This Air Fryer Baked Brie is topped with cranberries and walnuts, wrapped in puff pastry, and drizzled with hot honey for a little kick. Serve with crackers, apple slices, or baguette for a crowd-pleasing bite. Who's ready to dig in?
The holidays are here, and there is no better way to kick off the festivities than with a show-stopping appetizer.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are packed with holiday gatherings, which means you’ll need a lineup of crowd-pleasing appetizers! Some of my top picks are Spinach Artichoke Dip without Mayo, a Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Platter, and Smoked Salmon Canapés.
Our baked brie is topped with a homemade cranberry sauce and crunchy walnuts, wrapped in puff pastry, and cooked in the air fryer.
After cooked and golden brown, I like to drizzle some hot honey for sweetness and a little kick.
Serve your air fryer baked brie on a platter with fresh fruits, crackers, and bread for the ultimate appetizer.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's wrapped in puff pastry. The buttery flavor and flaky texture of puff pastry complement the brie cheese.
- Pick your favorite toppings. If cranberry sauce is not your jam, choose one that is. Fig and apricot preserves are delicious variations to try.
- The best holiday appetizer. I love serving this air fryer baked brie or my Spinach Artichoke Dip without Mayo for holiday gatherings.
- Great on a cheese board. Place baked brie on your next charcuterie board, and your guest will love you for it.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Here is a visual overview of the Baked Brie Ingredients and some helpful substitutions. Scroll to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
See recipe card for quantities.
Brie Cheese
For this recipe, we went with an 8-ounce wheel of brie cheese. Double cream brie cheese or Camembert is a good solution if you find that it's not as melted and gooey as you like.
Puff Pastry
You can find frozen puff pastry sheets at most grocery stores, found in the freezer section next to pre-made pie dough. Phyllo dough is a great alternative to puff pastry and has a lighter and flakier texture.
Cranberry Sauce
We recommend making our Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce Recipe for a simple and delicious topping. You can make premade cranberry sauce at the market, but homemade is always better.
Experiment with different flavors like fig, raspberry, and apricot jam if cranberry is not your preference.
If you love cranberries make sure to make my Chocolate Covered Cranberries for Christmas, you'll love the sweet and tart poppable bites.
Walnuts
Brie and walnuts are a classic combination, but pecans and pistachios are delicious too. I like to toast my nuts in a 350°F oven for 8 minutes.
Egg
The egg is used for an egg wash to brush on the puff pastry to give it that golden brown color.
Hot Honey
This ingredient is optional, but it will elevate your baked brie to the next level. The creamy, melty brie pairs beautifully with the hot honey, adding a perfect balance of sweetness and a hint of heat.
Instead of hot honey, use regular honey, agave syrup, or maple syrup. You can leave the honey out altogether to cut back on the sugar.
Variations
Baked brie can be prepared in many ways, here are some ideas for you!
- Savory Baked Brie: Top with fresh chopped garlic, herbs, and olive oil.
- Baked Brie with Apples: One of my favorite toppings is my Air Fryer Apples spooned over the top.
- Baked Brie with Fig Jam: Instead of cranberry sauce, try a few tablespoons of fig jam.
How to make Baked Brie in the Air Fryer
I’ve provided step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the complete printable instructions and ingredient quantities, please scroll to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Cranberry Sauce. For detailed instructions follow my Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce Recipe. You will add all ingredients to a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the cranberries pop, about 10 minutes.
Step 2. Walnuts. Toast walnuts on a baking tray for 8 minutes at 350°F. Set aside to cool. If you want to take this recipe up a notch, my Candied Walnuts would be delicious with baked brie.
Step 3. Prep Brie. Trim the rind off the top of the brie wheel with a sharp knife. This step will melt the cheese more easily and ensure a creamy, gooey texture.
Step 4. Puff Pastry. Place the frozen puff pastry on a floured surface and let it thaw until it’s easy to handle. Then, use a rolling pin to roll it into a slightly larger square, giving you more pastry to work with.
Step 5. Cranberry and Walnut Topping. Spread a few tablespoons of cranberry sauce and chopped walnuts over the top of the brie. Leftover cranberry sauce can be stored in an airtight container and frozen for later use.
Step 6. Wrapping Brie. Fold each corner of the puff pastry toward the center and gently press to seal, forming a square shape around the brie.
Step 7. Eggwash. Whisk one egg in a small ramekin to make an egg wash and brush it all over the pastry. I like to do this in the air fryer basket.
Step 8. Air Fry. Preheat your air fryer to 375°F and cook for 15-20 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Chep Tips
- Brush the puff pastry with an egg wash to achieve that golden brown color you are after.
- Trim off the top of the rind to help the brie melt more evenly, creating a perfect texture for dipping.
- Working with puff pastry while it’s still cold (but not frozen) makes for easy handling.
- Baked brie is ready when its internal temperature reaches 155–160°F. At this point, it should ooze and become perfectly spreadable when you cut into it.
FAQ's
Only cut off the top of the rind for even melting and ease when dipping. Without the top rind, your toppings will infuse better as the cheese melts.
Yes! Prepare the baked brie, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator. On the day of your party, brush the puff pastry with egg wash and bake.
The puff pastry will be golden brown, and the internal temperature should read 155 - 160°F.
Place your baked brie back into the air fryer at 300°F for 5 minutes or until the cheese is no longer solidified.
More Air Fryer Recipe's
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @thefrizzledleek on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Baked Brie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- 8 ounce brie cheese
- ¼ cup cranberry sauce
- 2 tablespoon walnuts toasted, and chopped
- 1 egg
Cranberry Sauce
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise pods
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- 12 ounces cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1 orange zested and juiced
- ½ cup apple juice
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.
- Toast walnuts in a 350°F oven for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. Then give them a rough chop.
- Trim off the top rind of the brie cheese wheel using a sharp knife.
- Unroll the puff pastry and place it on a floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll puff pastry out into a slightly larger square.
- Place the wheel of brie into the center of the puff pastry and top with cranberry sauce and walnuts.
- Fold each corner of the puff pastry toward the center and gently press to seal, forming a square shape around the brie.
- Whisk the egg to make an egg wash, then brush it evenly over the puff pastry.
- Cook the brie in the air fryer for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Cranberry Sauce
- In a medim-size saucepan toast the star anise and cinnamon for 2 minutes on medium-low heat.
- Pour in maple syrup and bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add in cranberries and ginger and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pour in apple juice, orange juice, and zest. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat stirring to help the cranberries break down.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise. Transfer to a serving dish or refrigerate.
Notes
- Brush the puff pastry with an egg wash to achieve that golden brown color you are after.
- Trim off the top of the rind to help the brie melt more evenly, creating a perfect texture for dipping.
- Working with puff pastry while it’s still cold (but not frozen) makes for easy handling.
- Baked brie is ready when its internal temperature reaches 155–160°F. At this point, it should ooze and become perfectly spreadable when you cut into it.
Mike Cleavenger says
I love this appetizer because there are not a lot of ingredients going on! Perfect for the holidays!