Cranberry Brie Cups
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These cranberry brie bites are a delightful dance of textures and flavors, where the creamy brie meets the zingy cranberry (homemade cranberry sauce if you’d like!), creating an appetizer that’s like a party in your mouth. They are one of the easiest, tastiest, and most elegant holiday appetizers for those who love a sweet and savory flavor combination.
Aren’t they pretty? And they taste as good as they look!
Ingredients and How to Make
The ingredients are simple: phyllo cups (store-bought or homemade [instructions included in recipe card]), cranberry sauce or homemade cranberry sauce, and brie.
If you can’t find phyllo cups, use four sheets of phyllo dough cut into 24 equal squares and baked in a mini muffin tin. Some people like to cut them into circles instead of squares – this step can be done ahead of time to save time on the day you are entertaining.
A tip I like to share is that I use the Instacart app to locate hard-to-find ingredients near me (that’s not a plug by the way!) – hope this is helpful. And so instead of going to multiple stores to try and find mini phyllo cups you can use the app. And it will be much cheaper to purchase phyllo dough and make your own cups if you have a mini muffin tin at home.
Step 1:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cut cheese into 15 equal portions
Step 2:
- Place phyllo shells on a baking or cookie sheet
Step 3:
- Top each shell with 1 piece of cheese.
Step 4:
- Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon of cranberry sauce on top of cheese
- Bake cups for about 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted sufficiently and garnish with nuts or rosemary if desired.
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
More Holiday Appetizers to Try
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Brie Cups
Equipment
- baking sheets
- cutting board
- Knife
- mini muffin tin ONLY if making your own phyllo cups at home (they can be purchased at the grocery store).
Ingredients
To Fill and Bake Cranberry Brie Cups
- 30 Mini fillo shells See Note 1 if you can't find mini fillo shells. Ingredients and instructions shown below to make your own.
- 6 ounces Brie Cut into 30 equal squares (no need to peel /cut the rind off) (see Note 2)
- 1/2 cup Cranberry sauce Jellied or whole berry, up to 3/4 cup (see Note 3)
Garnishes (optional, choose one):
- orange or lime zest
- chopped pistachio
- rosemary sprigs
Making Homemade Phyllo Cups (Mini)
- Phyllo sheets usually sold in the frozen section of grocery stores
- Melted butter or cooking spray for brushing
Instructions
To Fill and Bake the Phyllo Cups
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cut cheese into 30 equal portions
- Place phyllo cups on a baking or cookie sheet (see Note 1 if you can't find mini phyllo cups)
- Top each shell with 1 piece of cheese
- Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon of cranberry sauce on top of cheese
- Bake cups for about 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted sufficiently
- Serve hot and garnish with orange zest/curls/twists, rosemary sprigs, or pistachios if desired.
To Make Your Own Mini Phyllo Cups
- Before you start, make sure the phyllo sheets are fully thawed. Follow the instructions on the packaging for thawing. Phyllo dough can be delicate, so handle it gently to avoid tearing.
- Preheat your oven to the temperature recommended on the packaging of the phyllo sheets. Typically, it's around 350°F (175°C).
- Lay about four sheets of phyllo dough flat on a clean surface. Cover the remaining sheets with a slightly damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
- Cut the phyllo sheets into smaller squares or rectangles using a pizza cutter. Generally, 3×3-inch squares work well for mini cups.
- Place one layer/square of phyllo dough into each muffin well and lightly spray it. Then, add another layer and continue this process until you've incorporated four layers in each opening.
- Carefully press the layered phyllo squares into the mini muffin or cupcake tin, shaping them into cups.
- Place the muffin tin with the shaped phyllo cups in the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the cups turn golden brown and crispy.