Cranberry Brie Bites

Leftover cranberry sauce? These Cranberry Brie Bites are the perfect simple but beautiful appetizer. Made with phyllo dough, brie, cranberry sauce, and a sprig of rosemary. Serve them at your next holiday get-together!

I’d like you to hear me out. You’re going to love cranberry sauce! I know, I know. It’s hard to believe. But you will! At least you’re going to love the cranberry sauce in this recipe! We’re ALL looking for an easy and tasty appetizer for the holidays. Cranberries are always readily available around the holidays. And I don’t know about you all, but I always have ‘extra’ cranberry sauce. Use it to make this easy salmon dish, OR use it to make this uber-easy appetizer for your next holiday gathering. These Cranberry Brie Bites might just be the star of your next holiday gathering!

I get it. Cranberry sauce is not everyone’s jam. However, I find it a traditional dish that pairs well with turkey. Where there is bound to be extra, I found a way to put it to good use rather than waste it. And by reasonable use, it is a tasty appetizer. Food is just too expensive these days. Repurposing a dish and using it for the good of another is always a win-win in my book. I’m not suggesting you have to love cranberry sauce. However, I stick to what I always say, and sometimes, if you try food differently, you might like it. Anything with cheese might just do the trick! Have I convinced you yet?

Ingredients: Cranberry Brie Bites

• Cranberry Sauce: You could easily switch this out and make the brie bites with your favorite jam. However, I hope I’ve convinced you to give the cranberry sauce a go. I used some of the full recipe I made, as I knew it wouldn’t be eaten all the way, to create this quick and easy appetizer. And the tart cranberry sauce helps cut through the rich, fatty brie, giving balance to every bite!
• Phyllo Cups: These are found in the freezer section next to the phyllo sheets. However, these are the best since they are already made into individual cups. Sure, you could buy the phyllo sheets, and that could be more economical. But you also know what? They’re extremely hard to work with. Less stress with these already pre-portioned out guys!
• Brie Cheese: I bought mini brie cheese. However, you could buy the 8-ounce wheel as that, too, would be more economical. Using what I had on hand, which these mini brie wheels are nice to have for an individual servings vs having to eat the whole 8-ounce brie wheel. I’ve not tried it with another cheese, however, any cheese that would melt within a few minutes would work!
• Rosemary: Simply used as a garnish. However, I also had the rosemary in my backyard. Remember, we’re going with economical here.

How To Make Cranberry Brie Bites

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place phyllo shells on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
4. Cut your brie into pieces. If using mini brie, cut each wheel into four pieces. If using an 8-ounce brie wheel, aim to cut the wheel into 30 pieces.
5. Place a piece of brie into each shell. Top with 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce.
6. Bake until the cheese melts, about 4-6 minutes. If you want it really melty, it should take 6-8 minutes, but keep a watch on the shells so they don’t burn.
7. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and/or thyme spring.
8. Eat and enjoy!

A Few Variations

This appetizer is just the start of many more appetizer combinations. Here, I opted for a savory, but know that these little phyllo shells can also be a quick, sweet dessert! Here are a few suggestions for an alternative take on a savory bite!

• If you’re not a fan of brie, try goat cheese instead. Same with the cranberry sauce, if you prefer a different jam/jelly flavor, choose your favorite!
• Some people use Crescent dough, and that is totally doable. I used the phyllo shells since they were ready to go and no rolling/cutting was needed. Remember, we’re aiming for easy peasy lemon squeezy!
• Add a sprinkle of walnuts or pecans for a little added crunch. My maple-glazed pecans would go perfectly!
• Add a drizzle of honey for a little extra sweetness. My cranberry sauce has less added sugar so that little drizzle might be a nice touch!

Other Appetizer Ideas

• Mushroom Polenta Bites
• Nectarine Crostini with Whipped Ricotta
• Easy Shrimp Cocktail
• Marinated Mozzarella

Print