The Batches That Didn’t Make the Cut
Flaky pastry, creamy Brie, tart cranberry sauce, and a little crunch from pecans—these are the kind of small bites I love for a holiday spread. But getting them right took more testing than you might expect from such a short ingredient list.
My first batch used 3-inch pastry squares and 100g of Brie divided between 12 cups. The squares were too big for my mini muffin pan, with corners overlapping and too much pastry crowded around each cup. In the oven, the cheese bubbled up and spilled over. Thankfully, I had placed a baking sheet underneath to catch the drips! The tops looked golden, but underneath, some of the pastry was pale and soggy.
I tried smaller squares and settled on 2 inches. I also pricked the bases with a fork and baked the pastry cups before adding the filling. The centers still puffed, so I gently pressed them down with a teaspoon. That gave the pastry a head start and made room for the Brie and cranberry sauce.
I’m sharing the messy batch because this is part of how the recipes here come together: bake, look underneath, cut one open, taste, and adjust. The smaller bite had the flaky layers I was looking for, without that gummy pastry at the base.
These cranberry Brie bites make lovely party appetizers, served warm alongside a charcuterie board. Add my Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Maple Glaze and Herbed Cheese Thumbprint Cookies with Tomato Jam for a mix of sweet, savory, creamy, and crisp bites that guests can help themselves to.
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Cranberry Brie Bites
EQUIPMENT
- 12-cup mini muffin pan
- Rimmed baking sheet
INGREDIENTS
- 2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry thawed if frozen (cut a total of 24 squares, each 2 × 2 inches; reserve any extra pastry)
- about 100g (3.5 oz) Brie cold, cut into 24 small pieces (3-4g each), rind left on
- 2 tablespoons whole berry cranberry sauce about ¼ teaspoon per bite
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
- Flaky sea salt a very light sprinkle to finish (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), conventional/no fan. Place a 12-cup mini muffin pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills. Bake in two batches of 12.
- Cut 24 squares of puff pastry, each 2 × 2 inches. If using a 12-hole mini muffin tin, keep half refrigerated while you bake the first batch.2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
- Gently fit the squares into the muffin wells, pressing against the bottoms and sides. Prick each base in 2–3 places with a fork.
- Bake the empty cups for about 12 minutes, checking from 10 minutes, until set and beginning to turn golden underneath.Tip: These timings are based on a pan of 12 with the catch tray underneath. Pastry and pans vary, so check for firm, golden bottoms as well as browned tops. Keep the second batch chilled while the first bakes.
- Remove the muffin pan from the oven, then gently press down any puffed centers with the back of a teaspoon, without tearing the pastry.
- Cut the Brie into 24 small, roughly equal pieces that fit comfortably inside the pastry cups (about 3-4g each). Top with ¼ teaspoon cranberry sauce and a few pieces of chopped pecan, using half the filling ingredients for this batch. TIP: Don’t overfill. Keep the cheese and sauce in the center of each cup. More filling increases the chance of overflow.about 100g (3.5 oz) Brie2 tablespoons whole berry cranberry sauce2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
- Bake for about 4 minutes more, until the Brie is soft and melted and the pastry has golden, firm bottoms. Carefully lift one bite to check underneath; allow another minute if needed.
- Let rest in the pan for 3–5 minutes, then gently loosen and transfer to a wire rack. Finish with a very light sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if using. Serve warm.Flaky sea salt
- Let the muffin pan cool, remove any baked-on spills, then repeat with the remaining 12 pastry squares and filling. Allow about 16 minutes of baking per batch, plus time for the pan to cool between batches.
