Who here loves brie? (raises hand enthusiastically). Let’s be honest though, I love pretty much every kind of cheese and I will use any excuse to eat it. I recently ordered a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch with a side of mac and cheese. That’s the kind of cheese connoisseur you’re dealing with over here.

I love when there is a special occasion and you get to buy the “fancy” cheese. You know the kind I’m talking about, the ones with their own little section at the grocery store? That’s one of my favorite things to buy, cheeses like fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, or in this case…brie!

I saw these Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites on Well Plated last year and the pictures had me drooling. I told myself I had to make them because they looked so good. It may have taken me a year, but I made them! And let me tell you, they tasted just as good as they looked.

We had a “friendsgiving” a few weeks ago and I knew these would be the perfect addition. She told me just to bring a pie, but you know I couldn’t only do that.

Starting with the store-bought puff pasty dough as a base, a dollop of fresh cranberry sauce and a little cube of brie are added, followed by another layer of puff pastry dough, almost making little mini pies. These are then baked and puff up into golden and delicious holiday bites. The contrasting flavors between the rich creamy brie with the tart tangy cranberries is a match made in heaven.

While they are a little time-consuming to assemble, they are also very easy. So no excuses. Even better, they can be made beforehand and kept frozen until needed. These are the perfect holiday party appetizer and they look so festive too! The only downside is that everyone else will be so in love with them, you’re going to have to fight for the last one.

~Stephanie

Cranberry Brie Bites (recipe from Well Plated)

• 1 c fresh cranberries
• 3 tbsp orange juice
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 10×10 inch sheets puff pastry, thawed in refrigerator
• 1 egg
• 4 oz Brie cheese

1. In small saucepan, combine cranberries, orange juice, water, honey, cinnamon and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, until cranberries break down and thicken.
2. Unroll the thawed puff pastry onto a floured surface. *optional* roll dough a little more thin in order to make more bites*
3. Using a biscuit cutter or small cookie cutter, cut circles out of pastry dough keeping circles as close together as possible.
4. Beat the egg and brush each pastry with it. Top half the pastry rounds with 1/4 tsp cranberries and a small cube of Brie.
5. Place the remaining pastry rounds egg side down on top of the cranberries and brie. Pinch the edges of the top and bottom pastries closed using the tines of a fork. Poke the top of each pastry to allow heat to escape.
6. Place the bites on parchment lined baking sheets. (if making ahead, place in freezer at this point). Brush top of bites with remaining egg.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 375, until tops are golden brown. Let cool before eating.