Easy And Delicious Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe

Cranberry Brie Bites are delicious appetizers with three key ingredients: cranberry sauce, brie cheese, and puff pastry or croissant dough.

These delicious finger foods are assembled by placing a small piece of brie on top of a square or round piece of dough, adding a dollop of cranberry sauce, before baking. You can wrap the dough around the cheese and sauce, but I like to bake them in an open cup shape.

Baked until the pastry turns golden brown and the cheese melts, these party favorites are a delightful combination of sweet and savory flavors.

They make a popular holiday or party appetizer due to their exceptional taste and ease of preparation.

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Why are cranberry brie bites popular Christmas appetizers?

Cranberry brie bites are popular Christmas appetizers for a few reasons:

Festive Flavors: The combination of brie cheese, cranberry sauce, and pastry dough creates a delightful blend of sweet and savory flavors, which align well with the festive palate associated with the holiday season.

Easy to Make for Parties: These bites are relatively easy to prepare in large quantities, making them ideal for holiday gatherings and parties. They are bite-sized, visually appealing, and can be made beforehand, allowing hosts to focus on other dishes or entertaining.

Seasonal Ingredients: Cranberries are often associated with the winter season and holidays. Using cranberry sauce or fresh cranberries in these appetizers adds a seasonal touch to the dish, making it particularly fitting for Christmas celebrations.

Versatility: They can be adapted to various dietary preferences or flavor profiles. For instance, adding nuts, herbs, or a drizzle of honey can enhance the taste and cater to different preferences.

Comforting and Crowd-Pleasing: Baked brie is a comfort food, and when combined with the tartness of cranberries and the flakiness of the pastry, it creates a crowd-pleasing appetizer that appeals to a wide range of tastes.

The flavors, ease of preparation, and festive appeal make cranberry brie bites popular for Christmas appetizers. They evoke a sense of holiday cheer and are enjoyed by many during the festive season.

Why Use Pre-Made Croissant or Crescent Roll Dough for Cranberry Brie Bites?

Using pre-made pastry for cranberry brie bites offers several advantages:

Convenience: Pre-made pastry dough, such as puff pastry or croissant dough, saves time and effort compared to making the dough from scratch. It's ready to use, cutting down on prep time, especially when hosting or cooking for a gathering.

Consistency: Pre-made pastry often delivers consistent results regarding texture and taste. It's manufactured to specific standards, ensuring uniformity in your final dish.

Ease of Use: Pre-made options simplify the process for those uncomfortable with making pastry dough or short on time. They come in ready-to-use sheets or rolls, minimizing the need for rolling pins and flour-dusted surfaces.

Versatility: Pre-made pastry can be used in various recipes beyond cranberry brie bites. You can create different appetizers, desserts, or savory dishes using the same dough, allowing culinary experimentation.

Availability: Pre-made pastry dough is widely available in grocery stores, making it accessible for home cooks without specialized baking skills or equipment.

Ultimately, pre-made pastry for cranberry brie bites streamlines the preparation process without sacrificing taste, making it an attractive option for many cooks.

Ingredients for Cranberry Brie Bites

This is an ultra simple recipe that only uses three ingredients. Here's what you'll need.

• Crescent Roll Dough
• Brie Cheese (or a cheese of your choice that melts well)
• Cranberry Sauce

These appetizers are baked in two mini muffin tins or trays.

Ingredient Substitutions and Tips:

While creamy brie cheese is a classic choice for cranberry bites due to its creamy texture that melts beautifully, several other cheeses can work well as alternatives:

Camembert: Similar to brie, camembert has a creamy texture and a slightly tangy flavor. It melts beautifully and can be used as a substitute in cranberry bites.

Goat Cheese: Goat cheese offers a tangy and slightly acidic flavor. It doesn't melt in the same way as brie, but it can be crumbled or spread onto the pastry before adding the cranberry sauce.

Gouda: Gouda has a mild and slightly sweet taste. It melts nicely and can add a delicious flavor to the cranberry bites.

Cheddar: Sharp cheddar or aged cheddar can bring a bold flavor to contrast with the sweetness of the cranberry. It's firmer than brie but can be grated or sliced thinly and placed in the bites.

Havarti: This cheese is creamy and melts well. It has a mild flavor that complements the tartness of cranberries.

When substituting cheeses, consider the melting properties and flavors to ensure they complement the cranberry sauce and the pastry. Experimenting with different cheeses can lead to delightful variations in flavor and texture for your cranberry bites.

You may be wondering if you need to remove the rind from the brie cheese. It actually has an edible rind so it’s perfectly okay to keep it on. In fact, when it is baking in the oven it will help the cheese to retain some form and prevent overspread in the oven.  Keep the cheese in the fridge until you are ready to cut it up into pieces. It’s difficult to cut at room temperature.

You can add some chopped fresh rosemary to the cheese and cranberry sauce if you like. A small sprig of rosemary also makes a lovely garnish.

Homemade cranberry sauce works great, but you can use store bought too. If you like spicier appetizers substitute pepper jelly for the cranberry jelly. Raspberry jam or apricot jelly will work too, but they are much sweeter than tart cranberry sauce.

Substitute puff pastry sheets or phyllo cups for the crescent roll dough if you prefer. Your appetizers will be less sweet with the pastry.

Directions for Assembly and Baking

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. It's essential to place the prepared appetizers in a hot oven to ensure the pastry rises as it bakes.

Spray two mini muffin pans with twelve compartments each with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Then set them to the side.

Sprinkle a clean surface or cutting board with some flour. Roll out the crescent roll dough on this surface.

Pinch the pre-cut creases on the dough together. Next, take a pizza cutter and cut out the dough into 24 equal sized squares.

Place each cut crescent dough square in a slot in the prepared mini muffin trays.

Press the pastry square into the muffin cup to form a hollow shape to take the filling.

Cut up the brie into 24 pieces and divide among all of the muffin cups.

Top with a teaspoon of cranberry sauce.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden.

Serve warm.

Can you store or freeze cranberry brie bites?

Cranberry brie bites can be stored and frozen for later consumption.

Storage: 

Once baked, allow them to cool completely. Store them in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator.

They will stay good for up to 3-4 days. Please ensure they are in a single layer and not placed directly on top of each other.

If you need to make a double layer, separate the appetizers with a sheet of parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Freezing:

Arrange the unbaked bites on a baking sheet and freeze them until they become solid.

Once they have reached a completely frozen stage, transfer them into a freezer bag. Alternatively, you can use an airtight container.

Separate any double layers of appetizers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Reheating: 

When ready to enjoy, you can reheat frozen or refrigerated bites in the oven at a low temperature (around 300°F or 150°C) until heated through.

You might need to add a few extra minutes to the heating time for frozen bites. Keep an eye on them to prevent over-browning.

If you plan to freeze them, it's better to bake them to about 75-80% of their cooking time before freezing. This way, they won't overcook when reheating after being frozen.

Recipe Card and Video

Here’s a short video outlining the steps for making this recipe.

Here’s the printable recipe card for your kitchen files.

More Party Appetizers To Enjoy

If you love serving finger foods and appetizers at your get togethers, then here are some party foods you might enjoy. Some of these are Irish favorites.

Irish Sausage Rolls

Easy Appetizers - Shrimp and Cucumber Bites

Perfect Mini Cheesecakes For Any Party

Fifteen Exquisite Goat Cheese Appetizers

Salmon and Cucumber Bites

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