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These Cranberry Brie Bites look like something from a catered party, and they’re made from four ingredients. Buttery crescent dough, melted brie, a spoonful of cranberry sauce and a few pecans bake into two dozen bite-size appetizers.
Appetizers are where a holiday menu quietly gets expensive. This one keeps the list short, and a single wheel of brie and one can of dough stretch to 24 bites.
They’re a great use for leftover homemade cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving, and canned whole-berry sauce works just as well.
Serve them warm with Pigs in a Blanket and Classic Deviled Eggs for an easy holiday spread.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Crescent dough: A seamless dough sheet is the easiest to cut into squares. Regular crescent rolls work once the seams are pinched together.
- Brie: Any plain wheel or wedge works, and the store brand is fine here. Camembert is the closest swap. For a milder bite, use small cubes of cream cheese.
- Cranberry sauce: Whole-berry sauce holds its shape better than jellied. Leftover homemade sauce is perfect.
- Pecans: Walnuts work just as well. Leave the nuts off for a nut-free tray.
Tips for the Best Brie Bites
- Keep the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to cut it. Cold dough is less sticky and holds a cleaner edge.
- Go easy on the filling. A small piece of brie and about a teaspoon of sauce is plenty, and anything more bubbles over the sides.
- Grease every cup well, including the rim, so any cheese that escapes doesn’t glue the bites to the pan.
- No mini muffin pan? Bake the squares flat on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and pinch up the corners.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Cost: Ingredients – $9.02 from Walmart, $7.94 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.33 to $0.38
Cranberry Brie Bites
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Unroll the dough on a lightly floured surface. If you’re using crescent rolls, pinch the seams together to make one sheet. Cut it into 24 squares (4 rows by 6).
- Press one square into each muffin cup.
- Place a piece of brie in each cup. Top with about 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce and a few pecans.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the dough is golden brown.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then lift the bites out. Garnish with a little fresh rosemary and serve warm.
Notes
- Put the brie in the freezer for 15 minutes first. Cold brie is much easier to cut.
- The rind is edible, so you can leave it on. Trim it off if you prefer.
- No mini muffin pan? Bake the squares flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pinch up the corners to hold the filling.
- Try fig jam, apricot preserves or pepper jelly in place of the cranberry sauce, and walnuts in place of the pecans.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
- Assemble the bites up to 4 hours ahead, cover the pan and refrigerate. Bake just before serving.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5–8 minutes. The microwave makes the dough soft.
- They’re best the day they’re baked, while the cheese is still melty.
Cranberry Brie Bites Questions
Do I need to remove the rind from the brie?
No. The rind is edible and softens as it bakes. Trim it off only if you don’t care for the flavor.
Why did my bites stick to the pan?
The sauce or cheese most likely bubbled over the edge. Let the bites cool for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around each one while they’re still warm and they should lift right out.
Can I use jellied cranberry sauce?
You can. Stir it with a fork first so it’s spoonable, and use a little less, since it melts thinner than whole-berry sauce.
