These air fryer brie bites are the perfect appetizer for the holiday season! Inside flaky phyllo cups is gooey brie with tart cranberry sauce! It is such a an amazing appetizer to make ahead of time for get togethers or holiday parties.
Brie appetizers are my jam! No pun intended. Whether its girls night or a holiday party, if I see brie, I am running to grab it. And these cranberry brie bites are the perfect holiday appetizer! All special occasions need to have this fancy appetizer recipe.
Well, of all easy appetizers, this might be the easiest. It is an air fryer recipe that takes less than 5 minutes to cook and less than 10 minutes to prepare. I love using an easy recipe for appetizers when hosting so that I don't have to be hung up in the kitchen when guests arrive! Especially air fryer appetizers, because I don't have to overheat my house with a pre-heated oven!
These bites are just perfection. It is not secret how much I love brie. I have so many brie recipes on here! These bites have super flaky crust, creamy brie, and tangy cranberry sauce. If you are a brie cheese lover like me, you just have to try these air fried brie bites!
If you love brie, you must try my creamy broccoli and brie soup and mac and cheese with brie!
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ingredients 🥘
brie bites
Phyllo shells: You will need 2 containers of 15 phyllo dough shells (or filo dough). I love using Athens mini fillo dough shells since they are already made and you can simply defrost. However, you can use a variety of different bases for these air fryer cranberry brie bites.
Brie: You will need a 22 ounce wheel of brie. I get my brie cheese from Costco grocery store since it is so affordable and you can get a large amount of brie. You can always use leftover brie to make my mac and cheese with brie! Or you can buy it in bulk and store the extra. Check out my other post to learn how long does brie last. Local grocery stores typically sell brie in 8-12 ounces. If you prefer a less cheesy bite, you can purchase a smaller wheel of brie. The brie will need to be cut into small pieces.
cranberry sauce
Cranberries: This appetizer recipe calls for 1 cup of fresh whole cranberries. I always prefer homemade sauces over premade, but you could also use premade cranberry sauce for this recipe. One teaspoon of cranberry sauce is used in each brie bite.
Sugar: You will need ½ cup of granulated white sugar for the whole cranberry sauce. You could also use brown sugar for more of a molasses flavor.
Orange: This sauce recipe calls for both the zest and juice of an orange. You can try different flavor combinations with the citrus you add! Lemon will make it more bright, lime will make it more zesty, and grapefruit will make it more fresh!
Cinnamon: Just a dash of cinnamon does something magical to cranberry sauce. Makes it taste like Christmas!
Salt: A pinch of salt to even out the sweetness.
Rosemary: You will need a couple rosemary sprigs to chop & add on top of the brie! I also love to add a little sprig of rosemary on the plate when serving these.
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
variations & substitutions 📖
Switch up the base of these bites! There are so many different ways you can make this appetizer your own. Try using baguette slices or crescent rolls! You can even used crescent dough squares or a sheet of puff pastry cut with a pizza cutter in a safe muffin tin to get that cup like shape! You could always buy puff pastry in bulk and make these delicious bites and apple hand pies with puff pastry for dessert!
If you don't love cranberry sauce, try your favorite jam! This air fryer baked brie is so versatile and goes with so many different flavors. Try using a cup apricot preserves, fig jam, red pepper jelly, or even apple butter! Try different brands of jelly & jams to figure out your favorite! But if you are a cranberry lover like me, make a big batch & use the other half to make lemon cranberry bars.
You can also bake these bites! If you don't have an air fryer, don't fret! Just bake these bites for 8-10 minutes at 350F.
tips & tricks 👩🏻🍳
For nice creamy cheese in every bite, remove the rind from the brie. Although the brie rind is delicious, it doesn't melt. So for warm ooey melted cheese, just cut the rind off!
Although it is not necessary, for best results bring the cranberry sauce to room temperature before preparing the air fryer brie bites. It makes the sauce easier to work with & still be firm after cooking.
step by step instructions 🔪
Step #1 - Begin cranberry sauce. In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, and salt to a boil. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes covered until all the cranberries have bursted.
Step #2 - Simmer & thicken the cranberry sauce. Then remove the lid and let simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes to thicken up. Remove from heat & set aside to cool while you prepare the remaining components.
Step #3 - Add brie. On a baking sheet, in a single layer, place your phyllo dough shells. Place brie pieces into each cup.
Step #4 - Add cranberry sauce. Then scoop a generous spoonful of cranberry sauce and place that on top of the cube of brie.
Step #5 - Air fry. Bring your cookie sheet filled with delicious cranberry brie bites to your air fryer. Spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place each brie bite into your air fryer basket. It is okay if they touch, they will get flaky and golden brown no matter what. Fry for 4-6 minutes at 300 degrees F. Cooking time varies depending on the brand of your air fryer.
Step #6 - Finishing touches. Remove from the air fryer and top with chopped rosemary. Place on a heat safe serving platter and serve. Enjoy your brie bites with cranberry sauce!
serving suggestions 🍽️
Serve air fryer brie bites warm on a platter with chopped rosemary on top and rosemary sprigs around the plate. For an extra touch of sweetness, drizzle with honey or maple syrup.
If you love this holiday appetizer recipe, you should also try this baked goat cheese dip, sweet potato crostini, and fried goat cheese balls.
storage & reheating ⏲️
Store leftover brie bites in an airtight container or Tupperware covered with saran wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can also make these air fryer brie bites ahead of time! Simply prepare the bites and store in the fridge until ready to air fry. This is a great holiday appetizer that you can prepare ahead of time! The easiest way of having a get together or party is by making the appetizers ahead of time so you don't have to fuss with cooking when your guests arrive.
To learn more about how to store brie cheese, check out my post that answers how long does brie last.
faq's ❓
Phyllo dough has extremely thin layers and can easily burn. Make sure to not cook phyllo dough any higher than 350F to prevent burning.
The rind is edible so it depends on if your brie recipe wants more brie flavor or a super smooth texture. Brie is a soft cheese and the brie rind keeps it in place. For brie bites or mac and cheese with brie, you want gooey cheese with a soft texture, so you will need to remove the rind. Whereas, for brie broccoli brie soup, you want to keep the rind on to get all that nutty flavor!
Once the cranberries in cranberry sauce pop, natural pectin is released which causes the sauce to thicken. Even after it is cooked, it continues to thicken the longer that it is chilled. So if your sauce is too thin, just let chill for 30 minutes to an hour to thicken!
other popular holiday appetizers
It warms me up to see you make my recipes! Tag me on instagram @essenceeats so I can see your remakes. If you made this recipe, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. Also, please leave a star rating while you're there ☆
recipe 📋
Air Fryer Brie Bites
These air fryer brie bites are the perfect appetizer for the holiday season! Inside flaky phyllo cups is gooey brie with tart cranberry sauce!
Ingredients
Brie bites
- 2 packs phyllo shells (30 shells total)
- 22 ounces brie (cubed into 1 inch squares)
Cranberry sauce
- 1 cup fresh whole cranberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Zest from 1 orange
- Juice from 1 orange
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh rosemary (chopped for topping, sprigs for plating)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, and salt to a boil. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes covered until all the cranberries have bursted. Then remove the lid and let simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes to thicken up. Remove from heat & set aside to cool while you prepare the remaining components.
- On a baking sheet, in a single layer, place your phyllo dough shells. Place brie pieces into each cup. Then scoop a generous spoonful of cranberry sauce and place that on top of the cube of brie.
- Bring your cookie sheet filled with delicious cranberry brie bites to your air fryer. Spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place each brie bite into your air fryer basket. It is okay if they touch, they will get flaky and golden brown no matter what. Fry for 4-6 minutes at 300 degrees F. Cooking time varies depending on the brand of your air fryer.
- Remove from the air fryer and top with chopped rosemary.
Notes
Storage Instructions:
Store leftover brie bites in an airtight container or Tupperware covered with saran wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Make Ahead Instructions:
Simply prepare the bites and store in the fridge until ready to air fry. This is a great holiday appetizer that you can prepare ahead of time! The easiest way of having a get together or party is by making the appetizers ahead of time so you don't have to fuss with cooking when your guests arrive.
Reheating Instructions:
Reheat the bites in the air fryer at 300F for 4-6 minutes.
Chef Notes:
For nice creamy cheese in every bite, remove the rind from the brie. Although the brie rind is delicious, it doesn't melt. So for warm ooey melted cheese, just cut the rind off!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 98Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 147mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 4g
All nutrition facts are estimations. Please see a physician for any health-related inquiries.
Sam says
THIS IS THE BESF BRIE IVE EVER HAD
Emma Essence says
Ah what a compliment! Thanks so much!
Rebecca says
I love baked Brie! I’ve never thought of strawberries! Yum!
Emma Essence says
Right! I love fruit with brie, so glad you love it too!