Almost every Christmas, my family and I try to make a new recipe. My mother especially loves to try to make all sorts of fun foods, and this year it happened to be cranberry brie bites.

While I love the traditional foods my mom makes for Christmas such as pasta and steak, the new foods she makes always have interesting flavors.

My mom won’t just make a dish the day before. She needs it to taste good, so she will work on perfecting it on the days leading up to Christmas. Luckily, since I am living in the household, I get to try everything she makes.

Honestly, cranberries and brie do not sound appetizing together, but when you take that first bite, the crunch of flavorful cranberries is just irresistible. As soon as I eat one, I need to eat all of them. My personal favorite part of the food is the walnut crunch, which really complements the bite’s whole flavor. However, if you are allergic to nuts, like my brother, you can just make some without the walnuts added.

A savory cheese like brie is really great even with just a cracker or bread. The chewy consistency of brie is always something I have loved, and the rich taste is really what makes me crave it every time it is offered to me. 

The other component of the dish, cranberries, are usually not my favorite thing to eat because of the sweetness, but it tastes particularly good in this dish. The cranberries go with the brie very well, with the savory flavors of the cheese contrasting with the sweet flavor of the cranberry. 

Making this appetizer takes almost no time, and it’s really easy to make for people who aren’t too good at cooking, like me. The total prep time of the dish is just under an hour, so it also makes a great last minute touch to your Christmas dinner table. 

Ingredients

• 1 wheel of Brie (8 ounces)
• 1 ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets, 17.25 ounces), thawed  
• All-purpose flour, for dusting 
• 1/3 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce 
• 1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped  
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
2. Whisk together the egg with the water in a small bowl for an egg wash
3. Cut the side rind off the brie, then cut the brie into 32 even pieces. Set aside
4. Unfold a puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a 13-inch square. Cut into 16 squares
5. Repeat with the second sheet so you have 32 squares total
6. Top each pastry square with about 1/2 teaspoon cranberry sauce, 1/4 teaspoon walnuts, a piece of brie and a pinch of thyme
7. Use your finger or a pastry brush to brush the edges of the pastry square with egg wash until lightly coated and tacky
8. Pinch two opposite points together, then pinch the remaining two points together so the filling is covered
9. Repeat with the remaining pastry squares and filling
10. Transfer the pouches to the prepared baking sheets and brush with the remaining egg wash
11. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes