Light, flaky, and bursting with sweet-tart cranberry flavor, these Cranberry Brie Bites are a festive 3-ingredient appetizer that comes together in under 15 minutes. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday gathering, these little phyllo cups are crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside, and absolutely irresistible.
Quick Look at the Recipe
These easy Cranberry Brie Bites are made with just three ingredients: phyllo shells, creamy brie, and cranberry sauce. They bake up in 15 minutes and are perfect for holiday parties, family dinners, or last-minute entertaining.
⏱ Ready in: 15 minutes | Yield: 15 bites | Difficulty: Easy | Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes
Why You'll Love This Recipe
If there were ever a recipe that proved elegant doesn't have to mean complicated, this is it. These bite-sized Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups check all the boxes: pretty, easy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
- 3 simple ingredients - store-bought phyllo shells, creamy brie, and cranberry sauce.
- Make-ahead friendly - assemble and freeze weeks in advance.
- Crowd-pleasing - gone faster than you can say "pass the platter."
- Versatile - swap in pepper jelly, fig preserves, or honey for a fun twist.
And if you're as brie-obsessed as I am, don't miss my Bourbon Pecan Brie Bites; they're a rich, Southern twist that pairs creamy brie with a splash of bourbon and a buttery pecan crunch.
Southern wisdom moment: always make twice as many as you think you'll need. These disappear before you even get the oven mitts off.
Main Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
Let's talk ingredients: what you need, what you can swap, and how to make it work with what's in your pantry. The complete measurements are waiting down in the recipe card.
- Cranberry sauce: Any kind works; homemade, canned, or jellied. The tart cranberry balances the rich cheese.
- Brie cheese: Use a mild, creamy wedge. The rind is edible, but if texture bugs you, trim it.
- Phyllo shells (a.k.a. fillo): Fully baked, frozen, and ready to fill. You'll find them in the freezer aisle near the puff pastry.
Substitutions:
- Try pepper jelly for sweet-heat flair, fig preserves for cozy sophistication, or jezebel sauce for a spicy holiday pop.
- No phyllo shells? Use mini puff pastry squares pressed into a mini muffin tin.
Recipe variations and twists
- Puff pastry bites: Cut thawed pastry into 2-inch squares, tuck into mini muffin cups, and fill as directed. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden.
- Savory-sweet blend: Add a sprinkle of chopped pecans or a rosemary leaf before baking.
- Festive flair: Drizzle honey and add pomegranate arils after baking for sparkle.
How to Make Cranberry Brie Bites (step-by-step guide):
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut brie into ½-inch cubes.
- Fill each phyllo shell with a cube of brie.
- Top with ½ teaspoon cranberry sauce.
- Bake 7-8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, though they rarely last long enough to cool.
Serving ideas
Serve your Cranberry Brie Bites alongside your Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board or Blue Cheese Dip for a festive spread.
They're equally perfect for:
- Holiday open houses
- Thanksgiving pre-dinner nibbles
- New Year's Eve champagne pairings
- Or simply your Tuesday "I deserve something fancy" night
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Leave the shells in the tray, assemble, but don't bake. Cover tightly, freeze up to 3 months, then thaw before baking.
You can, but they're best enjoyed fresh. If you must freeze, reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Use puff pastry or crescent roll dough, cut small squares, press into mini muffin tins, and fill as directed.
Skip the microwave (it'll make them soggy). Pop them back into a 350°F oven for 4-5 minutes to re-crisp.
Tips for perfect results every time
- Keep shells frozen until ready to fill; this helps them stay crisp.
- Trim rind if needed, but know it melts beautifully and adds flavor.
- Don't overfill, or the cheese will bubble over the edges.
- Add garnish after baking (like pecans, honey, or rosemary) for the prettiest presentation.
“After a decade of making these for my holiday parties, I can say with confidence they're the one appetizer everyone remembers.”
More Holiday Appetizers You'll Love
If you're planning your next holiday party, you'll love these easy, crowd-pleasing appetizers, all quick to make, festive, and guaranteed to disappear fast:
Each one pairs beautifully with a glass of bubbly and plenty of laughter, because the best holiday gatherings always start with something delicious to nibble on.
Join the conversation
⭐ If you make these Cranberry Brie Bites, please leave a comment and a star rating on the recipe card below. I love hearing how they turned out for your holiday gatherings. If you found a new flavor twist, share it so we can all try it!
G&P Wisdom – "In the South, we don't just serve appetizers; we set the stage for the stories that'll be told long after the plates are cleared.”
Southern Comfort Food Made Easy and Shareable
For over a decade, Grits and Pinecones has been serving up delicious recipes with a Southern flair, simple, flavorful, and perfect to share with family and friends.
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Easy Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Brie cheese, ½ of an 8-ounce wheel of brie
- ½ cup cranberry sauce, purchased or homemade
- 1.9 ounces package frozen mini fillo shells, 15 shells, sometimes spelled phyllo
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the brie into ½ inch squares. You can remove the rind first if you prefer, or leave it on.
- Place a square of brie in each of the fillo shells.
- Top the brie with ½ teaspoon of the cranberry sauce.
- Place the fillo shells on a small parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- To prepare ahead, make the bites according to the directions, but do not bake. Place the filled fillo shells back in the tray they came in and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the tray back in the box and freeze for up to three months. Allow the bites to thaw before baking and bake as directed.
- Pepper jelly, fig preserves, honey, or your favorite jam or preserves can be substituted for the cranberry sauce.
- You can substitute puff pastry or crescent roll dough for the mini fillo shells. Cut the pastry into small squares, and place it into mini muffin cups. Then, follow the rest of the recipe. You may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
- Brie rind is edible, and you can leave it on or remove it before cutting the brie into cubes.
Ciara Coleman
So good and SO quick and easy to make! Totally saw the recipe in June and made them for a late night snack 🙂 We usually do a Brie bake with maple syrup and pecans, these would be delicious like that as well.
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Clara, I’m so happy you enjoyed these brie bites. I love this recipe and serve it often when we have company. It’s also a great use for leftover cranberry sauce around the holidays.
Sharon
Brianna
Hi Sharon! Can I use Phyllo dough and cut it? None of the grocery stores have them in stock!
Sharon Rigsby
Hey Brianna, yes, you can use puff pastry but the preparation is a little different. You will need to cut the pastry sheets into small squares. Then, place them in a mini-muffin pan and press down to fit them in. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom of each one. Add the brie and cranberry sauce and bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees F. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes and then enjoy!
I hope you enjoy them!
Sharon
Cathy
I’ve made these before with havarti and a 1/2 tsp of a mixture of seedless raspberry and jalapeño pepper jams….SO GOOD!
Sharon Rigsby
Wow! That does sound delicious!
Geri Colosey
These appetizers were so easy and tasty! I need to quadruple the recipe next time! NOTE: we added a sprikle of fresh rosemary and a pomegranate seed on top of each one that added a little additional savory and sweet.
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Geri, thanks so much for leaving such a nice comment and I love your idea of adding the rosemary and pomegranate seeds.Happy New Year!
Sharon
Sue
Do frozen shells need to be thawed before adding cheese & cranberry to bake?
Sharon Rigsby
No!
Sue
Thanks, these were a big hit with my Thanksgiving guests!
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Sue, I am so glad your guests enjoyed them! It’s impossible to eat just one!
All my best,
Sharon
Jessica
I couldn’t find filo cups anywhere near me so I’m using puff pastry. Would you suggest 1.5″ squares? Since I’m using the puff pastry, does that need to be cooked first? Thanks!
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Jessica, if you are using a mini muffin pan, I would experiment with a piece of paper cut in different sizes first to see what works best. Cut in a circle and you don’t want the dough to extend too far outside of the pan. Yes, I would definitely bake them first. Because it’s puff pastry, it will puff up more so you might have to mash it down to add the filling. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!
PS: be sure to bake it again once you add the Brie and cranberry sauce.
Lindsay
Approximately how long does it take to thaw from frozen if you are making them ahead?
Sharon Rigsby
Not long, maybe 30-45 minutes. I hope you enjoy them!
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Can you keep them warm in the oven while waiting or would be they go bad?
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Vanessa, these bites are so small, they are almost impossible to keep hot. But they are still delicious at room temperature. I would just wait until the last minute to bake them and serve as soon as possible.
All my best,
Sharon
Louise
Hello! Thanks so much for this recipe I’m so excited to make them today for my family for thanksgiving. One question- can I prepare and assemble them like so ahead of time and travel like 30 minutes away with them before putting them in the oven? Like the cranberry won’t make the cheese and phyllo soggy during that travel time right? TIA❤️
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Louise, it depends on how runny your cranberry sauce is. Just in case, I would probably make them with just the brie, then when you get there, add the cranberry sauce and bake.
I hope you enjoy them and Happy Thanksgiving!
Sharon
Jennifer D
Can these be frozen and re warmed?
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Jennifer, I’ve never frozen them baked so I don’t know if that would work or not. I usually make them, put them back in the box the frozen shells came in and then freeze them. Then I just bake them before I want to serve them. I hope this helps! Sharon
Kalen
Do you bake the shells before adding the Brie, and then bake again?
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Kalen, no you do not need to bake the shells first. They will crisp up and get brown when you cook them with the brie.
I hope you enjoy the cranberry bites and Happy Thanksgiving.
Sharon
Cindy
Can this be done with cream cheese instead of Brie and for what amount of time??
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Cindy, I have never tried this with cream cheese, but I think it would probably be good. The taste and texture would be different too. Goat cheese might also be good as well! Again because I’ve never made them with cream cheese I’m not sure on the baking time, but I would suspect it would be the same as the brie. You just want the cheese to melt. If you decide to try cream cheese, be sure to let me know how they turn out.
All my best,
Sharon
Norma
Are the Cranberry Brie Bites served warm or do you let them cool befor serving?
Sharon Rigsby
You can serve them warm or at room temperature.
All my best!
Sharon