If you love warm, melty, baked Brie, you will love these Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups! They are a flavor explosion of creamy cheese, tart cranberries, and crunchy nuts with a little bit of sweetness, all in flaky phyllo shells.

And they are so simple to make! The red cranberries make it a perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even Valentine’s Day!

Of course, they’re so good you can make this recipe all year round. I promise, no one will complain.

Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups Ingredients

This easy appetizer has just five simple ingredients that are usually available at grocery stores.

Jump to Recipe

Brie

In France, French cheeses are highly regulated with lists of requirements for certified cheese names. Here in the States, there are no rules for what we call Brie. So, selecting a delicious creamy Brie is critical.

Choose a triple cream Brie that is soft to the touch when you gently poke the rind. If it’s cut in a wedge and cheese drips out of the sides, that’s actually a good sign. If there’s a cheesemonger around, don’t be afraid to ask him or her for advice on selecting a great creamy Brie.

If you’re wondering about Brie vs. Camembert, stick with the Brie here; it’s better for melting.

Cranberries

I use dried cranberries because I think they taste best with this combination of ingredients. I also think they look better than cranberry sauce, which tends to get runny and stain the cracks in the phyllo.

But if you just prepared some homemade cranberry sauce and really want to use that, just put a thin layer on top of the Brie in place of the cranberries.

Phyllo Dough

I love the lightness and crunchiness of the phyllo in contrast to the gooey rich Brie. Plus, I am usually making my puff pastry and prosciutto asparagus appetizer and prefer a little variety in the doughs I’m using for my apps.

You can substitute puff pastry for phyllo, but you will have to cook these bite-sized appetizers longer (check package instructions).

Pecans

I especially like pecans on these cranberry Brie bites for fall festivities and holiday parties. They add a wonderful aroma and depth of flavor.

You can substitute almost any nuts, like walnuts, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, pistachios, or macadamia nuts. Or if you’re not a nut fan, you can skip them.

Brown Sugar

Afraid of sugar? There’s only a little sprinkle of sugar on each cranberry Brie bite, and it balances the tartness of the cranberries. If your dried cranberries are sweetened, you can leave off the sugar.

Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups Recipe

Makes 24 cups

Ingredients

¾ cup dried cranberries 
8 ounces Brie cheese 
6 phyllo dough sheets, defrosted 
⅓ cup chopped roasted pecans 
½ tablespoon brown sugar
Olive oil spray as needed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375° and spray mini muffin pans with nonstick olive oil spray.

2. Soak the dried cranberries in hot water and set aside.

3. Cut Brie into 24 pieces that are about the same size, and set these aside. The colder the Brie (but not frozen), the easier it will be to cut it.

4. Make 2 stacks of 3 phyllo sheets each and cut each one into 1-inch squares. (A little larger or even rectangles are OK too, but not smaller.)

5. Place the pastry squares of phyllo into the slots of a mini muffin pan. Press down so bottom is flat.

6. Spray phyllo with olive oil spray. Make sure to get both sides of the phyllo that sticks out above the pan.

7. Place 1 of your 24 small pieces of Brie cheese into the bottom of each phyllo cup.

Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups ready for the oven

8. Sprinkle with pecans, then cranberries, then brown sugar.

9. Bake for approximately 5–7 minutes until phyllo pastry is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Cranberry Brie Bites on an appetizer table

Serving Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups

These Brie bites are definitely one of my favorite recipes for easy appetizers. I don’t think I’ve ever had a holiday party without them.

Serving

Place your warmed mini phyllo Brie cups on a serving platter or cutting board, and “Voila,” they’re ready to serve.

If you want a little extra holiday flare, add a few sprigs of rosemary on the plate for garnish.

Make Ahead

This easy-prep appetizer can be fully cooked ahead. However, do not prep ahead and leave the uncooked phyllo in the fridge, it will get hard and crack.

You can freeze cranberry Brie bites in an airtight container. Just make sure to let them defrost completely before reheating.

Reheating

You can certainly serve these phyllo cups at room temperature, but they taste better warm to hot.

To reheat, place them on a baking sheet, and heat in the oven for about 5 minutes at 375°. Watch the phyllo closely, so it doesn’t get too brown.

Cranberry Variations

I make these so often during the holiday season that I like to change my recipe up a bit for different events.

Dried cherries, grated apples or pears, apricot jam, pepper jelly, fig jam, or even fresh raspberries are all great substitutes for cranberries that look pretty and taste yummy.

Cheese Variations

If you want to change this up a bit for different events, use another cheese that melts easily, like goat cheese.

Or, if you’re serving Greek appetizers, the Greek cheese, feta, will fill the bill. Likewise, the Italian cheeses pecorino Romano or ricotta—or a mix of both—will complement your Italian dishes.