If you've ever tasted even a mediocre baked brie recipe, you've probably never forgotten the experience. This food --almost perfect in every way-- is heaven! It's creamy, flavorful, and utterly addictive. Which is why I felt the need to give you three great recipes for it instead of just one. There are just too many ways to eat this --as far as I am concerned-- utterly perfect food. The idea of baking up a wheel of brie make you melt? Read on for my best baked brie recipes! Or visit Easy Party Appetizers for more great appetizer recipes.


This Brie en Croute recipe is quite simply perfection. With the tang of cranberries and the deep flavor of port, this the perfect appetizer for Christmas or Thanksgiving. But this is also a flexible baked brie recipe. Want to make this brie for a spring party or just because? Simply replace the cranberry sauce with raspberry or apricot jam. Or even caramelized onions or sauteed wild mushrooms. Play around with this baked brie puff pastry recipe to find the flavor combination you like best.

Recipe serves about 10. Serve it up with crackers, sliced baguette, apple slices, and nuts.

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Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 (8 oz.) round of triple-cream brie
2-3 tbsp. toasted sliced almonds
1/4 C. prepared port-and-fig cranberry sauce (click for recipe)
1 egg yolk
3 tbsp. whipping cream

Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and lightly oil a flat baking sheet.

2. Roll out your thawed sheet of puff pastry a bit.

3. Put your wheel of brie on top of the pastry. Leave the rind on the cheese for the best result.

4. Spread cranberry sauce (or the filling of your choice) over top of the brie. Sprinkle with almonds.

5. Wrap pastry sheet up around cheese and make a little bundle on top. If you want a really clean presentation, you can put the almonds and cranberries directly on the pastry and put the cheese on top of them, bundle the pastry up and trim as needed, then flip the package over before baking. This will give your baked brie puff pastry recipe a cleaner presentation. But it's up to you how you'd like to assemble it!

6. Place your pastry-wrapped brie on the prepared baking sheet.

7. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and whipping cream.

8. With a pastry brush, brush top and sides of pastry with egg/cream mixture. This will give your baked brie with cranberries a nice glossy finish.

9. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let this baked brie recipe cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Most baked brie recipes that you come across --like the other two on this page-- are sweet rather than savory. This recipe is the perfect counterbalance. It's lemony, flavorful, savory, and unbelievably good. Serve it with a big loaf of crusty bread as a simple cheese appetizer, or opt for a fancier presentation by making each of your dinner party guests his or her own smaller wheel of this baked brie (in which case you should cut the cooking time down slightly).

Serves 5-10, depending on how much other stuff you make with it and how piggy your eaters are.

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Ingredients:
1 8 oz. wheel of French brie cheese, very cold
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 to 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt, to taste

Instructions: 1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a pie plate or other oven-safe dish.

2. To prepare your cheese for baking, use a very sharp knife to slice off the rind only on the top of the cheese (this will be easier if the cheese is cold and firm). Be sure to leave the rind on the bottom and sides completely intact, or the cheese will go everywhere as it melts.

3. Set cheese in your prepared pan.

4. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, and oil. Drizzle over the cut top of your brie wheel. Sprinkle with salt.

5. Bake about 20 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and gooey.

6. Let cool slightly --about 5 to 10 minutes-- before serving.

If at first glance the title of this baked brie appetizer (or nearly dessert) sounds like something you'd like, well... you'd be right. I can't imagine anybody who likes cheese and Kahlua not liking this recipe. It's sweet, it's rich, it's sticky... it's perfection. This is a great recipe to serve for a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner party, or just to impress your guests at a regular ol' cocktail party.

One thing that makes this tasty little brie appetizer recipe even better? It comes together in approximately three seconds. (Okay, okay... more like 10 minutes.)

Serves 5 at my parties, but up to 10 if you don't have big eaters like I do.

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Ingredients:
1/3 C. chopped walnuts
2-3 tbsp. Kahlua
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 (8 oz.) wheel of brie cheese

Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a pie plate or other oven-safe pan.

2. In a small non-stick skillet, cook walnuts over medium heat until toasted.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in Kahlua and brown sugar.

4. Place your cheese round in your prepared pan. Spread Kahlua/walnut mixture over.

5. Bake about 25 minutes, or until cheese and topping are gooey and bubbly. Let this baked brie recipe cool a bit before serving with bread, crackers, and sliced apples and pears.