Description
Buttery cranberry brie bites featuring flaky puff pastry, creamy brie cheese, and a sweet-tart homemade cranberry sauce. These delicious appetizers are perfect for the holiday season and can be prepared quickly in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Cranberry Sauce
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Pastry & Filling
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
- 1 small wheel brie cheese (about 8 oz), cut into small cubes
- 1 cup homemade cranberry sauce
Egg Wash & Garnish
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
- 4 tablespoon chopped walnuts
- fresh rosemary sprigs (to garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Cranberry Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, granulated sugar, fresh orange juice, orange zest, water, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet to smoothen and slightly enlarge it. Cut the pastry into 24 equal squares suitable for mini bite-sized portions.
- Assemble Bites: Place the pastry squares into mini muffin tins or on the baking sheet. Add a small cube of brie cheese to the center of each pastry square. Top each with about a teaspoon of the homemade cranberry sauce.
- Prepare Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash. Brush the edges of the pastry squares with the egg wash to achieve a golden finish when baked.
- Bake: Place the assembled bites in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden and the brie is melted.
- Add Toppings: Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chopped walnuts over each bite. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs for aroma and presentation.
- Serve: Allow the cranberry brie bites to cool slightly before serving warm as an elegant holiday appetizer.
Notes
- For a vegan alternative, substitute dairy brie with a vegan cheese and use vegan puff pastry.
- You can prepare the cranberry sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
- Ensure puff pastry is thawed properly before rolling to prevent cracking.
- Chopped pecans can be used instead of walnuts for a different nutty flavor.
- If cranberries are too tart, adjust sugar according to taste when making the sauce.
- Use mini muffin tins for uniform bite sizes and easy serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 141 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.001 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 16 mg
