Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites - Holiday Appetizer Recipe (2024)

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Sparkling cranberry brie bites are made with sugared cranberries, crackers, jam, and brie cheese are a beautiful and easy holiday appetizer perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve.

I’m so happy to share one of my favorite festive holiday recipes with you! Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites are very easy to make and incredibly impressive looking – and tasting. This sugared cranberry appetizer has long been one of my most popular recipes. I just love how beautiful and tasty these are. They are a must make for any holiday party.

The sweet and tart cranberries go so well with the creamy cheese and crunchy crackers. If you like spice, try using pepper jelly instead of the cranberry jam or chutney. Vegan friends, try almond milk based soft ripened cheese from Kite Hill.

If you would like to have this recipe in a beautiful glossy hard cover cookbook, be sure to pick up a copy of theYummy Mummy Kitchen cookbook. There’s a spring/summer version of this recipe in the book too

Fresh cranberries are only in season from about October through December, making this appetizer all the more special. Tart cranberries get the perfect amount of sweetness from a dip in maple syrup and a coating of organic sugar. We love these sugared cranberries as a treat all on their own. They are also terrific on any holiday dessert or cheese board.

How to Make Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites

Sugar the Cranberries

The first step in making these beautiful holiday appetizers is to sugar the cranberries. It’s easy, and you can do this step a day or even two in advance, and then assemble just before serving.

Assemble the Bites

Once the cranberries are sugared to glittery perfection, we are ready to assemble. Top the crackers with a slice of your favorite Brie type of creamy cheese. Since I don’t use much dairy anymore, I prefer to use a nut-based “cheese” from Kite Hill. There are so many great tasting dairy free cheeses these days. I also love using a goat cheese style nut cheese from Treeline.

The chutney helps glue everything together. You could use our homemade Cranberry Chutney, or a store bought one.

Fresh cranberries are only available this time of year, so grab a bag the next time you’re at the market and sugar those babies up. Last year I used sugared cranberries to top a pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving, but they’re also a nice low-guilt treat to satisfy your sweet tooth on their own.

Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites - Holiday Appetizer Recipe (6)

Some sparkling shoes are obviously a must when you’re enjoying sparking hors d’oeuvres. Santa, Darling, every gal needs a pair of these Glitter Louboutins for the Holidays. Santa? Yummy Hubby? You listening?

If these beauties don’t get you into the holiday spirit, I don’t know what will. Red, sparkling, sweet, tart, and creamy, these Sparkling Cranberry Brie Crackers have everything you could want in a fall or winter hors d’oeuvres.

Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites - Holiday Appetizer Recipe (7)

Yield: about 16

Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time1 hour

Total Time1 hour 20 minutes

Sparkling cranberry brie bites are made with sugared cranberries, crackers, jam, and brie cheese are a beautiful and easy holiday appetizer perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve. To make this a vegan holiday appetizer, use Kite Hill soft cheese.

Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites - Holiday Appetizer Recipe (8)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup good maple syrup
  • 1 cup organic granulated sugar
  • 16 crackers
  • 8 oz. Brie cheese or Kite Hill almond based soft ripened cheese
  • cranberry chutney or cranberry relish
  • fresh mint for garnish

Instructions

  1. Rinse cranberries and place in a medium bowl. Heat syrup in a small sauce pan just until warm. Pour over cranberries when syrup is warm, not hot, or cranberries may pop. Cool, cover, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight.
  2. Drain cranberries in a colander. Place sugar in a large bowl or baking dish. Add cranberries in 2 batches and roll around until lightly coated in sugar. Place on a baking sheet until dry, about 1 hour.
  3. Assemble crackers with one slice of brie, a light layer of cranberry chutney, and 4 or 5 sugared cranberries. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Notes

You can make the sugared cranberries up to one day in advance. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 218Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 143mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your favorite calculator.

Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites - Holiday Appetizer Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What pairs well with brie cheese? ›

As mentioned, brie's mild, yet buttery and nutty flavor pairs well with so many things. Some examples are salami, prosciutto, pickles, apricots, apples, pears, dates, almonds, candied walnuts, and pecans.

How do you serve brie warm? ›

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the brie on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper and drizzle with the honey. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it starts to ooze but not melt. Serve with crackers.

Which jam goes best with brie? ›

Jam - personally, I love the flavour of brie cheese with fig fruit jam, it goes so well with the savoury and sweet flavours. However, you can use absolutely any jam you like! A few of my favourite varieties include: blackberry, boysenberry, apricot or cherry jam.

What do you eat with brie bites? ›

A crowd pleaser every year, these little appetizers are quick, easy and so versatile you can make them how YOU please. Serve fresh out of the oven or at room temperature on a platter with grapes, fig, pear or apple slices, walnuts, almonds, pecans, jams, cold meats and crackers.

Can you eat brie bites cold? ›

Store baked cranberry Brie bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Enjoy them cold or reheat in the oven or microwave.

Do you eat brie cold or melted? ›

You can eat it at room temperature, hot, spread it on a cracker, slice it in a sandwich, melt it, top it, and the list goes on. What is this? Should brie be served warm or cold? It's best if you serve it at room temperature or warm for the best taste and texture.

What meat goes with brie? ›

Salumi (Fancy Word or Umbrella Term for the Vast Realm of Prepared Italian Meats)
  • Salami.
  • Salami Calabrese.
  • Soppressata.
  • Prosciutto.
  • Coppa.
  • Bresaola.
  • Pepperoni.

What is the etiquette with Brie? ›

Should you avoid the nose? When it comes to slicing Brie, you're traditionally told to avoid "pointing the cheese," or removing the tip (also referred to as the 'nose') of a brie wedge. This is essentially bad cheese etiquette, as you are meant to enjoy the full range of the Brie's flavor, from the center to rind.

Do you eat the stuff on Brie? ›

Not only can you eat the rind, you should eat the rind. Technically, the rind is mold, usually Penicillium candidum, but it's good mold! The rind protects the cheese on the inside and helps to give the cheese its flavor. You're missing out on a big part of the flavor and textural experience if you do not eat the rind.

Is it OK to melt Brie cheese? ›

Like camembert, brie can be baked until the middle is melting and oozy, perfect for dunking in toasts or veg crudités. For a real showstopping starter, you could even bake a wheel into a loaf of bread, or use it to make an indulgent fondue.

What is the etiquette for brie cheese? ›

Should you avoid the nose? When it comes to slicing Brie, you're traditionally told to avoid "pointing the cheese," or removing the tip (also referred to as the 'nose') of a brie wedge. This is essentially bad cheese etiquette, as you are meant to enjoy the full range of the Brie's flavor, from the center to rind.

Should brie be served warm or cold? ›

Serve Brie either at room temperature or warmed (never chilled), to bring out its creamy texture.

Do you take the rind off brie? ›

Unlike other rinds, the white moldy brie rind is edible and is usually eaten along with the softer interior. If you do not want to eat the rind, it is easy to trim from a refrigerated brie, or bring the cheese to room temperature, slice off the top and scoop out the soft center with a spoon.

Do you eat the rind of brie? ›

Not only can you eat the rind, you should eat the rind. Technically, the rind is mold, usually Penicillium candidum, but it's good mold! The rind protects the cheese on the inside and helps to give the cheese its flavor. You're missing out on a big part of the flavor and textural experience if you do not eat the rind.

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