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 looks amazing and I want to make it for Thanksgiving. I was a little taken aback by the 45 minute sit time out of the oven. Is this a typo? It would seem the pastry and cheese would get cold and hard. Maybe there’s some magic happening in that sit time. Thank you.
Hi Janet, It’s not a typo – if you slice into it prior to that time, the cheese will just ooze out. The 45 minutes allows the cheese to firm up enough to make it easy for guests to help themselves.
Wow wow wow. Made this yesterday for an early thanksgiving with family. It was a HIT and was the first appetizer to go. THANK YOU! Added into my regular holiday rotation.
Can I use pillsbury premade pie crust instead of puff pastry?
Hi Christine, I wouldn’t recommend it. I think it would taste good but be very crumbly when you try to cut into it. Sorry!
Absolute perfection. Great when paired with a bold Cabernet at a wine taste. ❤️
I have made this quite a few times around the winter holidays. It is always well received and so pretty on a holiday plate. This summer we made it with the puff pastry, the round of Brie and covered the Brie with a very good green Chili jam. Put a bit of lettuce at the side and it makes a most impressive salad or first course dish for 4-6 people. Green chili is our state veg so not sure everyone would like this but our bunch loves it.
Santa Fe NM
I’ve made baked brie from other recipes, but this is the easiest most professional looking and best tasting that I’ve ever made. Made this several times and it never disappoints.
Thank you Jenn
Stunning and delicious. I have made this many times, and it never fails to impress!
Hi Jenn. I’m having a baked Brie en croute emergency! My event is this evening. I’ve been to three different stores looking for puffed pastry, and no one has it in stock. Is it possible to turn this en croute recipe into a baked Brie “not en croute?” Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Diane, I’m obviously weighing in too late to help — sorry! What did you end up doing with the brie?
Happy New Year’s Jenn. My friends and I are creating a Cook’s Gathering event, the first session of which is scheduled for February 1st. In this first outing we’re going to learn how to make chocolate truffles – yum. I’ve volunteered to bring an appetizer, and your baked brie sounds perfect for an appetizer/wine, cooking get-together. I intend to use an 8 oz. brie rather than a 16 oz. brie since there are only four of us, and would appreciate your recommendation on how much I should reduce the baking time. Thanks!
Hi Diane, I may reduce the baking time by 2 to 3 minutes, but not much more — you’ll want to keep it in the oven until the pastry is golden brown. Hope everyone enjoys! 🙂
Thanks, Jenn, I’m also making this for just four people and was intending to use the 8oz. brie. Was happy to see the cooking time; but I’m wondering if I should cut all the ingredients by half? Thanks! I think you’ll enjoy the show “Lessons in Chemistry” whether or not you’ve read the book! Both are fabulous! Thanks again! Karen
Hi Karen, I’d cut the honey, cherries, pecans and rosemary in half. Regarding the puff pastry, I’m not sure if you’ll only need one sheet; I’d fold over the one sheet and eyeball it to see if you think it will fit. And thanks for the tip regarding the show — I’ve heard great things about the book!
Honestly the hardest part is making a square sheet of dough into a circle!