This baked brie recipe caught my eye for a few reasons:
- I needed an appetizer for my Christmas menu
- It has cranberries, my menu theme this year
- It’s fast and easy
- It has bacon
Not that I don’t like brie cheese or any of the other ingredients, but BACON! I’m a sucker for the stuff. And I really like brie cheese. I know, neither is exactly healthy, but this is a special occasion.
This may be my most favorite baked brie ever. I wanted something sweet and salty and bacon makes everything better, right? Plus, the creamy melted cheese with the crispy bacon and the chewy dried cranberries was everything I look for in a baked brie. I could’ve stood over this, smearing it on top of crackers, until it was gone.
The Ingredients
As you can see, there aren’t a ton of ingredients that go into this dish. The post for this recipe was sponsored by Aldi, so the author used their brand in the recipe. Don’t worry if you don’t have a local Aldi, though, because I was able to find everything at my local Publix. I’m sure you will be able to do the same at your local grocery store.
The Process
This appetizer was super easy to make. I had it prepped in 14 minutes, and it cooked in 10, for a total time of 24 minutes. I bought chopped pecans, so the only “work” was chopping the rosemary. It was pretty fast and only took 2 sprigs. The rest was a little mixing, topping the cheese, and popping it into the oven.
Once you take the baked brie out of the oven, you will need to handle it very carefully. I used a very large spatula coated in cooking spray to lift it off the baking sheet and place it onto the serving platter. It worked like a charm, and I didn’t break the rind on the cheese.
To Serve
I served this dish with Triscuit Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil crackers and sliced apples. The crackers brought out the savory flavors of the cheese and bacon. They also added a salty flavor and a touch of heat from the pepper. The apples were the opposite and brought out the sweet flavors of the dried cranberries and apricot preserves. I loved both.
