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Cranberry Brie Bites are a handheld, bite-sized appetizer that is just perfect for the holidays! Sweet and tart cranberry orange sauce tops creamy brie cheese, all piled into buttery, flaky crescent dough cups.
Cranberries are also delicious in these Cranberry Orange Scones, Cranberry Bliss Bars, and Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce.
4 Tips That Will Make or Break Your Cranberry Brie Bites
- Use cold dough: Keep crescent dough or puff pastry cold until ready to use so it’s easier to work with and bakes up flakier.
- Don’t skip the cooking spray: Grease the mini muffin pan well to prevent sticking. These can be tricky to remove if the pan isn’t properly prepared.
- Leave the rind on the brie: The rind is edible and helps the cheese hold its shape while baking. It adds a nice earthy flavor, too.
- Watch the oven closely after 10 minutes: Ovens vary, and these can go from golden to overbaked quickly. Look for golden brown dough and gooey, melted brie.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make Cranberry Brie Bites
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Choose Your Dough
This recipe uses crescent roll dough as it is easier to work with. Alternatively, you can use puff pastry for a more elegant, flakier cup. Both options have the same assembly instructions and bake time, so the choice is yours.
Step 1: Prep Your Pan
Grab a mini muffin pan with 24 cups. Spray them really well with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking and make removal easier. Preheat your oven so it’s ready once assembly is complete.
Step 2: Cut the Brie
Cut up 6 ounces of brie into small squares that will fit into the mini muffin tin cups, about 3/4-inch to 1-inch in size. The edible rind helps the cheese hold its shape, so leave it on. Keep your brie cold so it cuts more cleanly and is less sticky to handle.
- Pro Tip: Chill the brie in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before cutting to make it easier to slice into clean squares.
Step 3: Prepare the Topping
Combine cranberry sauce and orange marmalade, and set that aside as well.
- Quick Note: For a more traditional version, you can use cranberry sauce alone without the marmalade.
Step 4: Prep the Dough
Roll out crescent roll dough and cut into 24 squares. Use flour on your cutting board to keep it from sticking. Press the cracks in the dough together and stretch the dough out into a square shape so you can cut evenly. Press those squares into each muffin cup.
- The dough should be thin enough to fit the muffin cups but not so stretched that it tears.
- Puff Pastry Tip: If using puff pastry instead of crescent dough, roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper. Keep it cold and work quickly. Cut into squares and press gently into cups.
Step 5: Assemble the Bites
Set the brie squares into each muffin cup. Drizzle a little cranberry sauce mixture on top and around the cheese square. Sprinkle on chopped pecans.
- Don’t overfill with cranberry sauce, or it may bubble over. A small spoonful (about ½ to 1 teaspoon) is plenty.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 10-13 minutes. Ovens can vary, so watch closely after 10 minutes so the bites don’t burn. Just before serving, top with a sprig of rosemary.
- You’ll know they’re done when the dough is golden brown around the edges and the brie looks soft and slightly melted. The cranberry topping should be bubbling just a bit.
- Quick Note: If the tops are browning too quickly but the dough underneath isn’t done, loosely tent with foil for the last few minutes.
Variations
- Spicy Cranberry Brie Bites: Use pepper jelly instead of orange marmalade.
- Puff Pastry Option: You can use puff pastry for a more elegant, flaky option. If using puff pastry, roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper. Keep it cold and work quickly. Cut into squares and press gently into cups.
- Egg Wash: To make the dough glisten, brush just the edges with a little egg wash (whisk the egg with a tablespoon or so of water).
- Nut-Free Version: Omit nuts entirely or use a small drizzle of honey for garnish.
- Herb Variation: Try thyme or sage instead of rosemary.
Storage Tips
Storage, Freezing, Make Ahead
- Make-Ahead: These are best baked and served fresh, but you can prep components ahead: cut brie and store covered in fridge for up to 24 hours, mix cranberry topping and refrigerate up to 2 days.
- If using puff pastry (not crescent dough), you can assemble bites and freeze unbaked for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes to baking time.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes until warmed through and the pastry crisps back up. Avoid the microwave, which makes the dough soggy.
- Freezing: You can freeze baked bites for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- Brie bites are best served warm (within 10-15 minutes of baking).
- They can sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes if needed for a party.
- Garnish with fresh rosemary just before serving for the best appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you take the rind off brie before baking?
No, leave the rind on. It’s completely edible and helps the cheese hold its shape while baking. The rind also adds a subtle earthy flavor that complements the sweet cranberry topping.
Can cranberry brie bites be made in advance?
Since we’re using crescent dough, these are best baked and served immediately. If you want to make them in advance, I’d recommend using puff pastry instead.
Can I use puff pastry instead of crescent dough?
Yes! Puff pastry puffs up more dramatically and has a buttery, crisp texture. Keep the dough cold while working with it and follow the same assembly steps. It also freezes better unbaked if you want true make-ahead convenience.
How do I keep the pastry from getting soggy?
Don’t overfill with cranberry sauce (use just ½ to 1 teaspoon per bite), and make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking. Serve the bites warm and fresh for the crispest texture. When reheating, always use the oven, not the microwave.
How do you know when cranberry brie bites are done?
The dough should be golden brown, the brie should look soft and slightly melted, and the cranberry topping may bubble a bit around the edges.
Can these be frozen?
You can freeze baked cranberry brie bites for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes. If using puff pastry, assembled bites can be frozen unbaked for up to 1 month.
More Appetizers You’ll Love
- Cranberry Meatballs
- Baked Brie with Jam
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Sausage Rolls
- Festive Christmas Appetizers
Cranberry Brie Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounce Tube crescent roll dough
- Flour for rolling out the dough
- 6 ounces Brie cheese
- ¼ cup Orange marmalade
- ¼ cup Whole cranberry sauce
- ¼ cup Chopped pistachios, pecans or walnuts
- Fresh rosemary or candied orange pieces for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 24-count mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cut the brie into small, about 1-inch (or a little less) squares and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In a small bowl, mix together orange marmalade and cranberry sauce. Set aside.
- Lightly flour a flat surface, like a large wooden cutting board, and roll out the tub of crescent dough. Stretch slightly to form an evenly sided rectangle and pinch seams together. Cut into 24 even sized squares.
- Place the squares into the prepared muffin cups. Top with brie cheese square and a teaspoon (or a little less) of the orange-cranberry mixture. Top with a few of the chopped nuts and a small sprig of rosemary.
- Slide the muffin pan into the oven and bake for about 10-13 minutes, or until golden brown and dough is cooked through.
- Let cool 5-10 minutes and serve warm.
Notes
- Leave the brie rind on. It’s edible and helps the cheese hold its shape.
- Chill brie in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before cutting for cleaner slices.
- Grease the mini muffin pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Don’t overfill with cranberry sauce (½ to 1 teaspoon per bite is enough).
- Watch closely after baking for 10 minutes. Once done, the dough should be golden brown and the brie should look melted.
- For a more traditional version, omit the orange marmalade and use cranberry sauce alone.
- Puff pastry can be used instead of crescent dough for a flakier, more elegant texture. Keep the dough cold while working with it and follow the same assembly steps.
- Best served warm. Reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes to restore crispness.
- Can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven.
- If using puff pastry, assembled bites can be frozen unbaked for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Can you use paper liners instead of greasing the pan ? Have you tried ?
Yes you can use parchment paper instead.
I made these for one of our Christmas celebrations and they were a hit! I doubled the recipe and used puff pastry with my homemade cranberry sauce, homemade peach jam, and chopped pistachios. There wasn’t a single one left! They are easy, delicious, and make a beautiful looking platter of appetizers. This was the one thing I really wanted to make this holiday season. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
You are so welcome Lisa! Thank you so much for stopping by to share.
The crescent roll dough expanded too much which resulted in the brie melting outside the cups making a real mess. Most of the mini cups didn’t have mch left in them when they were golden brown.
I made these for our Thanksgiving celebration and they were a MASSIVE hit…I should have doubled the recipe! I love in South Africa so I had to make some substitutes based on what we have here – puff pastry instead of crescent dough and a cranberry fig jam instead of cranberry sauce, but it was still so good! The little sprig of rosemary really made a big impact.
That’s so awesome Gabby! Awesome feedback, thanks for stopping by to share.
Ok, I know I’m the problem here. The cheese keeps melting all over the place. Any tips? They taste so good but I can’t get it right.
It’s hard to know what’s happening because I’m not in the kitchen with you, but I’d try cutting smaller pieces of cheese, and make sure to keep the rind on the cheese. A higher quality cheese might help too. Feel free to email me and I can try to help troubleshoot.
I made it too many times and it turned out so so good thanks for sharing your recipe
That’s so awesome Loubna! You are so welcome.
I don’t know if you got my comment, but I only have a twelve cup pan, can I double the recipe? And, if I do, will it come out like it’s supposed to?
Hi Christine, I answered your other question but didn’t realize what you are asking. A 12 count pan will have larger cups so they final result won’t really be bite sized. A mini muffin pan would be best, but a 12-cup could work (but isn’t the best option, if that makes sense).
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes it’s very easy to double. Just click the “2x” in the recipe card.
What can I substitute instead of Marmalade. I don’t like the taste of orange in cooking.
You could substitute with another jam or just use the cranberry by itself.