Easy Cranberry Brie Bites (15-Minute Holiday Appetizer)

Name: Easy Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
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)

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These easy cranberry brie bites combine creamy, melted brie and sweet-tart cranberry sauce in light, crispy phyllo shells. Made with just three ingredients and ready in about 15 minutes, they're a festive appetizer for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or last-minute company. Along with my Bourbon Pecan Brie Bites, these are my holiday go-to. I keep boxes of both assembled in the freezer so I can pop them straight into the oven when company drops by.

Cranberry Brie Bites on a white serving dish.

Quick Look at the Recipe

Just three ingredients-ready-made phyllo shells, brie, and cranberry sauce-make these bite-sized holiday appetizers easy enough for beginners and special enough for company.

Ready in: About 15 minutes
Serves: Makes 15 bites
Difficulty: Easy
Make-ahead: Assemble and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months; bake straight from frozen
Taste & texture: Creamy brie, sweet-tart cranberry, and light, crisp phyllo
What makes it different: Ready-made phyllo shells keep the filling front and center, and their original tray protects the assembled bites in the freezer

Quick Answer

What are cranberry brie bites? They’re bite-sized appetizers made with creamy brie and cranberry sauce in crispy, ready-made phyllo shells. This three-ingredient version takes about 15 minutes, and you can assemble the bites ahead, freeze them for up to three months, and bake directly from frozen.

Jump to:

Quick Look at the Recipe
Quick Answer
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Main Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
Cranberry Sauce Substitutions
How to Make Cranberry Brie Bites (step-by-step guide):
How to Make Cranberry Brie Bites Ahead and Freeze Them
Serving ideas
Cranberry Brie Bites FAQs
Sharon’s Tips for Perfect Results Every Time
More Holiday Appetizers You'll Love
Join the Conversation
Recipe:

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 Bite With Phyllo Cups; 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

Filo shells, cranberry sauce, and brie cheese.

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: Homemade, canned, or jellied cranberry sauce all work. For an extra-special holiday touch, try my homemade cranberry sauce with fruit and nuts. The tart cranberries balance the rich, creamy brie.
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.

Cranberry Sauce Substitutions

For a different flavor, replace the cranberry sauce with pepper jelly, fig jam, my bourbon bacon onion jam, or homemade jezebel sauce. Each gives the creamy brie a delicious sweet, savory, or spicy twist.
I prefer ready-made phyllo shells to puff pastry or crescent dough because they're lighter and let the brie and cranberry flavors shine. I haven't tested those pastry substitutions with this recipe, so I can't give reliable baking times for them.

How to Make Cranberry Brie Bites (step-by-step guide):

Brie cheese cut into cubes on a cutting board.

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.

Filo shells with brie topped with cranberry sauce.

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.

How to Make Cranberry Brie Bites Ahead and Freeze Them

One of my favorite holiday shortcuts is assembling these cranberry brie bites ahead of time. I keep boxes of them in my freezer for unexpected company, and they go straight from the freezer to the oven-no thawing needed!

Save the original plastic tray and cardboard box that the phyllo shells come in. After filling the shells with brie and cranberry sauce, place each assembled bite back in its individual compartment in the tray. Wrap the tray securely in plastic wrap, slip it back into the box, and freeze for up to three months. Those little compartments protect the delicate shells from getting squashed or broken.

To serve, remove the frozen bites from their packaging, arrange them on a baking sheet, and bake at 350°F until the brie is melted and the shells are crisp. Use the recipe card’s 7-8 minutes as a starting point; frozen bites may need another minute or two. Do not thaw first.

Photo tip: Process photo #4 above shows the fully assembled bites in the original tray, ready to wrap and freeze. The step-by-step video also walks you through assembling them.

Serving ideas

Serve these Cranberry Brie Bites alongside my Christmas Tree Charcuterie Board, Blue Cheese Spread, or Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip for a festive holiday appetizer 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

Cranberry Brie Bites FAQs

Can I make Cranberry Brie Bites ahead of time?

Yes! Assemble the unbaked bites in their original phyllo-shell tray, wrap securely in plastic wrap, and return the tray to its box. Freeze for up to three months and bake straight from frozen without thawing.

Can I freeze leftover brie bites?

You can, but they're best enjoyed fresh. If you must freeze, reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Why use phyllo shells instead of puff pastry or crescent roll dough?

I love ready-made phyllo shells because they're light, crisp, and let the brie and cranberry flavors shine. I haven't tested puff pastry or crescent dough in this recipe, so I can't recommend baking instructions for those substitutions.

How do I reheat baked brie bites?

Skip the microwave (it'll make them soggy). Pop them back into a 350°F oven for 4-5 minutes to re-crisp.

Sharon’s 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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Cranberry brie bites on a white plate with festive napkin.

Easy Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 13

Servings: bites

Calories: 54kcal

Author: Sharon Rigsby

4.91 from 10 votes

Easy Cranberry Brie Bites are a quick and easy, make-ahead, Thanksgiving and Christmas appetizer with only three ingredients. And, the best part, these luscious bites of heaven take less than 15 minutes to prepare.

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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

Make ahead and freeze: Assemble the bites but do not bake. Place each filled phyllo shell back into its individual compartment in the original plastic tray. Wrap the tray securely with plastic wrap, return it to the original cardboard box, and freeze for up to three months. Bake directly from frozen without thawing at 350°F, starting with the recipe's 7-8 minute baking time; add another minute or two if needed, until the brie is melted and the shells are crisp.
For a different flavor, substitute pepper jelly, fig jam, bourbon bacon onion jam, or jezebel sauce for the cranberry sauce.
Brie rind is edible. Leave it on or remove it before cutting the brie into cubes, whichever you prefer.

Nutrition

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Comments

4.91 from 10 votes (9 ratings without comment)