This party-perfect baked brie with jam and nuts only uses four ingredients with no ahead-of-time prep. Excellent as a holiday appetizer, there are lots of ways to switch up the flavor depending upon what you like. It's hard to find an easier baked brie recipe than this!
Is there an appetizer that screams "holiday" more than baked brie? It's a classic, and for good reason. Most everyone perks up at the prospect of digging into fancy, gooey cheese.
Just about any recipe won't be hard to put together, but it doesn't get easier than this baked brie with jam and nuts. For one - it's a baked brie without puff pastry! All you need to do is pick your favorite fruit spread and nuts, bake, and enjoy.
The particular flavor pictured here features cherry jam, walnuts, and fresh rosemary. After taking these pictures, I took it upon myself to indulge in several bites of brie as-is, and then a few more after drizzling condiment-grade balsamic vinegar over top (what a task!) and can confidently say both ways are fabulous. Scroll down for a section outlining lots of different flavor options.
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Ingredients Needed
- Brie: Use a whole wheel of brie, not a wedge. Brie is a soft cheese that melts quickly once heated, so a wedge would melt out the sides before you get a chance to serve. The rind encasing a wheel of brie helps it hold its shape after being heated until you cut into it. The rind is perfectly safe to eat.
- Jam: I say jam, but many types of jams, jellies, or preserves can work. The classification depends upon the amount of sugar, presence of juice, and other considerations. Have extra? Use it up to make cream cheese thumbprint cookies!
- Nuts: Add your favorite untoasted nuts on top of the jam before baking. I like to use walnuts or pecan halves. They'll toast up nicely in the 15 or so minutes this brie bakes.
- Rosemary: This provides a pop of color and fresh herb flavor. Add a chopped up sprig once the baked brie is out of the oven.
Simple Instructions
- Score - Score a crosshatch pattern roughly a half-inch deep into the top surface of a wheel of brie. Don't cut down into the sides as the brie will leak out.
- Add Toppings - Spread jam in an even layer across the top surface of brie. Top with nuts.
- Bake - Bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes, or until the nuts are golden-brown and toasty. Let the brie rest for a few minutes before cutting into and serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Serve out of the baking dish. Transfer hot baked brie from the baking dish to a board, platter, or large plate for serving. This way guests won't burn themselves on a hot dish when they go grab some brie.
- Use parchment. Place the brie wheel on parchment paper. While there shouldn't be any mess, parchment makes it easier to transfer the brie out to a board to serve.
- Most presentable served fresh. Leftover portions can be refrigerated in an air-tight container up to 2-3 days before being reheated, though keep in mind if the brie has been cut into it'll ooze out when reheating.
- Make-ahead steps. Score brie and top with jam and nuts, then wrap the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for hours ahead, up to one day. Bake it just prior to serving.
What to Serve with Baked Brie
Fruit is a natural pairing for a cheese board, as are crackers or bread. I like to keep this baked brie and preserves appetizer simple with apples (or pears), grapes, and crackers, but feel free to expand the offerings into complementary snacks like dried fruits, nuts, etc.
- Bread - Thin slices of fresh crusty baguette, crostini
- Crackers - Round multigrain crackers, artisanal flatbreads
- Fruit - Apple or pear slices, grapes
Flavor Variations
This is really a "choose your own adventure" kind of recipe. Pick one from each category and mix and match your favorite flavors (toppings are optional, as are the herbs). Consider pairing opposites for a well-rounded flavor, like sweet and acidic/savory/spicy, etc.
- Fruit Spreads - Strawberry or strawberry rhubarb jam, blackberry jam, cherry jam, apricot jam, red raspberry jam, fig preserves, peach preserves, cranberry sauce...even stewed rhubarb for a sweeter take
- Other Spreads - Bacon jam, hot pepper jelly, spicy cranberry sauce
- Nuts - Walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts
- Herbs - Rosemary sprigs, fresh thyme leaves
- Toppings - Condiment-grade balsamic vinegar, honey, pure maple syrup, ground cinnamon, flaky sea salt
Some recommendations:
- Strawberry jam + balsamic vinegar
- Peach preserves + almonds + cinnamon
- Apricot jam + pistachios
- Fig preserves + honey
- Bacon jam + maple syrup
More Holiday Entertaining Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating in the recipe card and/or a comment review below!
Baked Brie with Jam
Ingredients
- 1 8-ounce round brie cheese
- ⅓ cup cherry jam or preserves (other flavors work - see note)
- ¼ cup raw walnut or pecan halves
- 1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary for serving
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Remove the packaging and place the whole round of brie in a parchment-lined baking dish.
- Score a crosshatch pattern into the top of the brie roughly ½-inch deep. Do not cut down into the sides.
- Dollop jam/preserves on the top surface of the brie, up until the edges. Evenly scatter nuts on top of the jam.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the nuts are golden-brown and toasty and the brie is fairly soft inside when pressed.
- Let the brie rest for 2-3 minutes, then lift it out of the dish by the parchment paper and transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle rosemary over top, then add any toppings (see note) if you like, then serve with apple or pear slices, crackers, grapes, etc.
- Store leftover brie in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If it has been cut into it will ooze out when reheated so use a baking dish with sides when doing so.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
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