Description
Easy holiday appetizer featuring buttery puff pastry cups filled with creamy brie cheese and tangy cranberry sauce, baked until golden and garnished with candied pecans and fresh herbs. Perfect make-ahead option for entertaining.
Ingredients
For the Bites:
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but still cold
- 4 oz brie cheese (get the good stuff – it matters)
- ½ cup cranberry sauce (homemade or store-bought both work)
Optional Garnishes:
- Candied pecans, roughly chopped
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Honey drizzle
- Fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
Heat oven to 375°F and position rack in center. Spray every single cup of your mini muffin tin generously. Like, more spray than seems reasonable. Trust me on this – I’ve pulled apart too many beautiful bites because I skimped on spray.
Unroll thawed puff pastry on clean surface. Using sharp knife, cut into 16 equal squares – I do 4 rows of 4. Press each square gently into muffin cup, letting corners stick up naturally. They’ll puff and look rustic, which is exactly what we want.
Cut brie into small cubes, about half-inch pieces. Cold brie cuts cleaner, so keep it chilled until this step. Place one cube in center of each pastry cup. Add small spoonful of cranberry sauce on top of each brie cube. Key word: small. These pastries puff up huge and overflow isn’t cute.
Slide tray into oven and bake 15-18 minutes until pastry turns beautiful golden brown. Start checking around 12 minutes because ovens vary wildly. Look for puffed, golden pastry and slightly bubbly cheese.
Let cool exactly 2-3 minutes – any longer and cheese starts firming up again. Run thin knife around each bite to loosen edges. They should pop right out if you used enough spray. If they stick, give them another minute to cool.
This is where you make them Instagram-worthy. Sprinkle chopped candied pecans over warm bites. Add tiny rosemary sprigs for color. Drizzle honey if you’re feeling fancy. Serve immediately while cheese is still melty and pastry stays crispy.
Notes
Cooking spray is your best friend. Use way more than you think you need. Even on “non-stick” surfaces. These bites want to stick, and damaged appetizers make me sad.
Set timer and check early. Puff pastry goes from perfect golden to burnt faster than you’d believe. Every oven runs different, so start checking at 12 minutes and trust your eyes over the timer.
Room temperature brie is easier to cube, but cold brie stays put during baking. Pick your battle based on timing. I usually cube room temp brie then chill the cubes before assembly.
Buy pre-made candied pecans from grocery store salad bar section. Saves time and they’re usually perfect size. Or make your own by tossing pecans with maple syrup and baking 5 minutes at 350°F.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-inspired American