Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Cranberry Baked Brie
• Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe Ingredients
• How to Make It
• More Holiday Appetizer Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

It’s Christmas Eve, and I don’t know about you, but for me this year Christmas came extra fast!

I hate to say it, but I’m finding myself taking a lot of shortcuts this year. This is the first year, for instance, that I officially cut myself loose from creating and sending Christmas cards. They were so fun and special, but labor-intensive, expensive, and I never managed to order them or send them out in time. Stress, gone!

I’m also finding that simple, easy recipes are the name of the game. Nothing complicated for me this year, thanks!

That’s where this two-ingredient cranberry-baked brie comes in. It barely warrants a recipe – you literally just bake a wheel of brie with cranberry sauce on top.

The result is warm, gooey, cheesy, a little salty, a little tangy-sweet, and SO GOOD. Put your melty wheel of cranberry-smothered brie on a wooden board, gather some crackers and grapes and maybe some sugared rosemary and sugared cranberries around, and guests will be SO happy. I promise!

Why You’ll Love Cranberry Baked Brie

• Crowd pleaser – It feels fancy and elegant, but is so easy to make. Everyone loves it.
• Super simple – We’re talking two ingredients and a couple of minutes hands-on time!
• CHEEESE – I mean it’s melty cheese.

Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe Ingredients

• Brie cheese – You’ll want a small wheel, about 8 to 10 ounces.
• Cranberry sauce – You can just grab canned, but I love homemade cranberry sauce. This cranberry orange sauce or spiced cranberry sauce are both phenomenal in this Cranberry Baked Brie.

How to Make It

1. Cut the top layer of the brie rind off and discard it.
2. Place the brie cheese on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Top with the cranberry sauce.
4. Bake until melty and serve with crackers. That’s it!

I hope this melty, cheesy, sweet-and-savory appetizer is as beloved by you and your family as it is ours! It’s perfectly seasonal, is super easy to make, and is such a crowd pleaser. Only have 5 minutes? Cranberry Baked Brie to the rescue!

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Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe

The easiest warm and cheesy appetizer ever! Savory, creamy brie + tart, sweet cranberry sauce = a match made in heaven.

Keyword baked brie cheese, cranberry baked brie, cranberry brie

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 449kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 wheel brie cheese 8 – 10 ounces
• 1 cup cranberry sauce canned or homemade

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cut the rind off the top of the brie cheese. Place the wheel of cheese into a pie plate or other dish or cookie sheet with sides.And have a terrific, fun, and safe New Year’s Eve!
• Pour the cranberry sauce over the top and spread it almost to the edges.
• Bake for 15 minutes until warmed through and melty. Serve immediately with crackers and/or crostini.

Nutrition

Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 113g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 89g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

More Holiday Appetizer Recipes

• Marinated Cheese & Olive Skewers
• Caprese Tortellini Skewers
• Kale & White Bean Dip
• Christmas Charcuterie Board

The post Cranberry Baked Brie Recipe (Simple Holiday Appetizer) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

But you know what? This Cranberry, Pear, & Brie Grilled Cheese one seriously mouth-watering hot mess. Melty, sweet-with-the-salty, ooey, buttery, crunchy, gooey … yeah, it’s worth an extra napkin or two.

Right out of the gate, I’m just going to straight-up acknowledge the problems I had photographing this bad boy.

It all started out okay. I mean, I couldn’t help but snap a photo when I noticed the cheese start to creep out from between two slices of warm sourdough and hit the skillet, bubbling ferociously. Not the greatest photo, but look at the melty! Just look!

I was having so much fun poking and prodding and drooling over and taking pics of this sandwich in the frying pan that when it was finally ready for its (lack of) beauty shot, all of the sudden I had less than five minutes to snap it before I was going to have to quickly stuff it in my face and run out of the house to pick up my daughter.

So I took some dissatisfying, hurried photos and gave up. I grabbed the sandwich, took a honkin’ bite, set it down, and gathered my keys and purse and phone. And then I went back to it and was like, hey. It looks a lot better!

So I took a couple more pics, and yeah, still a mess, but a slightly nicer hot mess. And if you think you see a giant bite out of the middle up there, well, you’re right about that, too.

Regardless, please tell me you have some leftover cranberry sauce so that you, too, can have a hot mess sandwich all up in your grill, too. Pun totally intended.

More Grilled Cheese Recipes

• How to Make Grilled Cheese – learn the key to a perfect grilled cheese.
• White Pizza Grilled Cheese
• Artichoke Arugula Pesto Grilled Cheese
• Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese
• Chipotle Butternut Squash & Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese
• Cranberry, Pear, & Brie Grilled Cheese
• Balsamic Strawberry & Brie Grilled Cheese Sliders
• More grilled cheese sandwich recipes

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Cranberry, Pear, & Brie Grilled Cheese

Now THIS is a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers. Melty, savory brie melts over sweet pears and mingles with tart cranberry sauce. It’s not the prettiest sandwich in town, but it might just be the tastiest.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 sandwiches

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 2 tablespoons butter softened
• 4 ounces Brie cheese sliced about 1/4-inch thick
• 1 large ripe pear cored and sliced about 1/4-inch thick (I’ve used both bartlett and anjou, both good)
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce

Instructions

• Warm a large skillet over medium-low heat.
• Butter each slice of bread on one side. Lay two slices, buttered side down, in the skillet. Carefully lay the pear slices evenly on both slices of bread the bread in the skillet, cover with a single layer of brie, and carefully spoon the cranberry sauce over the top of each. Top with remaining slices of bread, butter side up.
• Cook, occasionally pressing gently with the back of a spatula to help the ingredients meld together, flipping occasionally, until sandwich is golden brown and the cheese is melted and oozing a bit out of the sides.
• Slice each sandwich in half and serve.

More melty-gooey-good grilled cheese recipes:

• How to Make a Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich – because basic is never bad! Here’s how to do it just right.
• White Pizza Grilled Cheese – for-real deliciousness.
• Artichoke Arugula Pesto Grilled Cheese – yesss.
• Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese – like the classic dip, only better. Proof that’s possible!
• Chipotle Butternut Squash & Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese – spicy!
• Balsamic Strawberry & Brie Grilled Cheese Sliders tasty AND cute.
• And even more grilled cheese sandwich recipes – 32 melty, gooey, savory, fruity, and just plain over-the-top grilled cheese sandwiches.

The post Brie & Pear Grilled Cheese with Cranberry Sauce appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

“Is it okay if Hailey has a couple of strawberries from your garden?” My sister asked. My adorable niece turned around and grinned up at me, twinkling robin’s-egg-blue eyes, tousled blonde hair, and red juice staining her chin. Another telltale streak ran down the front of her yellow tank top.

“I guess it better be, huh?” I laughed. Inside, my heart swelled. My garden is finally at the place where it lures little ones (in the most non-creepy way) with its perfectly-ripe veggies and berries, and they can’t help but pluck and snack to their little hearts’ content.

That exact moment is when I realized that’s why I grow this garden. When a little one sneaks through that picket gate and just has to nab a few berries to dine on right then and there, that’s success. Even if they have to dig through the weeds now and then to find them.

Ah, strawberries. On the west coast, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, we’re a bit behind the curve on what’s in season. Only this past week or so have we been pleasantly surprised by perfectly shiny, red-orange orbs in our gardens. U-picks are finally opening, and Friday’s CSA box came with two big containers bursting with perfect, just-picked strawberries.

So naturally, I’ve been dreaming of strawberry recipes.

The first time I made this sandwich, I simply sliced a few fresh-picked strawberries and layered them with brie and basil. That sandwich was excellent in and of itself (and I recommend it), but ultimately I decided the strawberry-and-brie combo could use a bit more oomph. So I marinated some sliced strawberries in rich balsamic vinegar and did it all again.

Yes. Yes, yes.

I adore this sandwich in “slider” form – little slices of baguette encase creamy melted brie, zippy marinated strawberries, and a couple of strands of vibrant basil. The brie melts around the strawberries and the perfect balance of salty-sweet-tangy keeps you wanting more, more, more.

Plus, as sliders, they’re perfect party fare. Can you imagine happening across a tray of these at a twinkly summer evening party? I’d think I’d gone to heaven. Unless, of course, I’ve snuck off to their garden to nab a few fresh berries instead.

Not that I would ever do that.

More Grilled Cheese Goodness

• How to Make Grilled Cheese
• White Pizza Grilled Cheese
• Artichoke Arugula Pesto Grilled Cheese
• Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese
• Chipotle Butternut Squash & Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese
• Cranberry, Pear, & Brie Grilled Cheese
• And even more

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Balsamic Strawberry & Brie Grilled Cheese Sliders

Little slices of baguette encase creamy melted brie, zippy marinated strawberries, and strands of vibrant basil. This perfect party food boasts an addicting balance of salty, sweet, and tangy.

Prep Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 sliders

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup about 1/2 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 baguette cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 12 slices total)
• Approx 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 4- ounce wedge of Brie cheese cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 3 – 4 fresh basil leaves cut into strips (chiffonade)

Instructions

• Place sliced strawberries in a small storage container and pour the balsamic vinegar over the top. Toss gently with a spoon and cover (either use an airtight lidded container or cover tightly with plastic wrap). Allow to marinate for at least 4 hours, or up to two days.
• Butter one side of each piece of bread. Lay bread buttered side down and cover every other piece with a single layer of brie cheese. Use a slotted spoon to remove the berries from the vinegar, and press three or four slices into the brie on each sandwich. Sprinkle each with two or three strands of fresh basil. Top with a second piece of bread, buttered side up.
• In a large frying pan or on a griddle over medium-low heat, cook the sandwiches, flipping often and flattening them gently with the bottom of the spatula, until they’re golden-brown on the outsides and the cheese is melted inside, about 10 minutes total.
• Serve immediately.

More melty-gooey-good grilled cheese recipes:

• White Pizza Grilled Cheese – for-real deliciousness.
• Artichoke Arugula Pesto Grilled Cheese – yesss.
• Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese – like the classic dip, only better. Proof that’s possible!
• Chipotle Butternut Squash & Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese – spicy!
• Cranberry, Pear, & Brie Grilled Cheese – perfect for using up leftover cranberry sauce. (Make extra sauce so you have an excuse!)
• And even more grilled cheese sandwich recipes – 32 melty, gooey, savory, fruity, and just plain over-the-top grilled cheese sandwiches.
• How to Make a Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich – because basic is never bad! Here’s how to do it just right.

Do More with Strawberries

Grow your own strawberries – you won’t regret it (Sunset Magazine) :: Find a local farm where you can pick your own strawberries – pounds and pounds of ’em! :: Whip up a perfect glass of fresh strawberry lemonade :: Or go for a beverage with booze – make some refreshing White Strawberry Lemon Sangria :: Make this stunningly gorgeous Spring Berry Salad with Lemon Verbena Vinaigrette (Oh My Veggies) :: Or bake a batch of hearty whole grain strawberry banana bread (Simple Bites)

The post Balsamic Strawberry & Brie Grilled Cheese Sliders appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

In this case, I went with the perfect sweet plus a little salty, tart plus creamy duo of Bosc pear slices and brie cheese (and no meat for my guy, because this ended up falling into the “so good who cares about meat?” category). Sprinkled with some fresh jalapeno for a bit of bite, these quesadillas are a winner.

Especially when paired with a perfect fresh salsa or even a tomato salad. Honestly, I’m not really sure what my side-dish concoction was so I’m not ready to post that recipe yet, but basically I took a bunch of heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced them in half, added some onion, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeno. Pico di gallo? Tomato salad? Salsa? Pico de salad salsa? I have no idea. It’s pretty tasty, so I’ll share when I know.

But back to my point. If you’ve never tried pears and brie together, please do it soon, even if it’s not in a tortilla. They’re seriously a match made in heaven.

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Pear and Brie Quesadillas

Ripe sweet pears and creamy brie are a match made in heaven - especially when sandwiched inside a crisp, warm tortilla.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1 quesadilla

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized soft tortilla
• 1/4 of a Bosc pear cut into 5 - 6 slices (or try another type of pear, I'm sure it'll be equally wonderful)
• A few thin slices of brie cheese
• 1/2 small jalapeno pepper seeded and finely diced (optional)

Instructions

• Lay the brie cheese and pear slices on one half of the tortilla.
• Sprinkle with the jalapeno peppers, if using.
• Fold the tortilla in half and cook in your panini press (my favorite method - no oil needed!) or, to cook in a frying pan, heat 1 - 2 teaspoons of vegetable or canola oil over medium heat. Lay the quesadilla in the pan and let cook for a minute or two until the cheese starts melting and the tortilla begins to brown. Flip and cook on the other side until cheese is melted and both sides are browned.
• Remove from panini press or frying pan, cut into wedges, and garnish with salsa, fresh sliced tomatoes, avocado, fresh cilantro, and/or sour cream.

The post Pear and Brie Quesadillas appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.