Name: Baked Brie with Cranberries, Pecans, Fig Jam and Thyme
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 8-ounce round French-style brie; 1/3 cup fig jam; 1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries; 1/4 cup candied or toasted pecans (, roughly chopped); 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

When are three baked brie recipes better than one? Always! Take your pick or try all three of these easy baked brie recipe ideas for your next party appetizer, and everyone will be saying cheese.

It’s a proven fact that everyone at the party loves a cheese board. It’s the centerpiece of nibbles and bites and small talk to break the party ice. But when you add a little heat to make a bubbly, oozey cheese dip, the party vibe definitely ratchets up a notch.

These three baked brie recipe appetizers start with the basic baking method for baked brie but show off their individual flair for flavor with 3 different topping combinations.

Bake one, or choose all three, and introduce your guests to the easiest way to cheese board.

How to Make Baked Brie

There’s something inherently satisfying when you take that first dip into a molten round of brie cheese. For me, I like to keep things easy so I skip the method of wrapping my brie with puff pastry and add different topping combinations instead. Doing so makes it that much easier to get straight to the good stuff: the brie!

Before we get to the toppings, let’s clear up a few questions about how to make baked brie:

Do you take the rind off brie before baking? No, I keep the rind on, but I do take a sharp knife and run it around the edge of the top of the brie, removing the tops. Again, I want to make it easy to dip into the cheese.

Do you eat the rind of brie? I am never averse to eating the rind. Some would never try it. The rind is an edible mold that is patted down over and over again as it blooms. It gives brie it’s unique taste and in this recipe acts as a natural bowl as the cheese melts. Eat the rind, or not. The choice is up to you.

Which brie is best for baking? I use 8 ounce rounds of soft-ripened French style brie, usually a double or triple cream. If you choose a larger round, adjust the size of your baking vessel accordingly. You could also use a Camembert or for a touch of blue cheese flavor try a creamy gorgonzola.

What do you bake brie in? Use an oven-proof baking dish or skillet that is just a bit larger than your brie, so that when you cut into the round, the cheese doesn’t ooze and escape all over.

Here are a few baking vessels I like:

These gratin dishes are also great for individual cobblers, au gratin potatoes, or skillet cookies. Or try frying eggs in them, perfectly round every time.

Flavor Combination Toppings for Baked Brie

Baked brie all on its own is a decadent enough appetizer to love. But when you add one, two or even three more ingredients as a topping, that’s when you set your brie apart from the crowd.

There’s a rule of thumb I use when it comes to adding toppings to salads, toasts, and these baked brie:

Add something jammy
Add a nut for crunch
Add a sweet fruit or something super savory
Add an aromatic herb for freshness

#1. Baked Brie with Cranberries, Pecans, Fig Jam and Thyme

Brie with sweet dried cranberries, fig jam, and nuts are a classic Christmas and holiday flavor combination with a smattering of fresh thyme leaves to liven things up.

Serve with fruit and nuts or seeded crackers, kettle chips, bagel thins or crackers.

Salty and sweet, this cranberry, pecan, fig jam and thyme flavor combo is a hands-down winner every single time.

Dried cranberries, dried cherries, or give currants a try
Candied pecans, toasted pecans, or toasted walnuts add the crunch
Lush fig jam, or use a spiced pepper jelly as a classic too
Fresh thyme leaves for the perfect herbal touch

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

4.74 from 38 votes

Baked Brie with Cranberries, Pecans, Fig Jam and Thyme

Sweet fig jam and cranberries tops this bubbly baked brie appetizer with candied pecans and thyme.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine French

Keyword baked brie

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings

Calories 64kcal

Equipment

oven safe baking or gratin dish

Ingredients

1 8-ounce round French-style brie
⅓ cup fig jam
⅓ cup sweetened dried cranberries
¼ cup candied or toasted pecans , roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use a sharp knife to cut along the top inside edge of the round of brie, then remove the top rind. If the top is shaggy or uneven, don't worry, it will smooth as it bakes. Place the brie in a 6-8 ounce gratin baking dish or cast-iron pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Top the brie with fig jam, cranberries and the toasted pecans and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Serve hot with fruit and nut crackers, baguette or kettle chips.

Nutrition

#2. Baked Brie With Blueberries, Lemon Marmalade and Almonds

This baked brie is firmly in the savory fruit camp, gliding effortlessly between the boundaries of an appetizer that could be served as a dessert. Be like the French, and dessert cheese me please.

Serve with sliced fruit, baguette, or even sliced pound cake.

This blueberry with lemon marmalade, almonds and rosemary hits all the right appetizer notes with these ingredients:

Lemon marmalade, or try orange marmalade or your favorite berry jam
Buttery marcona almonds with sea salt and rosemary, or toasted almonds work well too
Blueberries, black berries, or raspberries are interchangeable here
Snippets of tender rosemary sprigs adds to each aromatic bite

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

5 from 5 votes

Baked Brie With Blueberries, Lemon Marmalade and Marcona Almonds

This baked brie recipe hits all the sweet spots for a unique appetizer or sweet and savory dipping dessert.