Description
These Holiday Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Tartlets combine flaky puff pastry with creamy brie, tart cranberry sauce, crunchy nuts, and aromatic herbs, finished with a sweet cinnamon-honey drizzle. Perfect as festive appetizers or elegant snacks, these tartlets bake to golden perfection and offer a delightful balance of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
Cheese
- 2 small brie wheels (6–8 oz each), rind on and chilled
Filling
- 1 cup cranberry sauce (whole berry works best)
- ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, or sage), finely chopped
Finishing
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (for spiced honey twist)
- 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: Roll out both sheets of thawed puff pastry and cut each into 8 equal squares, making 16 squares total for the tartlets.
- Cut Brie: Slice the chilled brie wheels into 16 approximately 1-inch cubes, keeping the rind intact for added flavor and texture.
- Assemble Tartlets: Place one brie cube in the center of each puff pastry square. Top each with 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce, a sprinkle of chopped nuts, and a small pinch of finely chopped fresh herbs.
- Shape Tartlets: Gather the corners of each pastry square up over the filling, folding or twisting them to form little bundles or tartlet shapes, and pinch the edges firmly to seal.
- Prepare Cinnamon-Honey: In a small bowl, combine the honey and ground cinnamon, then warm slightly until blended smoothly for drizzling later.
- Apply Egg Wash and Bake: Mix the egg and water to create an egg wash and brush it evenly over each tartlet’s surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and the brie is bubbly.
- Serve: Remove tartlets from the oven and immediately drizzle the warm cinnamon-honey mixture over each one before serving to add a sweet and spiced finish.
Notes
- For best results, use whole berry cranberry sauce to maintain texture contrast in the filling.
- Chilling the brie before cutting helps maintain neat cubes and prevents melting during assembly.
- Feel free to substitute nuts with your preferred variety or omit for a nut-free version.
- If you prefer a dairy-free or vegan option, substitute brie and honey with plant-based alternatives, though the flavor will differ.
- Make sure to seal the pastry edges well to keep the filling inside during baking.
- Serve these tartlets warm or at room temperature for best flavor and texture.
