Cranberry Brie Bites with Pretzel Crunch
Easy cranberry Brie bites with flaky puff pastry, maple-orange cranberry sauce, melted Brie, and a buttery pretzel crunch. Perfect for the holidays!
Equipment
- 24-cup mini muffin pan
- Small saucepan for cranberry filling
- Light-colored skillet for browning butter
- Pizza cutter or sharp knife
- pastry brush
- Microplane or citrus zester
Ingredients
For the maple-orange cranberry filling:
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Pinch of salt
For the Brie bites:
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 8½ ounces), thawed but kept cold
- 8 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 24 small cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- Nonstick cooking spray or butter for the muffin pan
For the signature brown butter crunch:
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup finely crushed salted pretzels
- ¼ cup finely chopped shelled pistachios, preferably unsalted
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Make the maple-orange cranberry filling.Combine cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, brown sugar, orange zest, and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture becomes thick and jammy. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Remove from heat and let cool.
- 2. Prepare the puff pastry.Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan. Roll the cold puff pastry into approximately a 12 × 9-inch rectangle. Cut into 24 squares by making 6 columns and 4 rows. Gently press one square into each muffin cup, leaving the corners sticking up.
- 3. Fill the pastry cups.Place a small cube of Brie in each pastry cup. Spoon about 1½ teaspoons of cooled cranberry filling on top. Whisk the egg with water and lightly brush the exposed pastry edges.
- 4. Bake until golden.Bake for 16–20 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp and the Brie has melted. Let cool in the pan for approximately 5 minutes before carefully removing.
- 5. Make the brown butter pretzel crunch.While the bites bake, melt butter in a small light-colored skillet over medium heat. Cook for 2–4 minutes, swirling, until golden brown with a nutty aroma. Immediately reduce heat to low, stir in pistachios, and toast for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and mix in the crushed pretzels and optional rosemary. Spread on a plate to cool slightly and crisp up.
- 6. Add the finishing touch.Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of brown butter pretzel crunch over each warm cranberry Brie bite just before serving. Enjoy while the cheese is soft and creamy!
Notes
Save a few whole cranberries and chopped pistachios for decorating your serving platter! Scatter them around the finished bites with fresh rosemary sprigs. It's a simple way to make these little appetizers look beautiful for Thanksgiving or Christmas without spending extra money on fancy decorations.
And one more important note: If you are making these for guests with nut allergies, omit the pistachios and use additional crushed pretzels, checking that all packaged ingredients are suitable for their allergies.