Description
Buttery cranberry brie bites with flaky puff pastry, creamy brie cheese, and sweet-tart homemade cranberry sauce. These easy holiday appetizers combine the perfect blend of flavors and textures, finished with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts and fresh rosemary for an elegant touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Cranberry Sauce
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Bites
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
- 1 small wheel brie cheese (about 8 oz), cut into small cubes
- 1 cup homemade cranberry sauce
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
- 4 tablespoons chopped walnuts
- Fresh rosemary sprigs (to garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Cranberry Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, granulated sugar, orange juice, orange zest, water, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Puff Pastry: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut the pastry into 24 equal squares, just large enough to fit into a mini muffin tin.
- Assemble Bites: Place each puff pastry square into the wells of a mini muffin tin, pressing gently to form little cups. Add a cube of brie cheese into each cup, then spoon about a teaspoon of the homemade cranberry sauce on top of the brie.
- Apply Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the edges of each puff pastry cup with the egg wash to help them brown beautifully during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cranberry brie bites in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden and puffed and the cheese is melted inside.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the bites from the oven and let them cool slightly. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs before serving.
Notes
- Use frozen cranberries if fresh are unavailable; just thaw before cooking.
- Chopping walnuts adds a nice crunch, but you can substitute with pecans or omit if preferred.
- Ensure the puff pastry is fully thawed before rolling for easier handling.
- These bites can be made ahead and baked just before serving for convenience.
- For a vegetarian version, ensure your puff pastry contains no animal-derived ingredients.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite
- Calories: 141 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.001 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 16 mg
