This easy baked Brie with apples, honey and nuts makes a fantastic shareable dish for all cheese lovers. It features a melty Brie cheese alongside with cooked apples, roasted garlic, honey and nuts. Dip your favorite crackers and enjoy!
If like me you’re passionate about cheese, you are going to fall for this baked Brie recipe. Super easy to make in almost no time, it makes the most impressive dish when served on your table. We love it for the holidays, whether it’s for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but also throughout the winter months for a cozy dinner with friends.
Baked Brie is also a very forgiving recipe. You can follow the recipe to a T or read all the variations listed below and create your very own version. To go the extra mile, prepare some homemade multiseed crispbreads to serve along, I promise it’s very easy to make too!
Baked Brie with apples and roasted garlic
What makes this recipe so special is the use of cooked apples and roasted garlic to serve along with the baked Brie. The apples are cooked separately with butter and honey until very soft, while garlic head(s) go(es) in the oven wrapped in foil at the same time Brie is baking. Garlic is ready when it is very soft and you can squeeze it out with your fingers. I like the contrast between sweet apples and the pungent flavors of garlic that brings its personality to the dish.
So what goes into baked Brie with apples?
- Brie cheese, obviously. You will need a 8 oz (225g) wheel of Brie, that is slightly ripen but still firm to the touch.
- Apples. Any kind will do, but prefer apples that are good for cooking so they can hold their shape without being mushy.
- Garlic. Depending on how garlicky you like it, choose one or two heads of garlic (yes, the entire head of garlic, not the garlic cloves).
- Honey. Because cheese and honey are like best friends, right? Any kind of honey will do, the darker the stronger the flavors, it’s up to you to choose.
- Thyme. I strongly recommend fresh thyme over dried thyme; it will add some refreshing notes to the recipe.
- Nuts. I used a mix of hazelnuts and almonds, chopped them roughly and toasted them before sprinkling over the Brie. Nuts add a crunchy bite and a fantastic contrast of texture together with the soft apples and melty cheese.
Pro tips to make baked Brie
Baked brie is a pretty intuitive recipe and you can’t really go wrong, whether you follow the instructions to a T or decide to go your very own way. Still, there are a few useful tips to keep in mind to guarantee the best possible outcome.
- Keep the ring on while baking. Remove the paper around the Brie, but place the cheese back into the ring before baking. This will allow the cheese to melt while still keeping its shape. You can remove it just before serving if you wish, but make sure not to burn yourself.
- Score the cheese before baking. I usually do a crosshatch pattern on top of the cheese, using a sharp paring knife. This allows the cheese to melt perfectly in the inside when baking. I also add some fresh thyme sprigs in the cheese. It brings some refreshing notes and make the cheese flavors more subtle.
- Add the nuts after baking. I recommend to toast the nuts separately in a pan without any fat, shaking the pan constantly until toasted (but not burned!). Transfer to a plate until ready to sprinkle on top of the baked cheese.
Recipe variations
Ok now this is the fun part as they are so many possible ways for you to customize this baked Brie with apples. Here are just a few suggestions, to which you can add your own ideas:
- Replace Brie with Camembert. Yes, you can absolutely swap one for the other. The only thing to keep in mind is that Camembert has stronger flavors and is a little bit smaller in size than Brie.
- Replace fresh thyme with rosemary, or use both. They pair equally well with cheese, although bringing different flavors.
- Add raisins, or chopped dried apricots, dates and/or figs.
- Play with nuts and use any kind you’d like: walnuts, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews… all are possible ideas!
- When in season, add a few fresh or roasted figs alongside with the dish. You can also sprinkle some pomegranate seeds for a pop of color.
What to serve with baked Brie?
Other recipes with cheese:
- Rosemary Sweet Potato Bread Wreath with Baked Camembert
- How to Make a Perfect Cheese Board
- Apple and French Onion Grilled Cheese
- Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese and Pecans
Baked Brie with Apples, Honey and Nuts
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Savory
- Diet: Vegetarian
This easy baked Brie with apples, honey and nuts makes a fantastic shareable dish for all cheese lovers. It features a melty Brie cheese alongside with cooked apples, roasted garlic, honey and nuts.
Ingredients
- 8-ounce (225g) wheel of Brie
- 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 to 2 head(s) of garlic*
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 Tablespoons honey, divided
- 3 Tablespoons hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 3 Tablespoons almonds, roughly chopped
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Remove Brie from its wrapping, keeping the rind on, and place the entire wheel in a cast iron skillet or oven safe dish. Using a paring knife, draw a crosshatch pattern on top and drizzle some olive oil over, sticking a few rosemary sprigs in the cheese.
- Peel (most of) the outer layers around the head(s) of garlic, leaving the head(s) intact with all the cloves connected. Trim the top off the head(s) of garlic. Place onto a piece of foil, and drizzle generously the exposed surface of garlic with olive oil. Wrap in foil.
- Place the Brie in the oven alongside with the foil-wrapped garlic, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melty in the inside and garlic soft and tender.
- While Brie bakes, melt butter in a non-stick skillet placed over medium heat and cook the apples until soft and tender, about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Finish the cooking with the lid on, to make the apples even softer. Pour about 1 Tablespoon of honey, sprinkle some sea salt, stir, and set aside.
- Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until toasted. Add a pinch of sea salt and transfer to a clean plate to prevent from burning.
- Once the Brie is done baking, remove from the oven, add the baked apples around, then squeeze the roasted garlic out of the heads of garlic, using parchment paper to not burn your hands. Drizzle honey all over, sprinkle the toasted nuts all over, and serve immediately with crusty bread and/or crackers, and a glass of wine. Enjoy!
Notes
* Depending on how sensitive you are to garlic, you can use one entire head of garlic or two of them. Keep in mind that it will be roasted so it’s way easier to digest than eaten raw.
Did you make this recipe?
Lastly, if you make this Baked Brie with Apples, Honey and Nuts, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!
