When faced with a treasure trove of cured meat, fresh produce and crispy crackers on a charcuterie board, most of us will make a beeline for the Brie. This French cheese is beloved for its creamy, rich texture and earthy flavor that makes just about everything taste better. Plus, it can do so much more than look pretty on a cutting board. Here, 43 of the most epic Brie recipes to whip up for special occasions, like Thanksgiving and Christmas (or any old Tuesday, TBH). Our favorites include delights like honey brûlée Brie, pear-Brie flatbreads, a bacon-packed Brie pasta and a savory twist on s’mores.
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What Is Brie?
Brie is a creamy, off-white cheese that hails from the Brie region of northern France. It can be made with goat or cow milk, according to Sporked, but the latter is most traditional. Its flavor is typically buttery, nutty and earthy, although American Brie tends to be milder than French Brie, which is usually made with raw milk.
Is Brie’s Rind Safe to Eat?
Yes! The rind, which is actually mold that blooms on the exterior of the cheese (usually penicillium candidum), protects the Brie and offers mushroom-like umami to its taste. Cheesemakers inoculate the cheese with the mold multiple times to form the rind, says Bon Appétit, so it’d be kinda rude not to eat the fruit of their labor, if you ask us…
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 35 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
Upside-down pastries, made with store-bought puff pastry dough, just might be our favorite TikTok food trend yet. Swap blackberries for peaches, grapes, cherries, apples or even fig jam.
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, no cook
An assembly-only appetizer that feeds and impresses a crowd? Yes, please. We recommend Brie for the soft, creamy cheese on this board, but Camembert would work just as well.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why We Love it: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
So much better than a fruitcake. And with all those wintry fixins’ on top, we’re thinking it’s destined for your Christmas Eve menu.
Damn Delicious
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Time Commitment: 25 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Serve this five-ingredient party appetizer with bread, crackers or slices of Granny Smith apple.
Kitchen Sanctuary
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why We Love It: <30 minutes, 10 ingredients, vegetarian
Can’t. Stop. Drooling. Might we suggest substituting fresh pasta for bread to make this app a bonafide meal?
Two Peas and Their Pod
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, kid-friendly
Just when we thought quesadillas couldn’t get any better, we met this sweet-and-salty version that calls for in-season Bosc pears and fresh rosemary.
Gimme Some Oven
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Time Commitment: 25 minutes
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Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
They’re bite-sized, so we can have like, ten, right? Mini phyllo shells make this app all too easy to throw together.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Behold: Humdrum baked Brie gets a seasonal makeover that Santa Claus himself would approve of. Why not put this beauty under the tree and call it a night?
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
All your favorite seasonal ingredients (sweet potatoes! Brussels sprouts! cranberry sauce!) layered in ooey-gooey harmony. Leftover shredded turkey would take it way over the top—just sayin’.
Spoon Fork Bacon
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, special occasion-worthy
There really isn’t much more we need in this life than bubbly, golden-brown cheese served alongside bread, crackers and cured meat.
Half Baked Harvest
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Time Commitment: 55 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, gluten free
We love creamy potatoes au gratin too, but they tend to be lacking in the crispness department. These garlic-thyme potatoes, on the other hand, boast the best of both worlds.
Carlsbad Cravings
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, one pan
The original made with cream cheese is good and all, but this alternative made with Brie, mozzarella, pepper jack and Parmesan will blow your mind.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Warning: Delicious mess ahead. We have a feeling once you taste one, you won’t mind. (They’re perfect for game day, BTW.)
Feasting At Home
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, kid-friendly
Lots of leftovers? No problem. Catch us making these on every Black Friday for the rest of our lives.
Snixy Kitchen
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
Consider this a complete dessert (or breakfast) game-changer. Since they’re made with chestnut flour and sweet rice flour, they’re gluten-free to boot.
ERIN MCDOWELL
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Appetizers just taste better on a stick. Thanks to frozen store-bought puff pastry, these beauties come together in just 40 minutes.
Half Baked Harvest
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, vegetarian
Take it from your kids: Veggies are a million times more appetizing when they’re stuffed with cheese.
Saving Room for Dessert
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Time Commitment: 4 hours and 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian
You can tackle the dough yourself, or substitute mini pitas to save time. Either way, the combo of dark berries, peppery arugula, tangy balsamic vinegar and decadent Brie will taste divine.
Half Baked Harvest
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: high fiber, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
A little savory, a little sweet. The quinoa bites get their binding and flavor from mashed cannellini beans and crumbled blue cheese.
Healthy Nibbles and Bits
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, <30 minutes, vegetarian
This kids’ lunch staple is all grown up. It tastes better than you (or they) might think, trust.
PHOTO: NICO SCHINCO/STYLING: HEATH GOLDMAN
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes
Ready in just 15 minutes, all thanks to prepared cranberry sauce and store-bought pie dough.
Oh my veggies
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Meet your new favorite summer handheld. The strawberries are baked in honey and balsamic vinegar to concentrate their sweetness before being added to the sandwich.
Sweet Peas and Saffron
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
There are few things better than apple pie, but this Insta-worthy brunch recipe is one of them. Feel free to use frozen blackberries in the off season.
What’s Gaby Cooking
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
Why didn’t we start putting Brie in our pasta sooner? Its rich, earthy flavor and texture are just the match for acidic tomato sauce and salty bacon.
Half Baked Harvest
Complete with garlicky sourdough breadcrumbs. Not only is the mac teeming with Brie, but also sharp white cheddar and Havarti cheeses for good measure.
Two Peas and Their Pod
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, kid-friendly, one pan
Our new favorite lunch, courtesy of Coterie member Maria Lichty. If peach season is over, feel free to substitute apples or pears.
Cookie and Kate
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, one pan
Grapes turn super jammy, sweet and juicy after a quick trip in the oven. The crostini are begging to be washed down with a buttery chardonnay.
Kitchen Sanctuary
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Time Commitment: 55 minutes
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Why We Love It: high protein, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Baked ziti is fine and all, but you may never look at the O.G. the same way again after trying this creative riff.
COLIN PRICE/TWO PEAS & THEIR POD COOKBOOK
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, <30 minutes
When it comes to entertaining, we’re all about effortless recipes that look really impressive but are secretly so, so easy. That’s why we’re swooning over these 15-minute flatbreads.
A Cookie Named Desire
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
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Why We Love it: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
The only thing better than a slice of pie? Having a personal pie all to yourself, of course. The bright, tart flavor of apples and cranberries are tamed by decadent Brie in these rustic, single-serve delights.
Half Baked Harvest
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
BRB, roasting every fall veggie we have in maple syrup-spiked butter. The galette-like app will be so gorgeous once it’s finished that no one will guess you used store-bought puff pastry.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 10 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Now that’s a wreath worth hanging on your front door. Then again, we’d rather devour it one pizza dough ball and olive at a time.
Half Baked Harvest
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, one pan
Capers, olives, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh herbs offer savory, acidic flavor to decadent, honey-topped Brie.
A Cookie Named Desire
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Time Commitment: 25 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, vegetarian, beginner-friendly
Date night just got a whole lot fancier. Serve it with bread, pretzels, crackers and fruit ahead of an impressive steak dinner.
What’s Gaby Cooking
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
These baby bellas are bursting with not one, not two, but *three* types of cheese: Brie, pecorino and Parmesan. Your Thanksgiving guests will devour them in two minutes flat.
Damn Delicious
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, one pan, special occasion-worthy
It doesn’t get more autumnal than this, folks. The Brie is finished with dried cranberries and pecans, but we’re betting crumbled bacon would make it even tastier.
Spoon Fork Bacon
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
Cheese is always invited to dessert at our house. Especially when it’s wrapped in layers of buttery, paper-thin phyllo dough and drizzled in honey.
I Am a Food Blog
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes (plus resting time for dough)
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Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Mozzarella, Parmesan, Brie and ricotta—the gang’s all here. Zhuzh up the pie with fresh basil, wilted spinach, crumbled sausage or honey.
Salt & Wind
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why We Love It: vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
Once these sweet, tart, creamy bites hit the appetizer table, they’re as good as gone.
A Taste of KOKO
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, vegetarian
What’s cheese without wine? Use any dry red that you have on hand to soak the fruit, like merlot or Chianti.
The Creative Bite
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Time Commitment: 35 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, one pan, special occasion-worthy
Store-bought puff pastry does it again. If you don’t finish the puffs with crushed red pepper flakes and honey, you’re doing it wrong.
Ambitious Kitchen
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
Brie is always invited to dessert at our place, and this buttery, sweet-tart sammy oozing with quality dark chocolate is why.
Spoon Fork Bacon
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Save the marshmallows and grahams for next time. These unconventional handhelds star herb and cheese cookies, thin-sliced prosciutto, Brie and honey instead.
40 Cheese Appetizers That Are Ooey, Gooey and Oh So Easy to Make
