Make a stunning baked brie in puff pastry for your next holiday gathering! Gooey, melted cheese is baked in a flaky crust and topped with cranberry sauce, herbs, and nuts—perfect for dipping with crostini, crackers, or fresh fruit.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Brie’s high fat content and soft rind allow it to melt into a luscious, molten center when baked, so it’s ideal for encasing in puff pastry.
- Puff pastry is made of hundreds of layers of fat between the dough. When baked, the moisture in the ingredients steams and separates the dough layers.
- To ensure a light and flaky texture, ensure the dough is cold so the pockets of fat are still intact and not melted into the next layer.
Why It Works
Baked brie wrapped in puff pastry is a stunning, yet easy, appetizer to prepare for the holidays. Baking creates a delightful culinary experience for your guests when they break through the golden-brown crust to reveal a molten center filled with cheese. I use cranberry sauce to add fall-inspired flavors, and freshly chopped herbs provide an enticing taste and aromas.
The assembly is simple: place the wheel in the pastry sheet, top it, wrap it, brush it, and bake! This dish is excellent for assembling ahead of time, allowing you to heat it just before serving. I like to pair this with slices of crusty bread, crispy crackers, or fresh fruit to dip in the gooey cheese. It’s a crowd-pleasing recipe that disappears fast!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Brie: Brie cheese has a mild, buttery flavor, high fat content, and a soft, creamy texture that creates a molten-like consistency when heated. Much easier than trying to spread cold pieces onto crackers! It’s a soft-ripened cow’s milk cheese from France. The thin, white, molded rind that encases it is edible. It comes from Penicillium Candidum, which creates a bloomy white covering. I use an 8-ounce wheel.
- Pastry: Use a homemade puff pastry recipe for the most buttery puff pastry shell. For a fast and convenient option, brands sell frozen puff pastry sheets. Pepperidge Farm products are easy to find in the freezer section at major grocery stores.
- Sauce: For convenience, open up a can of store-bought sauce or make my classic cranberry sauce recipe. The sweetness and a hint of acidity balance the buttery richness of the brie.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme and rosemary pair nicely together, adding a fragrant, herbaceous aroma when baked.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts add a surprise texture when dipping.
- Sweetener: Drizzle some honey or pure maple syrup over the nuts to create a caramelized flavor as they bake.
- Egg Wash: Added to the puff pastry for a glossy, golden brown hue.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This baked brie recipe is easy to customize! Try these delicious ideas:
- Brie Substitutes: Use double cream or triple cream brie, depending on how gooey and rich you want the melted cheese to be. I use an 8-ounce wheel of brie for the recipe. However, you can purchase various sizes, from a mini 0.9-ounce round to 16 ounces. You’ll have to adjust the topping amounts and bake time. Camembert is also a suitable substitute for brie.
- Puff Pastry Options: Depending on your preference, look for all-butter puff pastry, Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, which is made with vegetable shortening for a vegan option, or use gluten-free puff pastry sheets.
- Sauce Swaps: Use fig jam, strawberry jam, or even orange marmalade to switch things up. Add homemade Nutella for a sweeter, chocolate-hazelnut delicious baked brie option!
- Nut Options: Pecans or pistachios are tasty substitutions. I like to top it with candied walnuts or candied pecans for crunch and sweetness to balance the savoriness of the appetizer.
How to Make Baked Brie in Puff Pastry
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Puff pastry needs to be baked in a hot 400ºF (204ºC) oven. This temperature kickstarts steam production, which will separate the layers of dough. The brie can be baked on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Step 2: Defrost the Pastry
The puff pastry is easy to defrost at room temperature and ready to use in about 40 minutes for things like cheese straws. You can also defrost it in the refrigerator the night before if you want to prep ahead of time.
Step 3: Prepare the Eggwash
I whisk together one egg with one tablespoon of water to slightly thin out the consistency before applying it to the surface of the puff pastry.
Step 4: Roll the Pastry
Once the sheet is still cool yet pliable, it’s ready to use. When rolling out, use gentle pressure. Don’t push down too hard, or the layers meld together and become dense. I roll it out onto a lightly floured surface into an 11-inch square.
An 8-ounce wheel of Brie is approximately 4 ½ inches in diameter and 1 inch thick, so this will cover the bottom, sides, and top. Roll it out to 12 inches for larger sizes or enough to cover the cheese completely.
Step 5: Add the Filling
Place the entire wheel of brie in the center of the puff pastry. I prefer to keep the shell intact for stability and shape, rather than allowing it to ooze out of the pastry. You could keep it simple and just wrap and bake. However, I like to add a fruity jam, fresh herbs, a crunchy nut element, and a drizzle of honey on top of the cheese.
Step 6: Wrap the Brie
The goal is to encase the cheese completely within the pastry. In culinary school, I learned a classic French technique called en croûte, which involves wrapping and baking food in pastry. The process is very similar to making my beef wellington recipe.
Create a pleated design by bringing the corners of one section of the pastry sheet together, overlapping and meeting in the middle. I prefer having the corners face up to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing design. This also allows more room for the dough layers to separate during baking, resulting in a light and flaky texture.
Step 7: Create Vents
Use a sharp paring knife to add shallow scores on top of the puff pastry. This process creates small vents for steam to escape, preventing the layers from becoming too high during baking. Use egg wash to brush the pastry when folding it, which helps it stick together. Also, brush the top and sides right before baking.
Step 8: Bake
In about 30 minutes of baking, the pastry shell will turn golden in color, and the outside should feel very crisp and dry.
Step 9: Let it Cool
The cheese in the center will be like a molten lava cake, so wait about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. You don’t want any burnt taste buds! Serve with your favorite crackers or crostini, slices of fruit like pears, apples, figs, grapes, or strawberries.
Pro Tip: The melty brie will stay warm for about 45 minutes, perfect for holiday parties! The pastry acts as a little protective jacket to keep it gooey longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the rind is mild in flavor and edible. It also encases the cheese, preventing it from leaking out of the pastry as it bakes. If desired, you can slice off just the top area so that it mixes with the toppings.
Fresh fruit like pears, strawberries, blueberries, figs, and apple slices. Jam like cranberry, fig, or strawberry. Bread, such as crostini, crackers, or crisps. Dried fruit like cranberries or apricots. Mixed nuts, salted, unsalted, or candied like walnuts, almonds, or pecans.
It’s best to bake brie when still cold from the refrigerator. The cheese is high in fat content, so it becomes gooey and fluid rather quickly. Only leave it at room temperature if you plan to spread it on bread or crackers.
The difference is in fat content and texture. Double cream brie is the typical method; the cheese must have between 60% and 75% milkfat. For an even softer and richer texture, triple cream adds additional cream to the cheese and must be over 75% milk fat.
They both are soft-ripened cheeses with similar creamy textures. Camembert has a more intense, earthy, and fermented mushroom-like taste and aroma. Brie is milder, with a buttery, nutty, and fruity palate. Brie is denser, with approximately 65% milk fat, while Camembert is less dense, with about 45% milk fat.
The cheese will stay warm for about 30 minutes when baked in puff pastry. After that, it will come to room temperature and solidify. You can lightly cover it with foil to retain the heat, but the pastry may not stay as crisp. If needed, rewarm in a 300-degree oven until the center is scoopable.
Serve This With
If you tried this Baked Brie in Puff Pastry, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Baked Brie in Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 1 puff pastry sheet, defrosted if frozen
- 8 ounces brie, 1 cheese wheel
- all-purpose flour, for dusting
- ¼ cranberry sauce, fig jam, or strawberry jam
- ½ teaspoon chopped rosemary
- ½ teaspoon chopped thyme
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup walnuts, or pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven – Set the oven rack to the middle position. Heat to 400ºF (190ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Defrost the Pastry – Remove the frozen pastry from its packaging and defrost it on a sheet tray on the countertop until it is cool but pliable, about 40 minutes. If not using right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- Prepare the Eggwash – In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water, and set it aside.
- Roll the Pastry – Place the defrosted puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. If it feels sticky, lightly dust it with flour. Use a rolling pin to press it out into an 11-inch square. Don’t press too hard, or the puff pastry layers will fuse together.
- Add the Filling – Place the brie in the center of the puff pastry. Evenly spread the cranberry sauce on top. Sprinkle the rosemary and thyme, followed by the chopped walnuts. Drizzle some honey on top.
- Wrap the Brie – Bring one corner of the pastry up and over the brie, and brush with egg wash. Continue to wrap the brie, creating a pleated design, pressing down the sides to remove any air, and brushing the pastry to help it stick. Gently press the edges and top to secure.
- Create Vents – Brush the top and sides with the egg wash. Make shallow scores on the surface, about ½" apart and about 1" long to create vents. This allows steam to escape so the surface doesn’t get too puffy.
- Bake – Place the wrapped brie on the paper-lined sheet pan. Bake until the surface is golden brown and crisp, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Let it Cool – Remove the pan from the oven and leave the baked brie on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm with crackers, baguettes, crostini, or fruit.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Serving Size: ½ ounce of cheese
- Make-Ahead: Top and wrap the cheese in the puff pastry. Wait to brush the surface and sides with egg wash. Tightly wrap in plastic and store in a resealable bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Brush with egg wash and score before baking.
- Reheating: Place cheese on a foil or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Rewarm at 300ºF (149ºC) until the center melts.
- Cheese Selection: Camembert can be substituted for brie for a more pungent taste.
- Larger Wheels: For cheeses between 12 to 16 ounces, roll the pastry to about a 12-inch square—double the amount of toppings. Add just enough to cover the surface. Bake until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Alison says
My Brie leaked out everywhere leaving an empty rind cased in puff pastry. What did I do wrong?
Jessica Gavin says
Was the brie well wrapped inside the puff pastry? Did you notice any cuts in the rind before wrapping? The melted cheese should stay in the pastry, as the rind doesn’t break down when heated. Would love to help you figure out the issue!
Dulce says
On step number 5 you state to put cranberry sauce on top. On top of what? The puff pastry or the Brie? Sorry I’ve never made this. And should I cut the top part of the Brie off? I’ve tried Brie with that skin and it tastes weird. Will that taste go away after its cooked? ?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Dulce! Place the cranberry sauce on top of the brie. The skin softens, so it won’t taste as tough. You could cut the top off, but a lot of the cheese will melt and run out of the pastry.