Cranberry Brie Cheese Bites
This easy but impressive appetizer is perfect for holiday get togethers. Flakey puff pastry is stuffed with brie cheese and topped with a homemade cranberry sauce, toasted walnuts and fresh rosemary for an easy appetizer that everyone will love.
These brie cheese bites with homemade cranberry sauce are a fantastic finger food for foodie families to enjoy together.
Cooking together is more than just making food—it’s about connection, creativity, and exploration. These Cranberry Brie Bites are a wonderful way to bring your family into the kitchen while enjoying the bold, festive flavors of the season.
For parents, they offer that sophisticated touch we crave during the holidays. For kids, they’re a hands-on, bite-sized project that sparks curiosity about food. Cooking together can be joyful, easy, and oh-so-delicious.
Whether it’s for a holiday party or a cozy evening at home, these Baked Cranberry Brie Bites are sure to be a hit.
Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Brie Bites
- Effortless Elegance: Thanks to pre-made puff pastry, these bites come together quickly with minimal fuss.
- Kid-Friendly Prep: Little hands will love helping press the pastry into muffin tins, layering the ingredients, and sprinkling on the rosemary.
- Foodie-Approved Flavors: The combination of creamy brie, sweet-tart cranberry sauce, and crunchy walnuts feels fancy without being fussy.
- A Family Moment: Cooking together is a great way to create holiday memories while teaching kids simple cooking skills.
How to make this easy appetizer
Here is a very brief overview of how to make this recipe to help you plan. For the full set of ingredients and directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Combine the ingredients for the cranberry sauce in a small saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened and most of the cranberries have popped.
- Remove the puff pastry from the fridge and cut it into 24 equal sized pieces. You do not need to roll it out.
- Fit the puff pastry squares into each well in a graded mini muffin pan. In each well place a piece of brie cheese, and a small spoonful of cranberry sauce (you will have extras left over), a sprinkle of toasted walnut pieces, and some fresh chopped rosemary.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes in a preheated oven, until puffy and golden.
*Note: You will have some leftover cranberry sauce. You want to make sure you fill each well enough but not to overfill them or they will bubble and spill while baking.
Storage Information
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can eat them cold or reheat in the microwave or air fryer for a few seconds until warmed through.
Tips for Cooking with Kids
This recipe is a perfect opportunity to bring your kids into the kitchen. Here are a few ways they can help:
- Pressing the Puff Pastry: Kids can help press the squares into the muffin tin—a great task for little hands! Cutting the puff pastry into squares is also a great activity for kids to practice knife skills.
- Layering Ingredients: Let them add the cheese, cranberry sauce, and walnuts.
- Sprinkling Rosemary: Sprinkling herbs is an easy, mess-free task that makes kids feel like they’re part of the process. Picking the leaves off the stems and cutting these are also great tasks for kids to do.
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Cranberry Brie Cheese Bites Recipe
Ingredients
Cranberry Sauce
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Puff Pastry Bites
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- 8 ounces brie cheese
- ½ cup cranberry sauce from above
- ¼ cup roughly chopped walnuts
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
Prepare the cranberry sauce
- In a medium sized saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice and zest, water, and ground cinnamon.12 ounces fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 Tablespoons water, 1 Tablespoon orange zest, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Stir and bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced and thickened and most of the cranberries have popped, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let sit at room temperature while you move on to the next steps.
Prepare the puff pastry bites
- Preheat the oven to 375 F .
- Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Unwrap the prepared puff pastry sheet and unfold. It is usually folded in thirds, so cut along the fold lines to make three strips. Then cut each strip so you have 4 pieces. You will have 24 pieces of puff pastry.2 sheets puff pastry
- Press the puff pastry squares in the prepared muffin wells, ensuring it is all the way on the bottom and sides of each well.
- Cut the wheel of brie cheese into 24 equal pieces and press each piece in the bottom of each muffin well. You might have to fold/cut the wedges to press them in all the way.8 ounces brie cheese
- Top each piece of cheese with a spoonful of the prepared cranberry sauce over top. You will have leftovers.1/2 cup cranberry sauce
- Sprinkle the chopped walnuts and rosemary on top.1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts, 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the puff pastry is puffed and golden and the cheese is melty.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes before eating.
