Description
Mini Cranberry Brie Bites are a festive and easy-to-make appetizer featuring flaky puff pastry filled with creamy brie cheese and tangy cranberry sauce. Topped optionally with nuts, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, these bite-sized treats offer a perfect balance of sweet, tart, and savory flavors ideal for holidays, parties, or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
- 4 oz Brie cheese (cut into small pieces)
- 1/3 cup fresh cranberry sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (for drizzling)
Optional Toppings
- 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
- Fresh herbs (thyme or rosemary sprigs)
Instructions
- Prepare the Puff Pastry: Thaw the puff pastry according to package instructions. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the pastry slightly to smooth it. Cut into small squares sized to fit a mini muffin pan or baking sheet.
- Assemble the Base: Gently press each pastry square into the cups of a mini muffin tin, making sure the edges stay upright to hold the filling securely.
- Add the Brie Cheese: Place a piece of brie cheese into each pastry cup, ensuring there’s enough room for it to melt without overflowing.
- Dollop the Cranberry Sauce: Spoon a small amount of cranberry sauce on top of the brie in each cup to balance the creamy cheese with tart sweetness.
- Add Optional Toppings: Sprinkle chopped nuts and/or fresh herbs on each bite for extra texture and flavor sophistication.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 15-18 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden and the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Finish and Serve: After baking, optionally drizzle with honey or maple syrup and garnish with additional fresh herbs or a light sprinkle of coarse sea salt before serving.
Notes
- Keep puff pastry chilled until just before baking for best puff and flakiness.
- Choose mild, creamy brie to avoid overpowering flavors.
- Adjust the amount of cranberry sauce based on sweetness preference, especially if using store-bought sauce.
- Do not overfill pastry cups to prevent cheese from spilling during baking.
- Assemble bites ahead of time and refrigerate for a few hours before baking to ease party preparation.
- Leftover bites can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 2 months.
- Reheat in oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes for best texture; avoid microwave to keep pastry crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 bites
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: mini cranberry brie bites, holiday appetizers, festive appetizers, bite-size appetizers, puff pastry appetizers, cranberry brie bite recipe, easy party snacks
