tasted great and was fast and easy to make. Will definitely make it again.
Made it last night, also for a family get together. Used what was in the house. Camembert for brie. Winter Fruit medley mix for cherries. Had run out of eggs so brushed lightly with some olive oil and milk. It was awesome. Definitely going to make again with Brie and a egg wash..
I made this for my book club and even the crumbs were consumed. This one is a keeper for sure. Also, very easy to make. Thanks.
Can I skip the rosemary?
Sure, you can just omit it or replace it with an herb you prefer. Hope you enjoy!
Loved your recipe, looked so professional on presentation. Everyone wanted the recipe. Keep them coming.
Silly question – what’s the best way to transport the brie? I plan on making it this Saturday for a cocktail party and am not sure if I should leave it on the baking sheet, cover with foil, then move to a serving dish at the party, or plate it at home, cover, and then go. Does it come off the parchment paper easily? Thank you!
Sheri, I would suggest keeping it on the baking sheet for your drive to the party as it should sit for at least 45-50 minutes before serving anyway. Once you arrive, you can transfer it to a serving dish. (It should not stick to the parchment.) I hope everyone enjoys!
Made the brie on Saturday and it was a hit! It did ooze out of the pastry a bit but otherwise it was perfect. Will definitely make again!! 🙂
This is a wonderful, tasty appetizer. How would you suggest to keep the bottom from burning? I placed it on the middle rack but it burned a tad. Thanks
Lisa, Sorry you had trouble with the bottom burning. Your oven might run a little hot. Next time, try reducing the temp by 25 degrees or reduce the cooking time. And if your baking sheets are flimsy, you might double them up. Hope that helps!
Hi Jen
Can I use raisins instead of cranberries ?
Thank you for all your fabulous recipes.
Definitely!
OUTSTANDING!
I had never worked with pastry before as I’ve always been intimidated by it, but I gave this recipe a go this weekend as I needed an upscale appetizer for a Christmas Dinner Party. Substituted dried cranberries for the cherries but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. It came out wonderful and was the hit of the party.
Thanks Jenn for inspiring me to be a better cook!
Flavor was great, personally would like even more fruit/nuts/rosemary. THe large round was hard to find, so I ended up putting two wedges together into a rectangle/parallelogram sort of thing… 🙂
Jenn –
Once again, a breeze, and delicious, too. No cherries, so substituted pomegranate arils. People thought I knew what I was doing. I’ll never tell.
🙂
Made this as a Thanksgiving appetizer. This is a fantastic sweet/savory recipe. The unique combination of ingredients was a perfect counterpoint to the rich cheese. My puff pastry became a bit too sticky when trying to make decorations, but I had probably left it out too long to warm. Would definitely make again, if a “no calories too many” occasion presents itself. 🙂
This was divine. I brought it to my family party this past weekend and it was the first appetizer to be devoured. I should have made a double batch. Every recipe I’ve tried here was loved.
Easy to prepare! Superb flavors!
This is a delicious and beautiful recipe! Thanks so much for sharing all your wonderful recipes! I discovered your blog a couple of weeks ago and have made about 10 things so far – and all have turned out wonderful.
I would like to take this to work for our annual Christmas pot-luck lunch. We don’t have an oven at work, but we have a microwave. Could I bake the brie the night before, take it to work and warm it up in the microwave? If okay, how long should I warm it up for? Thanks
Laura, unfortunately I don’t think this would do very well in the microwave. I think the crust would get soggy :(. Sorry!
Jen, I can’t wait to try this for all of those December holiday parties!! What type of cracker do you recommend serving it with that would not compete with the amazing puff pastry? Thanks for sharing all of your fantastic recipes – life is so much simpler now that I don’t have to spend hours slogging through my recipe books for ideas!!
I probably wouldn’t suggest anything highly seasoned so that you can really enjoy the taste of the cheese, but any crackers will do.
Dear Jen, If I didnt have 10 people to feed at 6:30, I would hop a plane and arrive at your house to hug you!!!!!!! This could not have been more impressive, or easier to make….the brie is ready for the oven, and I am overjoyed with how beautiful it is! My sons new girlfriend is coming for dinner….she went to culinary school, and this will knock her socks off!! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, and keep these winning dishes coming!!!!
Delicious! Recipe is a keeper
Outstanding……there are no other words for this delicious and easy appetizer! Your website is my #1 go to website when menu planning – there hasn’t been a thing yet that I’ve tried that hasn’t been wonderful. Thank Jenn!!
This turned out awesome!! And everyone loved it… Easy to do..
Planning to prepare this for Thanksgiving dinner. I think it sounds scrumptious and the flavors will work perfectly with dinner.
Hi, Jenn!
Can I use dried cranberries instead? Will the taste change still complement the rosemary? Can’t wait to try this 🙂
Hi Steph, Dried cranberries will work beautifully. Enjoy!
Hi, this recipe looks really good and I cant wait to try it, but I was wondering how long is this good for and at what temperature should I store it in?
Hi Melissa, You can prepare this a day ahead (and store in fridge) but it needs to be baked right before serving.
Can you use walnuts instead of pecans?
Absolutely 🙂
Thanks! can’t wait to make this!
How do you eat it? Do you slice it like pie and place on bread or a cracker? I would like to make it for my brother’s engagement party.
Hi Katie, Yes, or if it’s cool enough you can eat it out of hand on its own. Enjoy!
Would you serve this before dinner or after?
Hi Bernice, I would serve it before, but you could certainly be like the French and serve it after if you like 🙂
Bernice/Jenn – Only just right now found this absolutely amazing recipe and since I’m living in France (but I’m Swiss), I would definitely suggest to serve this only ever as an ‘entrée’ (starter) – you’d never get such a really rich cheese ‘dessert’ served in France.
I hope to bake this very soon – and thanks for this wonderful recipe. Shall look forward to read your other cooking on your blog.
Wishing everybody a HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Kiki – Ile de France
thank you so much for posting this elegant recipe. I will definitely be making for this upcoming holiday season…probably multiple times!!! I love all your recipes!
Can you assemble the brie in the pastry the day before or earlier the same day then bake later?
Hi Cristine, Yes, that works well.
Hi jenn
Love the combination!! Would this work well with a jam or a preserve instead of honey?
Hi Mona, Yes, I think it would work especially well with cherry, apricot or raspberry.
Hi Jen, can we use any other cheese instead? (I have never tried brie before).
Thanks.
Hi Batool, I’d stick with Brie or Camembert.
do yourself a HUGE favour and try brie!! 🙂
What a beautiful presentation! This will be my Thanksgiving App for sure!,,,,,,,
Thanks Jen, as always, for your fantastic recipies!
How important is it to slice the rind off the top of the cheese? The photos don’t show that step.
Thanks for another great recipe!
Hi Jean, You don’t have to — it doesn’t affect the taste — but I prefer it just so there isn’t quite as much rind.
Is it okay to remove all the rind completely and not just the top?
Hi Alie, Technically, I think you probably could remove all the rind, but it could get a bit messy with none of the rind to contain the melting cheese.
Perfect timing for this wonderful appetizer. Love Brie, love cherries, & love pecans. And so easy! This can be shoved into the oven right before guests come. Thank you for recipe!
Fabulous presentation delicious taste
My mouth is watering looking at this recipe! Can’t wait to try it for the holidays!