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These little pastry Brie and Cranberry Bites are THE taste of Christmas. They’re delicious, so easy to make and ideal for serving up as a starter or as canapés at a party. 

You can also mix this recipe up a bit with different fillings. I use whatever cheeses I have leftover and make a batch of these in a similar way – the perfect way to finish off your festive cheeseboard.

Brie and Cranberry Christmas Canapés on a tray.

Cheese and pastry are two of the great joys in life, I think we can all agree. This is a super simple way to bring them together!

All you have to do is add your filling ingredients to a bed of (ready-made) puff pastry, pop them in the oven and you’ve got a perfectly formed Christmas Canapé.

These are ideal for serving as a starter if you’re cooking for a crowd, or just while serving drinks, opening presents or with a glass of mulled wine.

And if you’re catering to a number of tastes, there are plenty of easy filling options (see below).


Why you’ll love this Brie and Cranberry Bites recipe

⭐️ Ready in just 30 minutes

⭐️ Hardly any prep needed

⭐️ A great way to use leftover cheese


Little pastry bites of Christmas canapés out of the oven.

About this recipe

I love to make my own easy canapés and nibbles at Christmas because they’re a) more impressive, b) more delicious, c) way more cost effective – and d) fun to make! 

If you can make time in the usual chaos that is the festive season to make a few of your own creations, I promise you’ll never look back.

You can try my super easy Prawn Canapés or Smoked Salmon Canapés, or get a tiny bit more involved with my Sausage Rolls or Puff Pastry Mince Pies (still really easy).

Oh – and not forgetting this fun (and delicious) Nutella Christmas Tree for breakfast!

As well as the Brie and Cranberry classic combo for these canapés, you could also try

  • Pecan nuts
  • Crispy bacon bits – Fry them off before sprinkling on top
  • Pine nuts
  • Chorizo chunks – Fry until crispy before sprinkling on top
  • A drizzle of honey after cooking
  • Leftover cooked turkey chunks
  • Chunks of leftover cooked stuffing
  • Stilton and chutney instead
  • Leftover pigs in blankets
  • Leftover chunks of Christmas ham

Brie and Cranberry Bites ingredients

Ingredients for Christmas Canapés of Brie and Cranberry all laid on a counter.
  • Olive oil – This is for greasing a 12 hole muffin tin
  • Puff pastry sheet – I like ready rolled sheets
  • Cranberry sauce – Either shop-bought or your own homemade Cranberry Sauce
  • Brie – I leave the rind on as it helps to keep the shape of the cheese
  • Egg – This is to brush on the pastry
  • Sea salt
  • Runny honey – Optional. To drizzle on at the end

TYpe of Brie and Cranberry Sauce

This is purely down to personal preference on which kinds you use.

For the brie, I go for whatever I fancy from the shops! While it’s a classically French cheese, I also like to experiment at Christmas and the British bries are lovely too.

I would recommend making sure it’s got plenty of flavour so you can taste it when it’s melted.

For the sauce, I like to make a homemade batch at Christmas. See my Cranberry Sauce recipe here, but shop bought from a jar also works just as well.


How to make Brie and Cranberry Bites

How to make Christmas canapés Step 1.

1. Cut the pastry sheet into 12 squares and push into a muffin tin that’s been brushed with olive oil.

How to make Christmas canapés Step 2.

2. Spoon the cranberry sauce and then brie into each pastry case. Brush with egg, sprinkle salt and drizzle with honey, then bake according to the recipe below.


Substitutions

  • Leftovers – Have a go at adding any leftovers into the parcels that you think will work. Anything from Baked Camembert or cheeses and chutneys to olives and nuts would be delicious

Leftovers

In the fridge You can keep these in the fridge for 3 days. You can eat them cold or reheat fully in the microwave or oven before serving.

In the freezer This recipe freezes well. Just wait until they are totally cold and then put into a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to make ahead

Keep these in the fridge uncooked, and covered, for up to 3 days in advance.

When you’re ready, remove them from the fridge and bake.

Pastry

If you’re time rich, feel free to make your own puff pastry. BUT if you’re like me and need the extra time, ready-made puff pastry is the answer! I like to use fresh puff pastry (from the chiller aisle), but you could also use frozen puff pastry. Just make sure it is fully defrosted before you come to use it.

Remove the pastry from the fridge about 10 minutes before you intend to use it for best results. 

Serve these warm

These can be served cold but honestly you’re missing a trick if you don’t serve these while they’re still warm and oozing gooey brie – just the best.

FAQ

How many canapés does this recipe make?

This makes 6 servings, depending on how many people will want to eat, so if you want more you’ll need to adjust the ingredients accordingly.

The good news with this recipe is, apart from the pastry, you can be a bit free and easy with how much of everything you can put in each one.

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

4.99 from 50 votes

Brie and Cranberry Bites {The BEST Christmas Canapés}

These Brie and Cranberry Bites are perfect for a festive party snack or appetiser when cooking for dinner guests. Use this recipe as a base for other fillings too, using either your favourite Christmas flavours or leftovers.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients 

  • 320 g Ready-rolled puff pastry sheet
  • 100 g Cranberry sauce, From a jar or homemade
  • 150 g Brie, Cut into 12 pieces
  • 1 Egg, Beaten
  • Olive oil, For greasing

To serve:

  • Sea salt
  • Runny honey

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 200℃ fan/220℃/Gas Mark 7 and brush the inside of the 12 holes of the muffin tin with the olive oil.
  • Unroll the puff pastry sheet, cut it into 12 squares and push into each muffin hole. Spoon a little of the cranberry sauce into each pastry square, then sit a piece of brie on top. Brush the pastry with beaten egg.
  • Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until crisp and golden.
  • Remove from the oven, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with honey to serve.

Notes

Pastry: Remove the pastry from the fridge about 10 minutes before you intend to use it for best results
Storing: Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven
To make ahead: Keep in the fridge uncooked, and covered, for up to 3 days. Remove from the fridge and bake
Vegetarians: If serving to vegetarians, check that the cheese is suitable
Other filling ideas:
  • Pecan nuts
  • Crispy bacon bits – Fry them off before sprinkling on top
  • Pine nuts
  • Chorizo chunks – Fry until crispy before sprinkling on top
  • A drizzle of honey after cooking
  • Leftover cooked turkey chunks
  • Chunks of leftover cooked stuffing
  • Stilton and chutney instead
  • Leftover pigs in blankets
  • Leftover chunks of Christmas ham

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 22.8gProtein: 9.4gFat: 24.1gSaturated Fat: 11.6gSodium: 880mgFiber: 1.5gSugar: 7.1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Family Food
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Sarah Rossi founder of TamingTwins.com and author of 'What's for Dinner?' books.

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10 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made these for visiting family last year and they’re definitely going on my list again this year. So easy but impressive and taste amazing!

  2. 5 stars
    OMG! This recipe looks delicious! I never heard of before. Also, the presentation of the images is awesome! Definitely, I am going to try at home. Thanks for sharing.