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You won’t find a better holiday snack than Baked Brie with Pears, Pistachios, and Honey! A real crowd-pleaser, all of your guests will love the comforting bites of pistachios, sweet honey, and herbaceous thyme leaves with the creamy melted brie.
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A must-have on your holiday menu
Is there a more savory, creamy, and crowd-pleasing snack than baked brie? I don’t think so!
Baked Brie With Apricot Preserves and Prosciutto and Baked Brie with Fig Jam and Pistachios are two of my go-to’s when I need to make my party guests happy. When the holiday’s roll around, there is no better snack than this comforting Baked Brie with Pears, Pistachios, and Honey.
Every bite of creamy melted brie with sliced pears, thyme, pistachios, and fresh honey encompass the classic flavors of fall and winter. This snack is more on the sweet side, but still well balanced and bright. Sevre it with fresh fruit, crackers, and homemade crostini’s for a party snack your guests will never forget!
The best holiday snack
A holiday charcuterie board is a must-have at all of your holiday parties, but I think this sweet baked brie with pears is the real show stopper. Not only do the sweet, herbaceous, and bright flavors pair perfectly with this party-ready Pear and Gin Prosecco Cocktail, but it’s a quick snack you can put out while you’re busy in the kitchen.
One or two wheels of warm cheese with sliced fruit, crostini, and crackers on the side is enough to make everyone happy for the holidays, at Thanksgiving, or for New Year’s!
What do I need to make baked brie with pears?
This elegant appetizer is made with simple ingredients! They all balance so nicely together so every bite tastes comforting and sweet. Here’s what you need:
Brie cheese
Brie is a creamy and soft French cow’s milk cheese. It has a really rich flavor and is best served sliced into small wedges, on warm crostinis, or baked whole.
Baking a wheel of brie is one of my favorite party snacks. The bloomy edible rind on the outside keeps the creamy inside from spreading everywhere and making a mess. I especially love baked brie with lots of toppings, like nuts, fruits, jam, deli meat, or honey, for added flavor, texture, and a beautiful presentation.
Pear
You can use any type of pear you like for this recipe. Red pears, like red anjou or red bartlett, will add a nice contrast among the flecks of green pistachios and thyme leaves. Alternatively, you can stay on “theme” and use green pears, like bartlett, bosc, or concord pears.
Pistachios
Crunchy roasted and salted pistachios are one of my favorite ingredients to use around the holidays. For this recipe, they give the pears and brie added texture and a gorgeous green color. I prefer to buy shelled pistachios because they tend to be more green but if you’d rather save time, buy them unshelled.
Lemon juice
For added brightness and to bring balance to the sweet topping. You can use lemon juice or white wine vinegar if you don't have any lemons!
Thyme leaves
Fresh, finely chopped thyme leaves infuse cozy fall flavors into each bite of brie. Mixed together with the pistachios and pears, the herbaceous and slightly nutty thyme helps balance the sweet flavors. You can use fresh rosemary in addition or instead of the thyme if you’d like!
Honey
Fresh and sweet honey is the finishing touch to this creamy snack. It’s drizzled on top of the brie right when it comes out of the oven for a nice sweetness that takes every bite to the next level.
How to make baked brie with pears and honey
This is a quick and easy recipe you can whip up when you need a crowd-pleasing snack in a pinch! It’s ready in a few short steps:
Step 1: Mix the pears, thyme, lemon juice, and pistachios together.
Step 2: Top that brie wheel with the pear mixture.
Step 3: Bake until the brie is soft and then drizzle with honey!
What to serve with baked brie
The brie is baked and the gorgeous pear and pistachio topping is set, so dig in! Surround the pear baked brie with a huge variety of delicious snacks for dipping and spreading. These are a few of my favorites:
- Water crackers
- Toasted baguette slices (crostini)
- Pear slices
- Apple slices
- Jam
- Mixed nuts
- Figs
- Rosemary crackers
- Crusty bread
Can baked brie be made ahead of time?
Baked brie is the best when it’s hot out of the oven. You can prepare the pear and pistachio topping about 30 minutes ahead of serving, but the brie must be served as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Can you reheat baked brie?
Yes! If you end up with leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave or a 350ºF oven.
Because the leftover cheese was already cut into, you’ll need to reheat it on a rimmed baking sheet or in a container with edges so it doesn’t ooze everywhere.
🎉 It's time to cook! 🎉
Alright, friend! It's your turn to make this delish recipe for your next get-together.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When you do, please leave a comment and star rating below so we can hear what you think! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recipe
Baked Brie with Pears, Pistachios, and Honey
Ingredients
- 8 ounce wheel of double cream brie
- ½ cup thinly sliced pear about ½ small pear
- 2 tablespoons chopped roasted and salted pistachios
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped thyme
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Toss sliced pear, thyme, lemon juice, and chopped pistachios in a medium bowl.
- Place brie on a parchment-lined baking sheet and top with pear mixture.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the sides of the brie are soft to the touch.
- Allow the brie to cool for 5 minutes then carefully transfer to a serving plate. Drizzle with honey and top with additional thyme leaves.
- Serve immediately with crackers.
Notes
- This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Big thanks to our guest photographer!
The gorgeous photos in this article were taken by our friend Taryn of Hot Pan Kitchen! Taryn focuses on creating delicious gluten-free recipes for families like Smoked BBQ Turkey Meatballs which I'm sure you'll love!
Carol says
Excellent appetizer!! I served it in a Le Creuset casserole dish with lightly toasted baguette slices.
Michelle Weiner says
Yay! So glad you loved it!