Cranberry Brie Bites

If you need a quick and crowd-pleasing holiday appetizer, these Cranberry Brie Bites are a must-make. They’re simple, elegant, and bring together all the flavors we love this time of year.

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Cranberry Brie Bites on a serving plate.

The holidays are filled with cozy gatherings, sparkling lights, and delicious food, and these Brie Bites with Cranberry are always the first to disappear. They’re festive, easy, and the perfect little appetizer for any celebration.

When the holiday rush is in full swing, I always turn to easy appetizers that impress with almost no effort. For easy appetizer recipes, try my homemade pigs in a blanket, cranberry with cream cheese dip, my recipe for mini cheese balls, and my slow cooker grape jelly meatballs.

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💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
🛒 Ingredients Needed for Mini Brie Bites
📖 Recipe Variations
🔪 How to Make This Recipe
🧺 How to Store and Reheat Brie Bites
💭 Pro Tips
❔ Recipe FAQs
More Holiday Appetizers
👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe for Cranberry Brie Bites
Cranberry Brie Bites

💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect for Parties: My whole family gathers every year for a lively Christmas Eve party, with the house filled with laughter, love, gift openings, and plenty of food. And in the middle of all that cozy chaos, I always find myself reaching for simple appetizers that everyone can’t help but go back for. That’s why this cranberry brie appetizer has earned a permanent spot on my Christmas party menu.
Quick and Easy: Only requires a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes. Looks festive with very little effort.
Make-Ahead: Prep ahead and bake when guests arrive. They can enjoy appetizers still warm from the oven.
Finger Food: These are the perfect party food. They are buttery, cheesy, and a little sweet. They are bite-sized, handheld, and always disappear fast.

🛒 Ingredients Needed for Mini Brie Bites

Ingredients needed for making Cranberry Brie Bites with text overlay.

Puff Pastry: I thaw 2 sheets of puff pastry if I am making this recipe for a crowd. You can use one sheet if needed to cut the recipe in half. Be sure it’s thawed but still cold.
Cranberry Sauce: Adds sweetness and brightness to these puff pastry bites. You can use homemade or canned cranberry sauce for this recipe.
Brie Cheese: Creamy, rich, and melts perfectly when baked. Removing the rind is optional. I usually do, but this is a personal preference.
Chopped Nuts: Add a few sprinkles to the top of each brie bite. Pecans or walnuts work great. These are optional.

📖 Recipe Variations

Swap out the Dough: If you would like, swap the puff pastry for crescent dough or phyllo shells.
Try Preserves or Jam: Use raspberry or fig jam instead of cranberry sauce. Apricot preserves also add a nice sweet touch.
Add Herbs: Rosemary adds a nice touch to the top of each bite.
Swap the Nuts: Use pecans, walnuts, or pistachios.

🔪 How to Make This Recipe

This is a fast and easy recipe. Please see the recipe card below for more details on making the perfect cranberry brie bites.

Step 1: Preheat the Oven. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Generously spray the muffin tin inside and on top with cooking spray. This step is essential for helping the pastry lift out of the pan.

Puff pastry cut with a pizza cutter on a cutting board.

Step 2: Prep the Puff Pastry. Roll out the first sheet of puff pastry and cut into 12 equal squares for a regular muffin tin or 18 squares for a mini muffin tin. Repeat with the second sheet. Place the squares into the muffin tin wells.

Step 3: Prep the Brie. Cut the wheel into 24-36 equal pieces. I find it easier to quarter the wheel, then cut each quarter into pieces.

A muffin tin with puff pastry and brie cheese inside each well.

Step 4: Assemble the bites. Place a piece of Brie in the center of each pastry square.

A muffin tin with puff pastry, cheese, and cranberry sauce inside each well.

Step 5: Add Cranberry Sauce. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce over the Brie.

A muffin tin with puff pastry, cheese, and cranberry sauce inside each well. A few have chopped nuts.

Step 6: Bake. Sprinkle nuts on top if desired. Bake for 11–13 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the cheese is melty.

The finished recipe with cranberry bites on a serving platter.

Step 7: Serve. Let rest for 3–5 minutes, then using a butter knife, gently loosen the melty cheese around the pastry and lift out with a spoon. Place on a serving platter.

🧺 How to Store and Reheat Brie Bites

Refrigerator: Once cooled, store the bites in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. If stacking, add a piece of parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking or getting soggy.
To Reheat: Place in a pan in a 350-degree oven for about 7-10 minutes.

💭 Pro Tips

Grease the muffin tin thoroughly, both the top and the inside of each well. This step is essential to ensure your cups pop out easily. Brie likes to stick.
Don’t overfill with cranberry sauce. A little goes a long way.
Use mini muffin pans for the perfect bite-sized appetizer.
Keep the puff pastry cold.

❔ Recipe FAQs

What if I don’t have puff pastry to make cranberry puff pastry bites?

You can use puff pastry, crescent roll dough, or phyllo shells and fill as directed.

Do I need to remove the rind on the brie cheese before baking?

It is not necessary to remove the rind on the cheese before baking. This is a personal preference. I use a sharp knife and shave off most of the rind.

Can I reheat cranberry puff pastry bites?

Yes, pop these mini treats back into the oven at 350 degrees for 7-10 minutes, or until hot and crisp again.

The finished recipe with cranberry bites on a serving platter. A Christmas tree, several snowmen, and Christmas decor in the photo.

More Holiday Appetizers

If you tried this Cranberry Brie Bites recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe for Cranberry Brie Bites