Description
The easiest, most delicious Thanksgiving appetizer! These cranberry brie bites with puff pastry are my secret weapon. Warm, cheesy, and perfectly festive.
Ingredients
Scale
- The Bite Base:
- 1 sheet (from a 17.3-ounce package) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 8-ounce wheel of brie cheese
- The Sweet & Savory Stuff:
- 1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tsp water
- Finishing Touches:
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 24 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
- Optional Drizzles:
- Honey or Maple syrup for drizzling
Instructions
- Get Everything Ready: First thing’s first, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). This is important! A hot oven makes the puff pastry puff up perfectly. While it’s heating, I lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. Then I roll out my thawed puff pastry sheet just a little on a floured surface. You’re not trying to make it huge, just even it out. The pastry should still be cold! If it gets warm and floppy, I swear it’s ten times harder to work with.
- Cut the Pastry and Brie: Okay, time to make some squares. I cut the pastry sheet into 24 equal-ish squares. Do they need to be perfect? Absolutely not. Mine are always a little wonky, and that’s part of their charm. Then, I cut the brie into small, bite-sized cubes. About half an inch is good. This is the part where I always snack on a few pieces of brie. Quality control, you know?
- Assemble Your Bites: Now for the fun part! Gently press each little pastry square into a cup of your mini muffin tin. It’s okay if the corners stick out a bit; it looks rustic and cute. Then, drop a cube of brie into each pastry cup. This already looks promising, right? The little pastry nests are just waiting for their cheesy goodness. It’s a simple little process that feels very satisfying.
- Add the Toppings: Next, spoon a small amount of cranberry sauce over the brie. And I mean small! My first time, I went wild and it bubbled over everywhere, creating a sticky, burnt mess in my oven. So, maybe half a teaspoon per bite. Then, sprinkle a few chopped, toasted pecans over the top. The smell of the nuts and the sweet cranberry is just amazing. Finally, a tiny little sprig of rosemary on each one.
- The Golden Touch and Bake: In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a splash of water to make an egg wash. I use a pastry brush to gently brush the exposed edges of the puff pastry. This is the secret to that gorgeous, shiny, golden-brown finish. Now, pop the tray into the preheated oven. I set my timer for 13-15 minutes. You’re waiting for them to get puffy and deeply golden, and the cheese should be all melty and bubbly.
- Cool Down and Serve!: This is the hardest part: waiting. When they come out of the oven, they are basically molten cheese lava. Let them cool in the tin for at least 5 minutes. This helps them set up so they don’t fall apart when you take them out. I use a small knife to gently lift them out and place them on a serving platter. They smell so good, it’s impossible to resist snagging one immediately. Be careful!