Cranberry Brie Bites
Cranberry Brie Bites are a super easy but beautiful appetizer. Made with crescent roll dough, brie, cranberry sauce and a sprig of rosemary!
A SIMPLE AND BEAUTIFUL APPETIZER
So let me tell you how delicious these super simple Cranberry Brie Bites taste! I know the ingredients may not look like much but once it is all combined, it tastes amazing! The perfect holiday appetizer! It is so festive and everyone gobbles them up. If you want something just a bit elevated but will only take you minutes to make – this is THE one!
I’ve been making your recipe for these for a few years now. I’m not allowed to show up without them lol! I don’t change a thing. So good thank you!!
– Carrie
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Puff pastry dough can be substituted for the crescent roll dough.
No it is not necessary. It is perfectly okay to eat. Some people do not like the texture of the rind so you can cut it off if you prefer.
I love the cranberry sauce with brie because of the contrast in flavors, but you can top with blueberry jam, raspberry, strawberry or orange marmalade. Also try topping with toasted walnuts and pecans instead of the rosemary.
Yes. I think they are best reheated in an air fryer or the oven. That way the crescent roll dough doesn’t become too soft. Heat up just long enough for the center to get warm.
I have become absolutely obsessed with this warming mat from Amazon (paid link). It is a lifesaver. Anything that needs to be kept warm can go on a plate, then put on the mat. It will keep it nice and warm (not hot) while it is being served. Just bake sure whatever plate or tray you use that it is not plastic. Anything heat safe will work.
Yes. These can be frozen after they’ve been cooked. You need to wrap them very well to prevent against freezer burn then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Defrost in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven or an air fryer.
I use this Mini Muffin Pan (paid affiliate link). You do need to use a mini muffin pan. The regular are just too big. Now, if you want larger appetizers you could do that but you would need to cut out larger sizes of crescent rolls and these would no long bar considered bites as you could probably get a good 3 or maybe 4 bites of the ones made in a regular muffin tin.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- all-purpose flour
- crescent dough sheet – You could use puff pastry for this – I have not tested it and you may need to adjust the baking time.
- brie cheese – if you don’t like brie then you could go with another semi-soft cheese.
- whole berry cranberry sauce – do not get the jellied cranberry sauce. It is not the same. See my ingredient image below. You want to look for the cans of whole cranberry sauce. They are usually next to each other on the shelf so be careful with which one you grab.
- fresh rosemary sprigs – this is optional but they really give that touch of festiveness and it makes it just a tiny bit elegant.
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY BRIE BITES:
Preheat oven to 375°F degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin (paid affiliate link) with cooking spray. Spread a little flour out onto your counter. Then roll out crescent dough. If using crescent rolls rather than the crescent roll dough sheet, be sure to pinch the seams together to make one sheet. Cut crescent roll dough into 24 equal-sized squares.
Place squares into muffin tin slots. Cut brie into small pieces and place inside the crescent dough squares.
Top with a generous spoonful of cranberry sauce. Finally, top each one with a little sprig of rosemary. Bake until the crescent dough is a light golden brown (about 15 minutes).
Then serve warm!
CRAVING MORE?
Originally published: December 2021
Updated and republished: October 2024
Cranberry Brie Bites (with video)
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour (for dusting the dough and cutting board)
- 8 ounce crescent dough sheet (or crescent rolls)
- 8 ounce wheel of brie cheese
- 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (not jellied)
- fresh rosemary sprig (you will probably need about 2 – depending on how long they are)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F degrees. Spray a 24 count mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Spread a little all-purpose flour out onto your counter or cutting board. Then roll out 8 ounce crescent dough sheet. If using crescent rolls, pinch the seams together to make one long sheet.
- Cut crescent roll dough into 24 equal-sized squares.
- Place squares into muffin tin slots.
- Cut 8 ounce wheel of brie cheese into small pieces and place inside the crescent dough squares.
- Top with a generous spoonful of whole cranberry sauce
- Then add a small piece of fresh rosemary sprig to each one.
- Bake until the crescent dough is a light golden brown (about 15 minutes). Then serve warm!
Video
Notes
- Some folks like to cut off the rind to the brie. This isn’t necessary with brie but feel free to remove that additional rind if that is your taste preference.
- I used this Mini Muffin Tin (paid affiliate link.) If you don’t have a 24 count muffin tin, just use what you have (probably a 12 or 18 count tin.) You will just have to do it one at a time.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Can you prep the pan ahead and leave in fridge until ready to bake?
That’s a good question and I am honestly not sure. My only concern is the crescent roll dough drying out. It can do that once it’s out of the can since it’s no longer pressurized.
Very simple to make and they were both delicious and very pretty.
LOVE IT
Can I use soft Brie cheese on the Brie bites recipe
Can these be served at room temperature?
My family demands this every year, but my new partner hasn’t tried them. They are not able to have the seeds in berries. I knownit says not to use jellied canberry sauce, but could I sub it?
When jelly or jam heats up it gets runny which is why I suggest not using the jellied stuff. So you could maybe add it when it comes out of the oven to maybe lessen the runny-ness some. 🙂
Has anyone tried topping with chopped pecans as well?
Wondering if puff pastry sheet can be used?
I’ve never tried it to be honest. If you try it, please let me know how it goes!
Can I leave out the rosemary sprigs since I don’t have them?
Yep!
Easy peasy-love it. I did half per the recipe and topped the other half batch with candied jalapenos (Cowboy Candy) OMG! delish!
So good!!! Made these last year for the first time. This will be now added to our menu every year.
I do however use the crescent sheets. Much easier than pinching the seams to hold it together.
Excellent!Danna
I’m wondering if chilling the brie before baking would allow the dough to fully cook without overmelting the cheese…? I will try it
These came out good. Just wondering what would you recommend if I wanted it sweeter or saltier?
Hi for sweetness use a sweeter filling like any berry preserves or better yet drizzle honey over them after baked. Or add a small piece of salty meat like prociutto or ham before baking
This was a delicious appetizer and very easy to make! Thanks!
Wow! Easy and elegant looking! Oh! And very delicious! Thank you for this lovely recipe
Makes my day to hear – thank you Susan!
I am never allowed to bring another appetizer – these ones were so delicious and they were the first thing gone at our get together. So now this will be my go-to or there will be riots LOL Thanks so much!
I just wanted to let you know I have made these every years since you first shared them a few years ago and they have become a staple around the holidays.
Someone commented about using puff pastry. I don’t recommend it because the bottom doesn’t get fully crispy. I guess if you really want to use it you could but you would need to bake them a bit first and figure out how to keep them from puffing up while baking before adding the brie and sauce. Just stick with the original recipe folks – it’s fantastic – you won’t regret it!
these are so easy to make, and there are a lot of ooo’s and ahh’s with then, people saying delicious.
i would like to see more appetizers because i am having a party for 40 !!! in february!
Help??? thank you so much…..
Delicious and very easy to make.
Yay!! Thanks so much Janice!
Can I bake these at a lower temperature?! I have a prime rib in the oven set to 325? May take a little longer than 15 min but is that okay?
Hi Mercedes, yes you could. But you are right, they will take a bit longer to make sure the middle isn’t doughy. 🙂
Super delicious and so easy and fast to make! I made them a few times now over the holidays and they were always the star of the appetizers! We love it!
Thank you so very much Bea!
Do they have to be served warm. I am traveling 15 min
To destination .
These are delicious, festive and easy to make❣️
Can u use blueberry instead of cranberry?
Can you make these with phyllo dough?
Hi Margaret – I haven’t tried it. I think you should be able to. If you try it – please come back and let me know!
These were awesome. I used bacon jam instead of the cranberry sauce. Topped with toasted pecans. Delish! Making some just for myself right now.
Bacon jam sounds AMAZING!!! Thank you Karen!
Can you make these ahead and then warm them up?
Hi Mary – I don’t see why not!
These are excellant
These were great at Thanksgiving using a couple of kind of pepper jelly. I’m having a Christmas dinner party for a bunch of my neighbors and would like to know if I can prepare them ahead the day before and refrigerate them and bake them at party time>
Made these for Thanksgiving and they were an absolute hit! I followed the directions exactly as they were and didn’t add the brie in the last few minutes of baking like some of the comments suggested and they came out perfect. I wish I had remembered to take a picture
It says in your tips you can use pepper jelly (which is my absolute favorite!) but then you said to not use jellied cranberry? Is it okay to use the pepper jelly then?
If you’re going to use pepper jelly, you’ll just want to make sure to serve it warm so the jelly softens up a bit! 🙂
I had the same thing happen and they looked a mess in the pan, but prettier when set out on a plate. I used a jalapeno cranberry jelly from Whole Foods. They were delicious warm and later. I baked a few plane and then added goat cheese and the same cranberry jelly and they were great, also, but the goat cheese can not be baked.
Beautiful and delish!!!
These were yum – but a big mess. The dough was raw on a few and they bubbled over and spilled all over the pan and in the oven. Maybe less cheese? Or not make 24 and make the dough thicker?
I made a whole plate full and they sat for awhile, they were very good. Better cold than warm. I will make these again.
I read you can freeze these. I did this. Pulling them out for a party on a Sunday. What is the reheat directions? Help….. Sunday’s coming!
Can these be made ahead of time? Would love to make them for Christmas.
These are divine! I got the crescent dough sheet and used a rolling pizza cutter to cut them up into bite size squares. I put a small amount of brie on and then topped it with cranberry-raspberry-blood orange spread. I left out the rosemary sprig as I am not big on herbs and *W-O-W* it was so good and it didn’t even take 5 minutes to make! I will be making this time and time again now that I know how easy it can be!
Did you use a regular muffin tin or mini muffin tin?
Who makes this cranberry-raspberry-blood orange spread you used?
I made these for thanksgiving and they were a big hit! I got the crescent dough sheet and it was easy peasy!
I will be making these again….they were soooo yummy!
Do you need mini muffin tins or will regular muffin tin work?
You need the smaller mini muffin tins to serve these as appetizers.
How soon do you typically serve these after baking? Could I bake them the day before or hours before or are they to be served immediately after taking them out of the oven? Thank you. This recipe looks amazing!
Can you make these ahead of time and freeze them and just reheat them?
Can you use blue cheese instead?
That’s a good question. I’m not a fan of blue cheese so I haven’t tried it but I guess it would work if you could find a good, melty blue cheese.
Blue cheese with fig jam…delicious
Do you think you could substitute a raspberry jam in for the cranberry?
You can substitute for any jam you like. I’ve made similar versions of this using apricot jam, raspberry, blackberry… you get the idea =)
This calls for cranberry sauce that isn’t jellied… I’m not sure what that means. All cranberry sauce looks jellied to me! :p I do a homemade cranberry sauce that’s cooked then just chilled so it gets firm. Maybe that’s what you mean?
It looks delicious and I can’t wait to try!!
You’ll want to look for whole berry cranberry sauce (usually made by Ocean Spray.) The other kind is jellied cranberry sauce (don’t get that one.) Hope that helps!
It is called whole berry cranberry sauce, it may look jelled when you first open the can but it isn’t just stir it up and use it.
Can you serve this appetizer cold?
Hi Marjorie – technically you could but I think they are much tastier at room temperature or warm.
I’ve found the regular canned stuff works fine too (jellied or otherwise). Just don’t overfill the cups.
There Are two kinds of cranberry sauce in the stores. Just look for the “whole cranberry sauce”,
not the “jellied cranberry sauce”
Don’t use a lot of the cranberry liquid. Try to root out the berries. Use a tiny piece of cheese, when it melts, it will spread. Making it with Puff Pastry is the best!
Thanks so much for your input Kathi!
You can make a fresh cranberry chutney in the microwave in 5 minutes.
can”t wait to make these.
I did a test of this recipe and the brie bubbled well over the edge of the cups. Made a complete mess.
Maybe I had my brie chunks too big? The wheel cut our more than the 24 cubes too.
I had the same result. They looked awful but tasted sooo good. Glad I did a test run first. I will cut the cheese in smaller pieces next time. I’m definitely not giving up on this one!
I made these for Thanksgiving 3 days ago and they were such a hit with everyone.So simplle and so tssty. I will definitely have them as a gonto appetizer.
thank you:)
same thing happened to me! i think i will toast the pastry first and then add cheese back in oven for maybe 5 mins…
Even when cheese was melted it was still good but would be nice with some texture to the cheese as opposed to liquid
I recently found a similar recipe and it said to use 3/4 inch chunks.
Will they still taste as good cold? We live a couple hours from family so on Thanksgiving I would have to bring them cold.
This recipe is also posted elsewhere and folks commented that you can always microwave them (about 5-10 seconds) to reheat.
Looks good. Going to try it.
Oh man, I’m not sure I could trust myself around these.
“Just one more… ok, just one more… oh dear the entire plate is gone!”
Perfect. Just simple and perfect. If you cant get these right, you may want to stay out of the kitchen.
Thank you so much Denise!!