Best Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe

Made from crescent dough, cranberry sauce, and brie, these cranberry brie bites are, I’m proud to say, one of Delish’s most popular Thanksgiving appetizers of all time (for very good reason). I engineered this bite-sized app to have everything you could ever want in a holiday appetizer, all in one bite: a flaky pastry base, sweet cranberry sauce, rich, cheesy brie, and crunchy pecans. Ready in a little over 30 minutes, these bites are the ideal last-minute appetizer, and are so good they just might steal the show at your Thanksgiving dinner (sorry, roast turkey). Keep reading on for all my top tips on how to perfect these easy bites and vary them for every occasion.

What People Are Saying:
“Made these as Thanksgiving appetizers last year and they were delicious and SUCH a hit!” – ColletteO

“Absolutely delicious!! A very easy recipe to make and the results are much greater than the effort you used to make them!! A winner!!” – OliveBee

What Are Cranberry Brie Bites?

These adorable little pastry cups are made from uber-convenient crescent roll dough and filled with brie, cranberry sauce, and pecans. Baked in a mini muffin tin until melty and flaky, they make an elegant, no-stress Thanksgiving appetizer or holiday hors d’oeuvre.

How To Make Cranberry Brie Bites

INGREDIENTS

• Crescent Dough: I love crescent dough for fuss-free appetizers. It is buttery, flaky, easy to work with, and seemingly available in every supermarket in America.
• Brie: There’s just something about the way brie melts—all oozy and gooey—that makes it the perfect filling for these pastry cups.
• Cranberry Sauce: More than just seasonally appropriate, sweet, tangy cranberry sauce cuts right through the rich, fatty brie, lending balance to every bite.
• Pecans: I wanted a nutty-crunchy element, and pecans have an undeniable affinity for cranberries and brie. I sprinkled them over the top to give them a chance to go all toasty in the oven.
• Rosemary: No mere garnish here, the rosemary provides a piney, floral element that goes wonderfully with the cranberry sauce.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First off, preheat the oven to 375° and grease a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray. Now lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough; pinch together at the seams. Cut the dough into 24 squares, trying to make them as even as you can.

Place each square in a muffin cup, centering it over the cup (so it rises evenly up the sides), then pushing it all the way in.

Cut the brie into small pieces; it’s much easier to do this when the brie is cold. Do be sure to leave the rind on; we need the rind to prevent the cheese from spreading too much.

Nestle a piece of brie into each pastry cup. Top with cranberry sauce for the classic version, or with your favorite jam if you want to switch things up.

Add on the pecans and one piece of rosemary for each bite. Then, bake the bites until the pastry is golden and the cheese is melted before serving warm.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• What crescent roll dough should I use? I used crescent roll sheets, but the regular kind will work too—just roll it out and pinch together the seams, then cut into squares. Whichever type you use, try to cut your squares as evenly as possible so that they will fit uniformly into the mini muffin pan. Centering the dough in each muffin tin will ensure that the dough comes evenly up the sides, creating an even nest for the cheese. I love to use crescent roll dough in this recipe because of how easy and delicious it is, but feel free to swap in frozen puff pastry instead.
• Do I need to take the rind off the brie? Leave the rind on! For cheeses with an edible rind like brie, leaving the rind on will help keep the cheese from spreading too much while baking. Tip: Keep your cheese super cold before slicing. Freezing isn’t necessary, but a good chill will make slicing a breeze.
• Can I make these ahead? Absolutely! Simply prep them the night before and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to bake the next day. I recommend serving the bites warm, but room temp also works.

Variations

I think the cranberry sauce gives the most festive flair to these bites, but your options don’t stop there. The best part about this recipe is its balance and versatility. Once you’ve got the method down, you can create your own combos of creamy, sweet, salty, and herby. Just keep in mind that each bite needs about one teaspoon of your preserve of your choice.

I also love our baked feta bites and caramelized onion & goat cheese bites, but here are a few other pairing ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
— Crumbled goat cheese + apricot preserves + toasted almonds + thyme
— Camembert + cherry preserves + crumbled bacon + black pepper
— Brie + hot pepper jelly + candied pecans + thyme
— Feta + roasted red pepper + minced shallots + thyme

Storage

If you have any leftover bites you plan on eating throughout the week, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Once ready to enjoy again, reheat in the oven or air fryer for the best crescent roll texture. If you’d like to freeze these bites, place them in a freezer safe bag before storing in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once ready to eat, defrost in the fridge before reheating in the oven.