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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I made this yesterday to take to a dinner party. It was met with rave reviews. Everyone loved it !!!
It was not only beautiful but downright delish.
Thanks and Happy New Year
So glad it was a hit! 🙂
Is it essential to remove the top rind?
Hi Macky, You don’t have to — it doesn’t impact the taste — but I prefer to remove it just so there isn’t quite as much rind.
Can you remove the entire rind?
I wouldn’t recommend it — sorry!
A silly question, but is the puff pastry just for show? Not sure how to eat it with crackers, unless you slice it before serving?
Hi Theresa, No the puff pastry kind of elevates the cheese to the next level. Guests can just kind of slice it as they go when you serve it.
How do you reheat leftover baked brie in puff pastry to a returned crispy pastry?
Hi Jodi, This will be near impossible to reheat once cut open, as the cheese will ooze out. Sorry!
Hi Jenn,
I made this last Christmas and everyone is begging to have it again.
We have nut allergies so I will omit the nuts. Should I double up on the dried fruit? I don’t remember what I did last year.
Thanks!
You can, but you don’t have to — it will be delicious either way!
I only found two smaller brie rather than one big one. Would you recommend stacking or cutting the second one and laying it around the other? Thanks
Hi David, Instead of stacking or laying one around the other, I think you’d have better luck with making two smaller ones. Hope that helps!
This method produced Perfect results. Highly recommend!!
This was an extremely easy recipe with fabulous results. The combo of dried cherries and pecans and just the hint of fresh rosemary with the creaminess of the Brie and the puff pastry crust – pure umami. Great recipe, Jen, thanks.
Hi Jenn! This recipe looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it, but I am wondering what type of dried cherries you used? Trader Joe’s had dried tart cherries and dried Bing cherries? Thanks for all of the wonderful recipes, your website has changed my life!!
Hi Anne, either will work just fine. Hope you enjoy!
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times already and I love it! It’s the best recipe according to my family and friends.
There are a lot o Brie en crute recipes out there. This is the best one I’ve ever had. Also the directions to use two pieces of pastry was different and better than other recipes. You end up with a better seal and don’t have any bunched up extra pastry. I thought I would have left overs because fewer people came than expected and I had other food. Completely went. Don’t skip the rosemary it’s the special addition. Great recipe.