Baked Brie en Croûte with Honey, Dried Cherries, Rosemary & Pecans
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Golden, gooey, and party-ready—this brie en croûte is the ultimate holiday appetizer that looks as good as it tastes.
When it comes to festive appetizers, you can never go wrong with brie en croûte, which is French for baked brie in a pastry crust. My go-to version combines warm, melty brie, honey, dried cherries, and pecans, all wrapped in a golden pastry. Thanks to store-bought puff pastry, it’s as easy to make as it is impressive.
Wrapping the brie in one large sheet of puff pastry can sometimes result in a thick, doughy bottom layer that doesn’t cook through. To avoid this, I sandwich the brie between two smaller pieces of pastry and crimp the edges with a fork. This not only seals in the cheese but also ensures both layers puff up evenly for a flaky, perfectly golden crust.
“I’ve made baked brie from other recipes, but this is the easiest, most professional looking, and best tasting that I’ve ever made.”
What You’ll Need To Make Brie en Croûte
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Roll and trim the pastry. On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry sheet into a 12-inch square. Using a sharp knife, trim the corners to form two neat circles.
Step 2: Assemble the base. Place one of the pastry circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Set the cheese in the center (after cutting off the top rind), then drizzle the top with honey.
Step 3: Add the toppings. Sprinkle the dried cherries, pecans, and rosemary over the honey.
Step 4: Prep for sealing. Brush the edge of the pastry with egg wash — this will help the top layer stick when you place it over the cheese.
Step 5: Add the top layer. Lay the second pastry circle over the cheese, pressing it gently against the cheese and bottom pastry. Trim the edges, leaving about a 1-inch border all the way around.
Step 6: Seal it up. Use a fork to crimp the edges all the way around, locking in the cheese. Brush the top and edges with egg wash so it bakes up golden.
Step 7: Make decorations. Use the pastry scraps to cut out leaves (or any shapes you like). Lightly score them with a knife to make the veins.
Step 8: Finish assembling. Arrange the leaves (and a berry or two, if you’d like) on top of the pastry, then brush the decorations with egg wash so they bake up glossy and golden.
Step 9: Bake and serve. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden. Let it rest for at least 45 minutes before cutting — otherwise the cheese will run out. Serve warm with fruit and crackers.
More Holiday Appetizers You May Like
Baked Brie en Croûte with Honey, Dried Cherries, Pecans & Rosemary
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen Puff Pastry, thawed (I use Pepperidge Farm)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ⅓ cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 (16-oz) Brie cheese round (about 6 in/15 cm) in diameter)
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). 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-in (30-cm) 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-in (2.5-cm) 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 in/5 cm long and 1 in/2.5 cm 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 ½-in (13-mm) 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This appetizer is perfect – it can be made ahead, which makes it perfect for a party. I’ve made it several times, to nothing but rave reviews! It is so good, my guests remembered it a year later (I made it for last thanksgiving, and it was requested for this year!)
This might sound like a stupid question, but do guests cut off a slice of pastry & cheese? Or just scoop the cheese out of the pastry?
Not a stupid question at all! Either way is fine – some people may choose to just scoop the cheese out and others may want to slice a “hunk” of cheese and pastry off. I’ve seen people handle it both ways. 🙂
I was asked to bring appetizers to a party today and made this. Not only did it look impressive, it tasted amazing. The only swap I made was replace the honey for golden syrup, which I recently found at a supermarket in California, and I prefer the taste of it over honey. So delicious and it came out just like your picture!! Served it with green and red grapes and some pear slices. Everyone at the party loved it. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Hi. I have a 28 oz rind of Brie. Cook for 3o minutes??? Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Christy, That sounds about right but just keep an eye on it. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
You are amazing for answering me so quickly!!! Thank you ❤️
Hi Jenn. I’m going to try this recipe for thanksgiving. What substitute can I use for the dried cherries and pecans? Any other suggestions of toppings? Thanks so much!
Hi Karen, any dried fruit would work here (think craisins, raisins, or diced apricots) and any type of nut could be subbed in for the pecans (or you could just omit the nuts entirely).
Hi Jenn,
If I make this a day ahead, how do I store it in the refrigerator, cover it with foil/ cling wrap. Apply egg wash right before baking it?
Thanks
Tahera
Sounds like a perfect plan – enjoy!
Hi Jenn
16 oz Brie is not available in our area only 8 oz . I need to make it for 14 people. How do I prepare the puff pastry for 2, 8 oz Brie ?
Hi Tahera, I think you’ll probably need to buy an extra box of puff pastry to make two, unless you want to use this method to wrap them.
This recipe is absolutely delicious, beautiful to look at and much easier to make than I ever imagined it would. be. I have made this several times and everybody loves it. Thanks Jenn, for another fantastic, foolproof recipe!
I have a hard time with appetizers. I feel pressured to bring or serve something spectacular. I also tend to try something new- not necessarily a good combination!
True to form, I tried this recipe for a get together. What a recipe! It was wonderful and easy but best of all tasted great! Thank you for the wonderful recipes.
I absolutely love this! I’ve made it several times and it’s always an impressive and delicious appetizer.
The first few times, I made it as written, but this last time I didn’t have any dried cherries so I used dried figs + thyme. Yum!
Dried apricots + rosemary is another good substitution.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and all the pictures!
Wonderful! I combined a 350g and 200g wheel. Cut the smaller wheel with a medium biscuit cutter, and wrap that outside section around the larger wheel, then cut a hole in the remaining piece, and wrap that. The remaining “hole” fills in the last missing piece. Once the toppings are on you can’t tell that you don’t have 1 big wheel. I scraped the rind off the side of the big wheel. Will use dried blueberries next time, as more summer appropriate where I’m from.