My easy Fig and Apple Baked Brie Bites are a holiday go-to recipe. Puff pastry filled with melty cheese, sweet preserves, and tart apple, these pastries are a perfect little appetizer.
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When thinking about fancy-ish appetizers to set out for holiday parties or other special get-togethers, the first thing that comes to mind is an appetizer with brie cheese. Especially when that creamy brie cheese is paired with puff pastry and figs.
That's why Fig and Apple Baked Brie Bites are one of my favorite appetizers to throw together. The puffs are a divine combination of puff pastry, brie, fig preserves, and tender, tart apple. Best of all, the puffs are really easy to assemble, and they bake up in a muffin tin in about 20 minutes.
In a nutshell... 🐿️
- What this is: One of my favorite "fancy-ish" appetizers for holiday get-togethers and parties. Little puff pastry bites filled with melty brie, fig preserves, and bits of tart apple.
- You'll love this part: It's a divine combination of flavors in an appetizer that's surprisingly easy to throw together. The bites are a warm and tasty treat for everyone at the party.
- How it's made: Tuck puff pastry squares into a muffin tin, then fill them with brie, apple, and preserves. Then bake!
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Notes from fellow cooks:
"Can't wait to try these. I love fig and brie!!!" — Lisa
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Why you'll love these Fig and Apple Baked Brie Bites
The flavor of brie pairs so well with jarred fig preserves. Made from dried figs, the preserves hold that beautiful flavor of other "brown fruits" like dates and raisins. The sweetness of the preserves and richness of the cheese are balanced by tart, diced apples tossed in fragrant cinnamon.
Use frozen puff pastry in a mini muffin tin to make easy cups that hold the ingredients. Once in the oven, the pastry puffs up and browns beautifully, with the apple, fig, and cheese nestled inside. The filling is warm, sweet, and a little melty.
Because you can keep the puff pastry in the freezer and fig preserves in the pantry, this is a convenient, easy-to-make party food or finger food for when friends come over.
There's also an option to make your own quick fig preserves—that's what I do! The steps to do this are part of my recipe for Ocracoke Island Fig Cake recipe. Follow the directions in Step 1 using dried figs, sugar, and lemon. You'll have a quick batch of fig preserves in no time to dollop on the brie bites.
Delicate, flaky puff pastry bites with melty brie, toothsome apples, and the flavor of sweet fig. Serve the brie bites warm on a tray for folks to help themselves.
Make them as an app for Thanksgiving
The fig and brie puff pastry bites are an easy Thanksgiving appetizer that will hold over hungry bellies without spoiling appetites for the big turkey!
🔪 How to make Fig and Apple Baked Brie Bites
Ingredients:
- Puff pastry: Look for boxes of puff pastry in the freezer case at the store, usually with frozen berries and phyllo shells. They come with two sheets, and you'll need both.
- Brie: You'll need an 8-ounce round of brie cheese, which gets sliced up to fit in the puffs.
- Apple: Choose a medium-sized tart apple variety such as Granny Smith or one of New England's favorite varieties—McIntosh.
- Salt: Just a little salt tossed with the apples and cinnamon helps brighten the flavor of the whole fig and brie appetizer.
- Cinnamon: It only takes a little ground cinnamon to coat the diced apples.
- Fig preserves: If you're shopping for fig preserves online, Maine-based company Stonewall Kitchen has a good one, as does Bonne Maman.
Prep the apple and cheese
Peel the apple and slice it into small pieces. Toss them in cinnamon and salt. Then slice up the brie.
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Roll and cut the pastry
Roll the puff pastry, then cut it into pieces. Fit the pieces into a mini muffin pan.
Fill the pastries
Fill the shells with apple, brie, and a dollop of fig preserves.
Bake
Bake the bites until the pastry bites are puffed and browned. They're ready to serve!
Fig and Apple Baked Brie Bites FAQs
It's up to you whether you leave the rind on the brie or remove it for this puff pastry brie bites recipe. The rind is edible and gives the cheese a distinct earthy and mushroomy flavor. Personally, I choose to slice off the rind; I like the mild, nutty flavor that the cheese has without it.
To keep diced apples from turning brown before you can get the fig brie bites into the oven to bake, I give them a quick salt bath. Add a few teaspoons of salt to a bowl of cold water. Drop in the cut apples and stir them around. Let them sit for 10 minutes, then drain the apples and rinse them well in cold water. This will help keep the browning at bay for several hours.
Place the chilled brie puff pastry bites on a baking sheet loosely covered with a sheet of aluminum foil. Pop them into a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes until they're warmed through.
Tips for Fig and Apple Baked Brie Bites:
- Allow the puff pastry to thaw in the fridge for eight hours or overnight. Hold the thawed pastry in the fridge right up until you're ready to cut it.
- To balance with the sweet fig preserves, choose a tart apple variety such as Granny Smith, McIntosh, or Fuji.
- You can leave the brie rind on or off the cheese that you slice up for this apple and brie appetizer recipe. The rind is edible and gives the cheese a distinct flavor. If you don't include the rind, brie cheese is very mild, melty, and still delicious.
Don't just take my word for it...
"I made these to bring to a party and they came out great! Thanks so much for the recipe! Happy New Year!" — Maegan C.
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You'll love these sweet little apple brie puff pastry bites!
The recipe for Fig and Apple Baked Brie Bites is below! And, here are more appetizer recipe ideas for you, too:
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Fig and Apple Baked Brie Bites
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Ingredients
- 1 medium tart apple Such as McIntosh or Granny Smith
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 8 ounces brie cheese
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 3 tablespoons fig preserves
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients:
- Peel and core 1 medium tart apple. Dice the apple into small pieces and place them in a small bowl. Add in the ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and 1 pinch salt, then toss the apples until they're coated.
- You can either slice the rind off of the 8 ounces brie cheese or leave it on, depending on your preference.
- Cut the brie cheese into 24 pieces. (It will be easier to slice if the cheese is very cold.) Don't be too worried if every piece isn't exactly the same.
- Preheat the oven to 375° F and move the oven rack down one notch from the center.
- Have ready a nonstick mini muffin pan (or 2 if need be; this recipe makes 24 puffs.)
Cut and arrange the puff pastry:
- Have the ingredients ready at your work surface, the diced apple, diced brie, and the fig preserves. Very lightly flour a work surface.
- Take one of the puff pastry sheets from the fridge and unfold it on the lightly floured surface. Roll it out just a bit with a rolling pin—this smooths out the creases.
- Slice the puff pastry with a sharp knife or pizza cutter into a 3x4 grid, to make 12 pieces.
- Tuck the pastry pieces into the muffin pan wells, so that they cover the bottom and sides and the edges hang out. Repeat these steps with the second sheet of puff pastry so that you have 24 pastry shells ready and waiting.
- (If at any point the dough is getting too warm and difficult to work with, pop it into the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.)
- Place a piece of brie into a pastry shell, topped with about 1 teaspoon of diced apple and some of the fig preserves. Repeat this to fill the remaining pastry shells with brie, apple, and fig.
Bake!
- Bake the puffs for 18 to 19 minutes, until they're puffed and golden brown.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Use the tip of a paring knife to help pop the bites up from the pan; transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
- Place them on a decorative platter and serve them while they're warm.
- Makes 24 Fig and Apple Baked Brie Bites with jam. Store any leftover puffs in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
- Allow the puff pastry to thaw in the fridge for eight hours or overnight. Hold the thawed pastry in the fridge until you're ready to cut it for this recipe.
- To balance with the sweet fig preserves, choose a tart apple variety such as Granny Smith, McIntosh, or Fuji.
- It's up to you whether you leave the rind on the brie or remove it for this recipe. The rind is edible and gives the cheese a distinct earthy and mushroomy flavor. Personally, I choose to slice off the rind; I like the mild, nutty flavor that the cheese has without it.
Nutrition
Maegan Chevrefils says
Hi Nancy!
I made these to bring to a party and they came out great! Thanks so much for the recipe! Happy New Year!
Nancy Mock says
Hi Maegan! So nice to hear from you. Thank you for trying my recipe, I'm really happy to hear the puffs turned out well for you. Happy New Year to you: I wish you and your family all the best in 2024!!
Aspen says
If you have leftovers- What is the best way to re-heat?
Nancy Mock says
Hi Aspen, Put leftover puffs in a baking dish or on a baking sheet and cover them in foil. Reheat them in a 350°F oven just until they're warmed through, 10 minutes or so. You can pull the foil off for the last minute or two if you want to toast the tops. I hope you like them!
Lisa says
Can’t wait to try these. Love fig and Brie!!!
Nancy Mock says
Same here, such a decadent combo. When you make these let me know how they come out! Thanks Lisa 😁