This easy baked brie with fig jam and pistachios is a fantastic recipe for any fall or winter get together. Just top a wheel of creamy brie with a simple jam mixture, pop it in the oven and serve. Your guests will devour the recipe in seconds and declare you the party food hero!
BAKED BRIE WITH FIG JAM IS A COZY APPETIZER
There are so many parties during Fall and Winter and especially during the holiday season. If you’re like me, you want to have a killer, yet easy, appetizer recipe in your stash to whip up for those parties.
Whether you’re invited to a party and the host asks you to bring something to share or if you’re hosting, this baked brie with fig jam recipe is THE appetizer you need to bring. It’s super simple to make, packed with flavor, screams cozy vibes and…did someone say ooey-gooey cheese?
Yup! This is the baked brie recipe you’ll be making over and over because people will be requesting you make it all season long!
LET’S TALK INGREDIENTS
There are only 6 ingredients (with an optional 7th) in this recipe! I love easy appetizer recipes that only call for a few ingredients. When you come across recipes this simple, it’s important to remember that the quality of the ingredients is really going to show when it’s made! So keep that in mind when shopping.
BRIE WHEELS ALL DAY LONG
It wouldn’t be a baked brie recipe if we didn’t talk about the key ingredient!
For this recipe, I call for an 8-ounce wheel of brie. If you know you’ll be feeding a ton of people, you can absolutely use a larger wheel of cheese or bake two of them. The next size up from the 8-ounce size is a 13-ounce wheel of brie.
WHICH BRIE SHOULD I BUY?
Now, maybe you’re wondering what variety or brand of brie you should purchase for this recipe. If your store has an awesome cheese department with knowledgable employees, or you have a local cheese shop you like to go to, definitely refer to their recommendations!
They won’t steer you wrong… and don’t be shy. They are there to help you pick the best brie for this appetizer, so ask all the questions.
If you don’t have those types of resources, I recommend that you purchase a mid-priced double cream brie. You don’t necessarily want to purchase the most expensive wheel, save that when you won’t be topping it with anything, but you don’t want to skimp and get the cheapest quality either.
BRIE VS CAMEMBERT
When you’re shopping for your delicious creamy wheel of brie, you might see some other similar looking wheels of cheese, most likely camembert. So, what’s the difference between brie and camembert?
Honestly, they are very similar. According to The Kitchn, both are soft-ripened cow’s milk cheeses. The biggest difference is that brie has cream added to it and camembert does not. Brie is also a milder cheese and camembert has a deeper, earthy flavor. If you want to learn more about the differences between brie and camembert, this article from The Spruce Eats is super informative!
So, when it comes down to it, you can totally use either brie or camembert for this baked brie appetizer. Just know that the camembert is going to have a funkier and less mild flavor than the brie called for in the recipe.
FIGS, PISTACHIOS, AND THYME…OH MY!
The toppings for this baked brie appetizer are, dare I say it…magical! Seriously, when mixed together and paired with creamy warm brie, there isn’t anything else like it.
THE FIGS
To start, you need some fig jam. Don’t skimp here. Splurge a bit and get the good stuff! I really like either Bonne Maman Fig Preserves or St. Dalfour Royal Fig Jam. I’ve seen both at my local stores, but if you can’t find them in person, grab your favorite.
Then the other fig ingredient comes in. I added some chopped dried figs into the baked brie topping to add another layer of fig deliciousness. They also add a little chewy texture to the topping, which is nice.
THE PISTACHIOS
Roasted and salted pistachios are also added for some texture, a little saltiness, and honestly, for a little color! When I develop recipes for you, I try to make sure that they are not only delicious but also pretty. So, pretty bright green pistachios made their way into the recipe.
The best way to make sure your pistachios are a nice green is to purchase them in the shell. You’ll need to remove the shell, but once you do that and give them a rough chop, you’ll see the nice color they add to the brown fig jam.
If time is of the essence when prepping this recipe, definitely purchase shelled pistachios! They just won’t look as nice, but they will save you some prep time!
A LITTLE THYME AND BRANDY
Thyme is my herb of choice for this party appetizer. It adds a little earthiness and rounds out the sweetness of the jam. It’s also really pretty when a few sprigs of it on the top of the baked brie. (Honestly, I’m just trying to keep this recipe as pretty as possible since the topping is as brown as can be!)
To really round things out…a splash of brandy does the trick. It’s not a required ingredient, but boy does it add some depth to the jam mixture. I love it, but remember a little goes a long way.
HOW TO MAKE BAKED BRIE WITH FIG JAM STEP-BY-STEP
This appetizer recipe is super easy, but just in case you’re a visual learner, these step-by-step photos will help you out with your cooking!
Step 1: Chop all the topping ingredients and mix them together.
The brandy is optional, but really rounds out the flavor of the topping!
Step 2: Place your brie on a parchment-lined baking sheet and top with all of the topping mixture.
It will seem like a lot, but just pile it all on!
Step 3: Bake at 350 degrees until the brie is soft and the topping is warm, about 10 minutes.
It won’t really look different! So give the brie a little poke with your finger. If it has a little give, you should be good to go!
This picture is exactly what it looks like out of the oven.
Step 4: Allow the brie to rest for about 5 minutes and carefully transfer it to a serving dish. I like to use a fish spatula for the transfer. I think it makes it super easy.
Top with extra fresh sprigs of thyme and black pepper.
Then dig in!
BAKED BRIE WITH FIG JAM RECIPE TIPS
Yup, as you know by know this party appetizer is super easy to make. Even though it’s super easy to whip together, I’ve included some extra tips for making it ahead of time and even reheating!
MAKE-AHEAD TIPS
Honesty time! There really isn’t a ton you can do ahead of time for this recipe because it’s super easy.
The one thing you can do to save some time is to make the fig jam mixture. The fig jam and other topping ingredients can be mixed together and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days before serving. Other than that, there isn’t much more to prep ahead of time.
HOW TO SERVE BAKED BRIE WITH FIG JAM
The time has come to serve that delicious baked brie with fig jam!
How you serve it is going to partially depend on how you baked it. If you baked the jam topped brie on an oven-safe serving platter or a small cast iron, you can absolutely put the piping hot dish on a trivet with a platter of crackers next to it.
On the other hand, if you baked the brie on a parchment-lined baking pan as I did in the photos, you’ll want to carefully transfer the hot brie wheel onto your serving platter of choice. I like to use a fish spatula for the transfer. The spatula is super thin and makes it easy to get under the brie.
Either way, wait at least 5 minutes before diving into the gooey jam topped brie! If it gets cut into too quickly, the melty cheese will just run out of the rind like crazy. I honestly wait a good 10 minutes before serving. It’s still going to be gooey and melty, but not a molten cheese mess!
The other thing you want to consider when serving your baked brie is what to serve it with. I like to serve baked brie with a variety of crackers. Something with a little hefty is a good choice so the crackers don’t break when being topped with the melty brie.
Personally, I like these Ines Rosales Tortas. I used them in the recipe photos. They are slightly sweet and have an anise flavor but are delicious! I also really like these Fig and Olive Raincoast Crisps. They have great texture and tie in with the fig topping!
You can also serve a batch of crostini with baked brie, or just some nice crusty bread. There are so many options! Ultimately, you’ll want to pick an option that is simple.
HOW TO STORE & REHEAT
If, and this is a big if, the baked brie isn’t devoured immediately and you want to save the leftovers for later (You know…for a midnight snack or something like that), here are some tips for storing and reheating baked brie.
Did you bake the brie in an oven-safe dish or small cast iron pan? You can absolutely just cover it with foil. If it’s plated, you may want to transfer it to an airtight container. Either way, keep it in the fridge until that midnight snacking time comes around.
When warming up the brie, you can follow the recipe instructions and bake it in that oven-safe dish. It can be reheated in the microwave too. I actually reheated it in the micro the other night and it was good! I heated it at full power for 45 seconds and that was plenty. If your microwave is super powerful, you may want to start out with less time.
The main thing to keep in mind when reheating baked brie is that the melty center of the brie will absolutely ooze out of the rind where the brie wheel is cut. It’s totally fine, but just keep that in mind when picking the dish to reheat it in. You could end up with a delish molten cheese disaster!
READY TO MAKE THIS MELTY CROWD-PLEASING APPETIZER?
If you’re making this recipe as a holiday appetizer or just for the fun of it, I want to see how it goes! Make sure to tag me on Instagram when you make this party recipe. I’m super excited to hear how much you like it!
Baked Brie with Fig Jam
Ingredients
- 8- ounce wheel of brie
- 1/4 cup fig jam
- 1/4 cup chopped dried figs
- 1/4 cup roasted and salted pistachios chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon brandy optional
- Pinch of salt
- To Serve
- Crackers or Crostini
- Optional: Extra thyme and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the wheel of brie on an oven-safe serving dish or a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Combine jam, figs, pistachios, thyme, brandy, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Top brie with jam mixture and bake until the brie and toppings are hot about 10 minutes.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes before transferring to a serving dish. Top with black pepper and thyme and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use either Brie or Camembert for this recipe
- To store any leftovers, just cover with foil or place in an airtight container and refrigerate
- To reheat, follow the recipe instructions or place on a microwave safe plate and heat until warm (about 45 seconds on high)
More Recipes for Get-Togethers!
Looking for more delicious recipes for your next casual get-together or party? Check these out!
Caraway Jack Cheese Log – Easy and tasty! Blood Orange G&T – Killer spin on a classic. Smoked Salmon Crostini -A delish little bite!
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