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A baked Brie recipe with honey, nuts, and fresh thyme. Served alongside crackers or flatbreads for dipping, this easy baked Brie makes the ideal appetizer for New Year’s Eve.
What is Baked Brie?
If you’ve ever attended a festive winter celebration, you’re probably already familiar with the warm, melty deliciousness that is baked Brie. But what is baked Brie, exactly, and why should you serve it at your New Year’s Eve party?
In short, it’s exactly what it says on the tin. Made by baking a wedge (or wheel) of French Brie cheese in the oven until it turns soft and gooey, this popular appetizer is often drizzled with honey, or scattered with toppings like nuts or dried fruit, transforming an average wedge of cheese into an all-out showstopper.
Pairing mild, creamy Brie with honey, pistachios, walnuts, and dried cherries, my six-ingredient version of this holiday staple is easy to prepare, requires just fifteen minutes in the oven, and is sure to impress everyone at your NYE bash.
Baked Brie Ingredients
To make baked brie, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Brie cheese – Choose a 200-250-gram (7-8 ounce) wedge of Brie. And no need to spring for the expensive stuff—this recipe works just as nicely with a cheap supermarket brand.
- Honey – You’ll need about 100 grams, or 1/3 cup, of your favorite honey. You can also replace the honey with maple syrup, or homemade hot honey for a bit of a kick.
- Fresh Thyme – Or other chopped fresh herbs, to garnish.
- Nuts – I used a mix of chopped walnuts and pistachios, but you can also top your baked Brie with pecans, or substitute sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.
- Dried Cherries – These are optional, but tasty. (I’ve made my baked Brie both with and without dried cherries, and it’s delicious either way.) If you don’t have dried cherries, you can replace them with dates, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots instead.
How to Make Baked Brie
This baked Brie is so easy to make! Start by unwrapping the wedge and placing it in a baking tin lined with parchment (this is important for transferring the baked cheese from tin to serving platter) or a pretty dish, if you plan to serve in the container.
Bake the Brie for about15 minutes, or until the sides of the wedge are soft when touched, then transfer it to a serving board, drizzle with a mixture of warm honey, nuts, and dried fruit, garnish with fresh thyme, and dig in! I like to serve mine with crackers, but pretty much anything goes—read on for some of my favorite accompaniments for dipping.
Baked Brie Recipe Tips and Tricks
Don’t remove the rind. Leaving the rind and skin on the wedge keeps the cheese intact as it bakes.
Use inexpensive cheese. You can use the fancy stuff if you really want to (a riper brie will be creamier and meltier), but this recipe works just as well with any inexpensive supermarket Brie.
Line the pan. Lining the pan with parchment allows you to lift by the edges to transfer the baked Brie to a presentation dish or a cheese board for serving. You can also bake the cheese in a pretty serving dish if you plan to go directly from oven to table.
Don’t overbake. Overbaking can make the Brie hard or rubbery, or cause the cheese to leak. You’ll know it’s done when the sides of the wedge are soft, or a toothpick or skewer comes out nice and gooey.
Vary your toppings. Try different fruits and nuts, swap the honey for maple syrup, garnish with rosemary instead of thyme, or serve with fig or apricot jam.
Add a garnish. Sugared cranberries and sugared rosemary both look lovely alongside this baked brie!
What to Serve with Baked Brie
Some of my favorite accompaniments include:
- Flatbreads, crackers, pita chips, or crunchy breadsticks
- Homemade bread, like a lightly toasted sliced baguette, or my pear bread with raisins and blue cheese
- Fruit compotes, like cherry compote or cranberry compote
- Fresh Fruits, such as sliced apples, pears, grapes, blackberries, cherries, figs, or sugared cranberries
- Candied nuts or sweet spiced nuts
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Leftover baked brie reheats very well. To reheat, microwave on medium-high power in 30-second increments, until warm and gooey. Or, place in an oven-safe baking dish and rewarm in a 350° F / 176° C oven for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through.
Other cheesy appetizer recipes you might enjoy:
Puff Pastry Twists
Cheese Pizza Rolls
Puff Pastry Pinwheels with Pesto
Puff Pastry Tartlets with Ricotta, Peas, and Mint
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Baked Brie
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 wedge baked brie 1x
Description
A baked brie appetizer recipe with honey, nuts, and fresh thyme.
Ingredients
One wedge brie cheese (about 200-250 grams or 7-8 ounces)
100 grams honey (1/3 cup)
30 grams chopped walnuts (1/4 cup)
30 grams pistachios (1/4 cup)
35 grams dried cherries (1/4 cup), optional
Fresh thyme leaves, to garnish
Crackers or flatbreads, for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F / 176° C. Line an 8×8-inch baking tin with parchment. (You can also use a pretty glass or ceramic dish if you wish to serve it in the container.)
Unwrap brie and place in prepared tin.
Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the sides of the brie are soft when touched, or a toothpick or skewer comes out covered in melted cheese.
Meanwhile, gently warm the honey in a small saucepan, about 30 seconds. Stir in the walnuts and pistachios, along with the dried cherries, if using.
Transfer baked brie to a serving plate or board. Pour honey mixture over baked brie. Garnish with fresh thyme.
Serve immediately, accompanied by crackers or flatbreads for dipping.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers