Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (2024)

Date: · Updated: Author: Sharon Rigsby

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Easy Cranberry Brie Bites are a quick, easy, make-ahead Thanksgiving and Christmas appetizer with only three ingredients. And the best part, these luscious bites of heaven take less than 15 minutes to prepare. Serve them next to my Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board for a festive and fun holiday gathering.

Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (1)

Light crispy premade fillo (sometimes spelled phyllo) shells are filled with a cube of creamy brie cheese and topped with a dollop of tart festive cranberry sauce. These elegant and delicious cranberry brie appetizers will wow your family and friends, and they will never guess how easy they are to make.

My best advice, make twice as many of these cranberry brie tartlets as you think you will need because they will go fast.

Here’s what you will need:

Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (2)

  • Cranberry sauce: a holiday staple, you can use either purchased or homemade.
  • Brie cheese: melted, creamy brie cheese and cranberry topping are a match made in heaven.
  • Premade frozen filo (or sometimes spelled phyllo) shells: light, flaky layers of dough are formed into mini pastry cups, then fully baked andfrozen. These delectable tart shells are versatile and the perfect vessel to hold the brie and cranberry sauce.

How to make them:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cut the brie into one-half inch squares. Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (3)
  3. Place a square of brie in each of the filo cups.Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (4)
  4. Top the brie with one-half teaspoon of cranberry sauce.Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (5)
  5. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (6)
  6. Bake for seven to eight minutes or until the brie is melted and bubbly, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (7)

Sharon’s Tips:

  • To make Cranberry Brie Bites ahead, make them according to the directions, but do not bake. Place the filled filo shells back in the tray they came in and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the tray back in the box and freeze for up to three months. Allow the bites to thaw before baking and bake as directed.
  • Pepper jelly, fig preserves, honey, or your favorite jam or preserves can be substituted for the cranberry sauce.
  • You can make a delicious homemade cranberry sauce by combining one cup of water, one cup of sugar, and a 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes. Cool and store covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
  • You can substitute puff pastry or crescent roll dough for the mini filo shells. Simply cut the pastry into small squares, and place it into mini muffin cups. Then, follow the rest of the recipe. You may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
  • Brie rind is edible, and you can leave it on or remove it before cutting the brie into cubes.
  • Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for two to three days. To reheat, place them in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes. Do not reheat them in the microwave.

Related recipes:

If you like holiday appetizers like this, you might also be interested in these recipes: Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls, Bourbon Pecan Brie Bites, Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip, Caprese Skewers with Pesto Dressing, and Blue Cheese Spread. And if you are a fan of cranberries, I hope you will also try my Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad. Come to think about it, you could also fill the filo shells with the chicken salad too!

If you would like even more holiday-themed recipes, check out these roundups of quick and easy recipes from top bloggers around the country: 25 Best Christmas Breakfast/Brunch Recipes, 25 Best Christmas Dessert Recipes, and 31 Easy Homemade Edible Christmas Gifts.

★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

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Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (8)

Easy Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe

Sharon Rigsby

Easy Cranberry Brie Bites are a quick and easy, make-ahead, Thanksgiving, and Christmas appetizer with only three ingredients. And, the best part, these luscious bites of heaven take less than 15 minutes to prepare.

4.89 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 13 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 15 bites

Calories 54 kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 oz Brie cheese ½ of an 8 oz wheel of brie
  • ½ cup cranberry sauce purchased or homemade
  • 1.9 oz pkg frozen mini filo shells 15 shells, sometimes spelled phyllo

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  • Cut the brie into ½ inch squares. You can remove the rind first if you prefer, or leave it on.

  • Place a square of brie in each of the filo shells.

  • Top the brie with ½ teaspoon of the cranberry sauce.

  • Place the filo shells on a small parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

  • Bake for 7-8 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • To make Cranberry Brie Bites ahead, make them according to the directions, but do not bake. Place the filled filo shells back in the tray they came in and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the tray back in the box and freeze for up to three months. Allow the bites to thaw before baking and bake as directed.
  • Pepper jelly, fig preserves, honey, or your favorite jam or preserves can be substituted for the cranberry sauce.
  • You can make a delicious homemade cranberry sauce by combining one cup of water, one cup of sugar, and a 12 oz bag of fresh cranberries in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes. Cool and store covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
  • You can substitute puff pastry or crescent roll dough for the mini filo shells. Cut the pastry into small squares, and place it into mini muffin cups. Then, follow the rest of the recipe. You may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
  • Brie rind is edible, and you can leave it on or remove it before cutting the brie into cubes.
  • Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for two to three days. To reheat, place them in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes. Do not reheat them in the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 30mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 0.8mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 0.4mg

Tried this recipe? Tag me today! Mention @gritspinecones or tag #gritspinecones!

**This recipe was originally published on December 1, 2018. It was republished on November 20, 2020, with new photos, expanded directions, and tips.

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (13)Brianna

    Hi Sharon! Can I use Phyllo dough and cut it? None of the grocery stores have them in stock!

    Reply

    • Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (14)Sharon Rigsby

      Hey Brianna, yes, you can use puff pastry but the preparation is a little different. You will need to cut the pastry sheets into small squares. Then, place them in a mini-muffin pan and press down to fit them in. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom of each one. Add the brie and cranberry sauce and bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees F. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes and then enjoy!
      I hope you enjoy them!
      Sharon

      Reply

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Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe - Three Ingredients | gritsandpinecones.com (2024)

FAQs

Do you take the top off brie before baking? ›

No, you don't have to remove the rind before baking brie. The rind is edible and I don't even think you can taste it after the brie is baked. If you want to remove the rind, you can use a sharp knife to carefully cut off the thin rind of the cheese at the top of the wheel. This is easier to do when the brie is cold.

Where can I buy brie and cranberry bites? ›

Brie & Cranberry Bites 200g | Sainsbury's.

Why is my baked brie rubbery? ›

If you left the rind of the cheese on, the baked brie may seem like it is rubbery once heated, or the brie was overcooked by leaving it in the oven too long. To avoid the rubbery texture, remove the rind of the cheese and make sure to not overbake the brie in the oven.

Does Costco have brie bites? ›

🧀 Crispy Brie Bites are at Costco! This delicious cheese snack is super creamy and ready in just 8 minutes! $14.99 for a two pack!

How long should you leave brie out to soften? ›

Leave cheese for at least 1 hour

Ripe and runny bries for example would appreciate a longer warm-up: even as long as two hours, whilst harder cheddars benefit from an hour out of the fridge. The exception to this rule is fresh cheeses where 30 minutes should be sufficient.

How long should brie sit out before baking? ›

Unwrap your Brie and place your wheel on a small piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Note: if you have the time, take the cheese out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for an hour before baking. This is optional but helps the cheese bake more evenly. Bake for 10-20 minutes in the oven.

What do you eat with brie bites? ›

A crowd pleaser every year, these little appetizers are quick, easy and so versatile you can make them how YOU please. Serve fresh out of the oven or at room temperature on a platter with grapes, fig, pear or apple slices, walnuts, almonds, pecans, jams, cold meats and crackers.

Can you eat brie bites cold? ›

Place bites in a mini muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through. You can also serve these bites at room temperature.

What meat goes with brie and cranberry? ›

Brie, bacon and cranberry is one heck of a combo. We all know sweet and salt go together perfectly and this combo illustrates that to a tee. The sweetness and slight tartness of the cranberry sauce takes on the flavours of the salty, streaky bacon so well.

Why does brie taste weird? ›

It may be a turnoff but it's a consequence of aging, especially for bloomy-rind cheeses like Brie. As these cheeses ripen, their surface molds break down protein into amino acids and one byproduct of that breakdown is ammonia.

How to make brie taste better? ›

Best practice: cut the wheel in half, then in small slices. As mentioned, brie's mild, yet buttery and nutty flavor pairs well with so many things. Some examples are salami, prosciutto, pickles, apricots, apples, pears, dates, almonds, candied walnuts, and pecans.

Why does my brie rind taste like mushroom? ›

As Brie cheese ages, it develops a stronger flavor and becomes more complex, with earthy and nutty undertones. The rind of Brie has a slightly tangy and mushroom-like flavor that adds to the overall taste experience.

Does Aldi sell brie? ›

Emporium Mild & Creamy French Brie 500g | ALDI.

Does Aldi's have brie cheese? ›

ALDI Brie Same-Day Delivery or Pickup | Instacart.

What cracker is best for brie? ›

Contributor Felice Thorpe of RIANS and past president of the California Artisan Cheese Guild also likes 34 Degrees. “34 Degrees Gluten Free Crisps ( I have a daughter who can't eat gluten) are thin and crispy. Perfect for a buttery cheese like Marin French Triple Crème Brie.

Are you supposed to take the top off of brie cheese? ›

The rind is also edible, so you can enjoy it with the melted cheese, or simply remove the top layer after baking and dunk in crusty bread like a fondue.

Should I cut the top off my brie? ›

Brie rind is edible, and it actually adds nuance and complexity of flavor. In this baked brie recipe, I do not remove the rind because I need the surface to spread my jam and to add my beautiful nuts and toppings.

Do you cut the top off of brie cheese? ›

If the brie is sufficiently firm, the top should be easy to cut off. Slicing off just the top leaves a "bowl" for the creamy cheese to be scooped from when eating or preparing to serve.

Do you take the cover off brie? ›

Yes, you can. The skin, better known as the rind, on brie adds extra flavour and potency to the cheese. However, you don't need to if you find brie flavoursome enough on its own.

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