Name: Baked Brie Recipe with Cranberries and Bourbon Pecans
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 round (8 ounces) Brie cheese; ½ cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce ((you won't use the whole can)); ⅓ cup roughly chopped pecans ((leave a few whole if desired)); 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 tablespoon bourbon; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ((freshly grated is best!)); ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; sugared cranberries ((optional garnish)); fresh rosemary sprigs ((optional garnish)); crackers or toasted baguette slices

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: Baked brie topped with cranberry sauce and bourbon candied pecans will be your new favorite recipe for entertaining. It’s absolutely irresistible, with a stunning presentation (and it’s easy to make!).

How long it takes: 20 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper
Servings: 8

Overhead view of baked brie topped with cranberries and pecans.

The Appetizer that Looks Amazing (and tastes Just as Good)

Okay, we need to talk about how good this baked brie recipe is. The creamy, rich brie cheese, the sweet syrupy cranberry sauce, and then the BOURBON GLAZED PECANS! Oops, sorry for yelling, but I get a little carried away when something is so good!

I’ve made baked Brie time and time again for guests, and it’s always a hit. Recipes like this baked Brie are my favorite kind of recipes. They look fancy but are deceptively easy to make.

If you’re looking for more recipes like that, be sure to check out my list of 32 Easy Holiday Appetizers.

What makes this baked brie recipe special:

Quick and easy! This appetizer takes about 5 minutes to get into the oven, and it only has to bake for 10 minutes or so. It doesn’t have to be served immediately because it tastes just fine at room temperature, so you don’t have to worry about timing.
Elegant. I think you’d have to admit that baked brie topped with ruby red cranberries and bourbon-laced pecans looks fancy, especially if you add the sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary as garnishes.
Perfect for the holidays. Cranberries and Thanksgiving dinner go hand in hand. The sprigs of frosty green rosemary and bright red berries are just right for Christmas, too. What more can I say?

Close up of brie oozing out of a wheel of baked brie.

Ingredient Notes

Brie Cheese: If you’re not familiar with this type of cheese, look for it in the deli section of the grocery store. It’s a soft cow’s milk cheese with an edible rind that often comes in a little round wooden box. A common brand in the U.S. is Président Cheese. You’ll need an 8-ounce round of brie.
Canned Whole Cranberry Sauce: We’re looking for whole cranberries here so don’t buy the jellied cranberry sauce which will turn into a syrupy mess. You won’t be using the entire can. I like to freeze the remaining cranberry sauce in ½ cup cubes so I can use it the next time I make this baked brie recipe.
Pecans: Chop most of the pecans but if you like, leave a few of them whole for presentation.
Dark Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar has more flavor than light brown sugar but don’t worry if light brown is all that you have. It will work fine.
Pure Maple Syrup: No substitutions with this ingredient! Do NOT use pancake syrup which isn’t really maple syrup at all.
Bourbon: You only need one tablespoon which provides plenty of flavor. Is the alcohol burned off? Sorry, no. For more information, check out this post from Idaho State University.
Nutmeg and Cinnamon: These warm spices add lots of flavor. Try grating your own nutmeg, it’s so much better tasting!
Crackers or Crostini: Even though you’ll want to eat the cheese by the spoonful, crackers or crostini provide a nice crispy platform. Learn how to make crostini –it’s so easy and much more economical than buying it.
Sugared Cranberries and Fresh Rosemary: These are for an optional garnish. The sugared cranberries are easy to make, and don’t they look really cool? They add so much flair to a cheese board, too.

More About Brie Cheese

Brie cheese has an edible rind which is soft and tender. You do not need to remove the rind (which would be really difficult to do anyways). The rind adds an earthy flavor that’s subtle but so good! Simply remove the cheese from the wooden box and unwrap it.

Brie should be served at room temperature or baked. Don’t serve brie cheese right out of the refrigerator. The texture will be too firm, not soft and creamy, and the flavor will be dulled.

How To Make Baked Brie

Get ready. Preheat your oven. Find a small rimmed baking pan and line it with parchment paper so cleaning up will be a cinch.

Add cranberries. Unwrap the round of cheese and place it on the parchment paper. Spoon the cranberry sauce on top of the cheese. You won’t use the whole can, just ½ cup.

Make candied pecans. In a small bowl, mix together the pecans, brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Layer nuts over cranberries. Spoon the nut mixture over the cranberries. You don’t have to try to arrange it a special way. You should have kind of a layered thing going: cheese, cranberries, nuts.

Bake. Pop the cheese with toppings into the oven and bake it for about ten to fifteen minutes. The cheese should feel soft and squishy in the middle when you poke it. If it feels firm, let it bake a bit longer.

Overhead view of ingredients needed for recipe, including brie.

Cranberry sauce on top of a wheel of brie.

Cool. Take the pan out of the oven and wait about five minutes before serving the baked brie. The hot cranberry sauce and pecans can really burn your mouth if it’s served immediately.

Serve. Although it’s perfectly okay to leave it in the pan, I usually use a large spatula to carefully transfer the baked brie with the toppings onto a platter. Surround it with crackers or crostini, and garnish with sugared cranberries and a sprig or two of fresh rosemary. Voilà!

Baked brie on a plate surrounded by crackers, rosemary, and candied cranberries.

A festive bourbon fizz drink in a stemless glass.

Cocktail Pairings

If you’re looking for a great cocktail to serve with this cranberry and cheese appetizer, I highly recommend this festive vanilla bourbon fizz. A cranberry gin and tonic would go perfectly, too.

If you lean more towards a mocktail, try a pomegranate rosemary spritzer or a cranberry thyme spritzer.

Recipe Variations

Make it alcohol free. Simply omit the bourbon. Add an extra tablespoon of maple syrup to the pecan mixture. If you want, after you take the cheese out of the oven, sprinkle finely grated orange zest over the pecans. This will easily make up for the loss of the bourbon.
Double the recipe. Make two 8 ounce rounds of brie on the same baking sheet and double all the topping ingredients, dividing the topping evenly between each round.
Create your own baked brie recipe. Baked brie is great with just a drizzle of honey. Try topping it with jam or preserves, chopped nuts of any kind (try spiced pecans), or caramelized onions. Use your imagination and come up with combinations of fruit preserves, fresh herbs, citrus zest, and chopped nuts or fruit. Some toppings can be baked with the Brie and others should be added after it’s baked. Brie is super versatile and almost anything goes with it.

Make-Ahead Ideas

The pecan mixture can be prepped ahead in a small bowl and covered until you’re ready to bake the brie. Open the can of cranberries, measure out the amount you need, and cover the measuring cup until you’re ready to make the baked brie recipe.

If you’re planning on making your own crostini, you can do that up to two days in advance. Once the crostini have cooled completely, put them into an airtight container.

Sugared cranberries can be made ahead, too, and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.

Storage & Reheating

This appetizer is best eaten right away. If you happen to have baked brie left over, refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at 50% power just until warm.

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Baked Brie Recipe with Cranberries and Bourbon Pecans