Three years ago, I brought this baked brie to Emma's school potluck because I forgot until the last minute and panicked. By the end of the night, six parents were bugging me for the recipe and Emma was telling his friends that his mom made "the coolest cheese thing." Since then, this has saved my butt at every party - book clubs, holidays, you name it. After making it about 50 times now, I've figured out all the tricks that turn regular brie into something people actually fight over.
Why You'll Love This Baked Brie
This isn't one of those recipes that sounds amazing but sucks when you actually try it. I've watched people who hate cheese go back for thirds. Emma's friend Jake, who only eats chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, asked if he could take some home. When a picky kid wants fancy cheese, you know it's good.
The best part? You can't mess it up. I've burned it, barely cooked it, used cheap brie, fancy brie - always tastes good. You can dump whatever you have on top and it works. Jam, nuts, honey, those leftover cranberries from last month - doesn't matter. Takes 5 minutes to throw together, then the oven does everything while you clean up or whatever.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Baked Brie
- What You Need for Perfect Baked Brie
- How To Make Baked Brie Step By Step
- Easy Swaps for Baked Brie
- Baked Brie Recipe Variations
- Equipment For Baked Brie Recipe
- What to Do with Leftover Baked Brie
- Top Tip
- Why This Baked Brie Works
- FAQ
- Time to Make Some Magic!
- Related
- Pairing
- Baked Brie
What You Need for Perfect Baked Brie
The Main Thing:
- One wheel of brie cheese
Stuff to Put On Top:
- Honey or jam
- Chopped nuts
- Fresh herbs
- Dried cranberries or figs
If You Want to Get Crazy:
- Garlic cloves
- Brown sugar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Fresh fruit
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Baked Brie Step By Step
Get Ready:
- Heat your oven to 350°F
- Grab a small baking dish that fits your brie
- Unwrap the brie but keep it in one piece
Fix Up the Cheese:
- Put the brie in your dish
- Make some shallow cuts on top with a knife
- Don't go nuts - just a few slices
Throw Stuff On Top:
- Drizzle honey or smear jam on it
- Toss on nuts if you want them
- Add whatever else looks good
- Don't pile it on too thick or it gets messy
Cook It:
- Put it in the oven for 12-15 minutes
- You want it soft and jiggly but not totally melted
- It should wiggle when you shake the pan
Don't Screw It Up:
- Pull it out when it looks gooey but still looks like cheese
- Let it cool for 5 minutes or you'll burn your tongue
- Eat it while it's warm
Easy Swaps for Baked Brie
Cheese Swaps:
- Can't find brie → Camembert works the same
- Too pricey → Any soft cheese that melts
- Hate the rind → Just scrape it off
- Can't do dairy → They make fake brie now
Topping Switches:
- No honey → Maple syrup or brown sugar
- No jam → Whatever preserves you have
- Fresh fruit → Dried fruit or skip it
- Fancy nuts → Peanuts or whatever's around
Pan Problems:
- No small dish → Pie plate or anything that goes in the oven
- No cast iron → Regular baking dish is fine
- Dish too big → Brie spreads out more but still good
When You're Desperate:
- No nuts → Just use more honey
- No crackers → Toast some bread
- No fresh herbs → Forget about them
Baked Brie Recipe Variations
Sweet Versions:
- Honey + chopped walnuts + dried cranberries
- Fig jam + pecans + fresh thyme
- Brown sugar + sliced pears + cinnamon
- Maple syrup + bacon bits (Emma's favorite)
Savory Options:
- Garlic + fresh rosemary + olive oil
- Sun-dried tomatoes + basil + pine nuts
- Caramelized onions + balsamic vinegar
- Mushrooms + herbs + white wine
Holiday Hits:
- Cranberry sauce + orange zest + almonds
- Apple butter + walnuts + sage
- Pomegranate seeds + pistachios + honey
- Pumpkin butter + pecans + brown sugar
Kid-Friendly:
- Just honey (Emma's go-to)
- Strawberry jam + no nuts
- Brown sugar + cinnamon
- Grape jelly if that's what they like
Equipment For Baked Brie Recipe
- Small baking dish
- Sharp knife for scoring
- Spoon for drizzling
- Oven mitts so you don't burn yourself
What to Do with Leftover Baked Brie
Next Day:
- Eat it cold - still good
- Nuke it for 20 seconds to warm it up
- Put it on toast for breakfast
- Mix it into scrambled eggs
Keep It Fresh:
- Cover with foil, throw it in the fridge
- Good for about 3 days then it gets funky
- Don't freeze it - turns into gross mush
Second Time Around:
- Put new toppings on to make it better
- Heat it back up in the oven at 300°F for 5 minutes
- Won't be as good as fresh but okay
Top Tip
- Don't skip cutting the top of the brie with your knife - those little cuts are what make the difference between okay baked brie and the kind people fight over. I learned this after making some pretty sad batches where all the honey and nuts just slid off onto the crackers instead of getting into the cheese. Now I always make 4-5 shallow cuts in a crosshatch pattern on top, and everything stays where it's supposed to be and actually makes the cheese taste good.
- Those cuts let all your toppings get down into the warm, gooey cheese instead of just sitting on top looking pretty. I've seen people skip this step and then wonder why their brie tastes like nothing - it's because all the good stuff never made it past the surface. Spend 30 seconds making those cuts and you'll get baked brie that tastes like whatever you put on it, not just melted cheese with decorations. Such a tiny thing but it changes everything.
Why This Baked Brie Works
The thing about baked brie is that it's pretty hard to screw up, but people still manage to make it boring. Most folks just chuck cheese in the oven and cross their fingers, then can't figure out why it tastes like expensive melted nothing. It's not about fancy stuff or complicated steps - it's about knowing what happens when you heat up brie the right way.
When you bake brie at 350°F, the inside gets all gooey while the outside stays solid enough to not fall apart. Too hot and you get cheese soup. Too cool and it never really melts. The cuts you make let your toppings get down into the cheese instead of just sitting there looking pretty. And that little bit of salt? Makes everything else taste like what it's supposed to taste like instead of just bland creamy stuff. Emma figured this out right away - he said "now it tastes like the honey and nuts instead of just cheese with stuff on it."
FAQ
Do you take the rind off brie before baking?
Nope, keep it on. The rind stops the cheese from becoming a gooey mess all over your pan. Some people pick around it when eating, but it gets soft when you bake it. Emma always eats around it, but I just eat everything.
What temperature should brie be baked at?
350°F every time. I tried higher but it burns the outside before the inside melts. Lower takes too long and you sit there starving. 350°F for 12-15 minutes works perfect and I never have to guess.
Is brie cheese good for baking?
That's what it's for. Brie turns all gooey and creamy when you heat it, which is why this works. Hard cheese like cheddar doesn't do the same thing. You need soft cheese for this to work right.
Do you put jam on brie before baking?
I put it on top after I cut the cheese. If you put jam underneath, it makes the bottom all soggy and gross. On top gives you the taste without screwing up your pan.
Time to Make Some Magic!
Now you know how to make baked brie that'll have people bugging you for the recipe before they're done eating. This isn't just melted cheese - it's your new trick for looking like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen. Emma still gets pumped every time I make this, and getting a 7-year-old excited about cheese isn't exactly easy.
Want more stuff that's this simple but looks impressive? Check out our Easy and Classic Crab Soup Recipe that tastes like you worked on it all day but takes 30 minutes. Our Healthy Fried Dumplings Recipe proves you can have crispy good food without feeling gross after. And our Healthy Black Pepper Chicken Recipe makes you look like a fancy cook when you're really just following directions.
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Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Baked Brie
Baked Brie
Equipment
- 1 Small baking dish (A dish that fits your brie wheel)
- 1 Sharp knife (For scoring the brie)
- 1 Spoon (For drizzling honey or spreading jam)
- 1 Oven mitts (To handle the hot baking dish)
Ingredients
- 1 wheel Brie cheese - Regular or fancy brie with rind on
- 2 tablespoon Honey - Or any jam/preserve of choice
- 2 tablespoon Chopped nuts - Walnuts pecans, or any preferred nuts
- 1 tablespoon Fresh herbs - Rosemary thyme, or other herbs
- ¼ cup Dried cranberries - Optional for added sweetness
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the baking dish.
- Score the brie with shallow cuts to allow toppings to soak in.
- Add honey, jam, nuts, and any other toppings.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until gooey but still intact.
- Let the brie cool for 5 minutes and serve with crackers or bread.
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