Baked Brie Appetizer
Maple Pecan Baked Brie is a delicious way to start any holiday gathering or Christmas party.
A wheel of Brie cheese is warmed in the oven until it’s warm and gooey, then covered in a sweet, maple-flavored topping where pecans are the star of the show.
Serve it with crackers or baguette and you’ve got an appetizer that’s seriously simple to make and always a crowd-pleaser.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Easy last-minute appetizer! Maple pecan baked Brie can be as simple as warming Brie in the oven, covering it in toasted pecans, and drizzling it with maple syrup. I like to go an extra step and make a buttery maple brown sugar topping. Either way, this appetizer has just a few ingredients and only takes a few minutes of your time in the kitchen.
Delicious combination of fall flavors. Brie cheese is known for its creamy texture and buttery flavor. As you can imagine, this mild cheese pairs perfectly with maple and pecans.
Versatile. The mild flavor of Brie lends itself to a variety of toppings beyond maple pecan. Honey, apple, pear, walnuts, cranberry sauce—you name it.
Ingredients Needed
- brie cheese wheel
- maple syrup
- chopped pecans
- fresh rosemary (optional)
- crackers, crostini or other sturdy dippers
Brie Cheese – This mild cheese comes with an edible rind (more on that later). Get an 8 ounce wheel.
Maple Syrup – Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
Pecans – Since this appetizer is a dip, I like to use chopped pecans. To save a couple minutes, you can buy them already chopped or get half pecans and give them a quick chop with a knife.
Fresh Rosemary – I love the woodsy almost pine-like flavor of rosemary paired with mild brie cheese. A touch is all you need to give this baked brie another dimension of flavor. My recipe for cranberry brie bites made with crescent rolls also has the duo of brie and rosemary.
Dippers – I like to serve this baked brie with a variety of sturdy crackers, baguette or toasted crostini. As you can imagine, this gooey, melted brie also goes well with thick slices of apple or pear.
How to Make Maple Pecan Baked Brie
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Score the top flat surface of the rind with a sharp knife by making 5 vertical and 5 horizontal slices only as deep as the rind. (See recipe notes below.)
- Place wheel of cheese in a Brie baker or other small, oven-safe dish with shallow sides. The appetizer will be served from this dish, as well. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and cover dish.
- During the last 5 minutes the brie is baking, prepare the maple pecan topping. In a small saucepan, over medium heat toast the pecans for 3 minutes, then remove to a separate dish and set aside. In the same saucepan, over low heat, melt butter, then stir in maple syrup and brown sugar. Once brown sugar is dissolved, stir in the pecans and continue cooking over low for 2 minutes.
- Pour topping over cheese and add a pinch of salt and finely diced rosemary. (Omit the salt if you used salted butter.) Serve with dippers like crackers, baguette, or apple and pear slices.
Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.
Recipe Notes
What to do with the rind on the cheese.
The rind on Brie cheese is edible.
For ease of serving and dipping, however, I suggest either removing the top rind or scoring it with a knife.
Removing the rind: Before baking, cut a circle around the top circumference of the cheese wheel to make a lid of sorts.
After baking, carefully remove the top circle of rind, leaving the sides intact.
Scoring the rind: If you want to leave the rind on (a perfectly acceptable option), I suggest scoring it before baking.
Just make a few crosshatch slices through the rind before you put the Brie in the oven.
Making the maple pecan topping ahead of time.
I like to prepare as much food as possible in advance when entertaining, which is why I love this recipe.
The topping can be made ahead of time. Then just warm it up in the microwave before covering the baked Brie with it.
Best Dish to Use for Baked Brie
Baked Brie is difficult to transfer to a serving dish, so keep in mind that your baking dish will also be what it’s served in.
I have a Brie baker which comes with a lid, but you can use a 5-6” cast iron pan, or other small baking dish.
The Brie dish should be:
- oven-safe that you can also serve out of
- a little larger than the cheese wheel
- shallow with edges
More Easy Appetizer Recipes with Pecans
- Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
- Cranberry Brie Bites (with Crescent Roll Dough)
- Homemade Maple Glazed Pecans
- Stovetop Cinnamon Sugar Candied Pecans
Maple Pecan Baked Brie
Maple Pecan Baked Brie is a sweet and savory appetizer that features melted brie cheese covered in the most delicious maple pecan praline topping. This simple, yet sophisticated appetizer is perfect for holiday entertaining.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce Brie cheese, wheel
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Score the top flat surface of the rind with a sharp knife by making 5 vertical and 5 horizontal slices only as deep as the rind. (See recipe notes below.)
- Place wheel of cheese in a Brie baker or other small, oven-safe dish with shallow sides. The appetizer will be served from this dish, as well. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and cover dish.
- During the last 5 minutes the brie is baking, prepare the maple pecan topping. In a small saucepan, over medium heat toast the pecans for 3 minutes, then remove to a separate dish and set aside. In the same saucepan, over low heat, melt butter, then stir in maple syrup and brown sugar. Once brown sugar is dissolved, stir in the pecans and continue cooking over low for 2 minutes.
- Pour topping over cheese and add a pinch of salt and finely diced rosemary. (Omit the salt if you used salted butter.) Serve with dippers like crackers, baguette, or apple and pear slices.
Notes
The rind on Brie cheese is edible. For ease of serving and dipping, however, I suggest either removing the top rind or scoring it with a knife.
Remove the top rind: Before baking, cut a circle around the top edge of the cheese wheel to make a lid of sorts. After baking, carefully remove the top circle of rind, leaving the sides intact.
Scoring the rind: If you want to leave the rind on (a perfectly acceptable option), I suggest scoring it before baking. Just make a about 5 horizontal and 5 vertical slices through the rind before you put the Brie in the oven.
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