Easy Baked Brie
This small wheel of Brie came home with us from a summer vacation on Vancouver Island. While visiting a local dairy farm in Qualicum, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to turn fresh Brie into a warm and easy appetizer.
Â
Topped with cranberry sauce, crunchy pecans and a drizzle of honey, this easy baked Brie is creamy, sweet and savoury. It takes only minutes to prepare and makes a delicious holiday appetizer or simple addition to a cheese board.
A Warm and Easy Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie
This easy baked Brie is topped with cranberry sauce, chopped pecans and a drizzle of honey. After a few minutes in the oven, the Brie becomes soft and creamy while the cranberry sauce turns warm and glossy. The pecans add a nice little crunch.
Â
Why You’ll Love This Easy Baked Brie
It looks impressive, but there is very little work involved. The small 185 g Brie wheel is also a practical size when you do not need a large appetizer.
I leave the rind on because it holds everything together while the cheese softens. Keep an eye on it near the end of baking—the centre should feel soft when gently pressed, but the Brie should not be allowed to split open. It is best served right away while the cheese is warm and easy to scoop.
Â
When to Serve Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie
Cranberry pecan baked Brie is perfect for Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve or a relaxed evening with friends. It also makes a lovely addition to a holiday cheese board.
Serve it with crackers, sliced baguette and crisp apple slices. I like offering a few choices because the apples balance the richness of the warm Brie especially well.
Simple Ingredients for Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie
This easy cranberry pecan baked Brie starts with a 185 g wheel of Island Brie from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, which we picked up while vacationing on Vancouver Island. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. However, you can use any brand or variety of Brie for this recipe. A small wheel weighing approximately 185–200 g works especially well.
Â
Cranberry sauce adds a sweet-tart flavour, while chopped pecans bring a little crunch. Fresh rosemary gives the baked Brie a savoury holiday touch, and honey is drizzled over the top after baking. Just a few simple ingredients, but they work beautifully together.
Adding Cranberry Sauce to Baked Brie
For this easy baked Brie recipe, I used canned whole berry cranberry sauce. It is convenient, tastes delicious and the whole cranberries look especially nice on top of the cheese. If you have fresh or frozen cranberries, though, I recommend making homemade cranberry sauce. It is simple to prepare and takes only about 15 minutes.
Â
This is how the cranberry-topped Brie looks before baking. And definitely don’t be afraid to put the cranberry sauce in the oven. It warms beautifully, becomes glossy and stays nicely on top while the Brie softens underneath. It works perfectly.
Preparing Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie for the Oven
Once the cranberry sauce is spooned over the Brie, add the chopped pecans and a little fresh rosemary. The pecans toast lightly as the cranberry baked Brie warms, adding a lovely crunch and a slightly nutty flavour.
Â
Place the Brie wheel on a sheet of parchment paper before baking. The rind usually holds the melted cheese inside, but occasionally a little of that yummy Brie creeps through a small crack. The parchment catches every bit, making it easy to scoop the cheese back onto the Brie—or straight onto a cracker. It also makes cleanup much easier.
How to Serve Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie
Once the cranberry pecan baked Brie comes out of the oven, drizzle it with honey while it is still warm. Adding the honey after baking keeps it glossy and gives the creamy Brie a lovely touch of sweetness.
Â
Serve the warm baked Brie immediately with your favourite accompaniments. I recommend sweet red grapes and rustic crackers—the crisp crackers are perfect for scooping up the melted cheese, while the grapes add a fresh contrast to the rich Brie. Simple and so good.
What to Serve with Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie
I served this cranberry pecan baked Brie with both rustic crackers and sliced baguette. Both were yummy with the warm, creamy cheese, but the crackers were my favourite. Their crisp texture held up well when scooping the melted Brie, cranberry sauce and pecans all in one bite.
A fresh baguette is still a delicious choice, especially when cut into thin slices. Add a cluster of grapes for a juicy, refreshing contrast, and you have an easy baked Brie appetizer that is ready for sharing.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie
Use Any Small Wheel of Brie
I used a 185 g wheel of Island Brie from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, but any brand of Brie will work. A small 185–200 g wheel is an ideal size for this recipe and serves about four to six people as an appetizer.
Â
Leave the Brie Rind On
There is no need to remove the rind. It is edible and helps hold the softened cheese together while it bakes. Without it, the Brie would quickly spread all over the baking sheet.
Â
Always Use Parchment Paper
Place the Brie on parchment paper before putting it in the oven. Sometimes a little melted cheese finds its way through a tiny crack in the rind. It happens. The parchment catches every yummy bit, so it can easily be scooped back onto the Brie or spread on a cracker.
Â
Cranberry Sauce Can Go in the Oven
Don’t be afraid to bake the cranberry sauce right on top of the Brie. It warms beautifully and becomes glossy without sliding off the cheese. I used canned whole berry cranberry sauce, although homemade cranberry sauce is even better and takes only about 15 minutes to prepare.
Â
Watch the Brie Closely
For a 185 g Brie wheel, begin checking it after about 10 minutes. The centre should feel soft when gently pressed, but the rind should still be holding its shape. If the Brie bakes too long, it may split and release the melted cheese.
Â
Don’t Overdo the Rosemary
Fresh rosemary adds a lovely savoury flavour, but it is quite strong. A small amount is enough. Finely chop it so you don’t end up with large, woody pieces in a bite.
Â
Add the Honey After Baking
Drizzle the honey over the cranberry pecan baked Brie as soon as it comes out of the oven. This keeps the honey glossy and gives the finished appetizer a fresh touch of sweetness.
Â
Serve Baked Brie Right Away
Warm baked Brie is at its best straight from the oven, while the centre is soft and creamy. I tried it with both sliced baguette and rustic crackers. Both were delicious, but the crisp crackers were my favourite for scooping up the cheese, cranberry sauce and pecans together.
Easy Cranberry Pecan Baked Brie
Equipment
- Small baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 wheel Brie cheese - small wheel approximately 185 g
- ¼ cup cranberry sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary optional
- Crackers sliced baguette or apple slices, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or place the Brie in a small oven-safe serving dish.
- Remove the Brie from its packaging, but leave the edible rind intact. Place it on the prepared baking sheet or in the baking dish.
- Spoon the cranberry sauce evenly over the top of the Brie. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans and rosemary, if using.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the Brie is soft and warm in the centre. Watch it closely near the end so the rind does not split.
- Remove the baked Brie from the oven and drizzle with honey.
- Serve immediately with crackers, sliced baguette or crisp apple slices.
Notes
Easy Baked Brie Recipe Notes
- Any 185–200 g wheel of Brie will work for this easy baked Brie recipe.
- Leave the edible Brie rind intact. It holds the warm, melted cheese together while baking.
- Canned whole berry cranberry sauce works well, but homemade cranberry sauce adds a lovely fresh flavour.
- Bake the cranberry sauce directly on top of the Brie—it warms beautifully and becomes glossy in the oven.
- Use parchment paper to catch any melted Brie that may creep through a crack in the rind.
- Begin checking the Brie after 10 minutes. It should feel soft in the centre without splitting open.
- Drizzle the honey over the cranberry pecan baked Brie after it comes out of the oven.
- Serve immediately with rustic crackers, sliced baguette and fresh grapes.
Nutrition
Ellen Britt
Hi, I’m Ellen — a passionate home cook dedicated to creating easy, flavorful recipes inspired by real-life cooking and shared family traditions. Every recipe on this site is a true collaboration, developed and tested together in our kitchen to ensure it’s reliable, simple to follow, and absolutely delicious.
For an even fresher holiday appetizer, top your baked Brie with our Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce. It takes about 15 minutes to make and adds a bright, sweet-tart cranberry and orange flavour that pairs beautifully with warm Brie, pecans and honey.
