Apple Baked Brie

This Apple Baked Brie recipe is an easy appetizer made with creamy, melted brie topped with warm caramelized apples, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. The apples are cooked on the stovetop until soft and buttery, then spooned over a wheel of brie and baked until the cheese is perfectly warm and gooey.

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With just four simple ingredients, this baked brie with apples looks impressive enough for entertaining but takes very little prep. I love how the sweet cinnamon apples pair with the rich, creamy brie, especially when everything is scooped onto a toasted baguette or buttery cracker.

It’s an easy appetizer for fall gatherings, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time you need something simple that still looks beautiful on the table. Plus, you can caramelize the apples ahead of time and assemble the brie right before you’re ready to bake it.

If you love easy fall appetizers that are perfect for sharing, try my cheesy garlic bread dip, Boursin and Tomato Dip, and Pecan Pie Dip next.

Why You’ll Love This Apple Baked Brie

This baked brie with apples is one of my favorite appetizers when I want something that feels a little special without spending forever in the kitchen.

• Only a few ingredients: You only need brie, apples, butter, and cinnamon to make the basic recipe.
• Quick and easy: The apples take just a few minutes to caramelize before everything goes into the oven.
• Perfect for entertaining: Serve it straight from the baking dish with crackers or toasted bread and let everyone dig in.
• Sweet and savory: The buttery cinnamon apples are so good with the creamy, slightly savory brie.
• Easy to customize: Add chopped pecans, walnuts, honey, maple syrup, or a drizzle of caramel sauce if you want to dress it up.

Ingredients for Apple Baked Brie

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this easy baked brie with apples. Each one adds something different to the final appetizer.

• Brie cheese: Use a whole wheel of brie rather than a wedge. Leave the rind on because it helps hold the cheese together as the inside becomes warm and melted.
• Apple: Honeycrisp is my favorite because it has the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavor and holds its texture well when cooked. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Fuji apples would also work.
• Brown sugar: Melts with the butter to create a sweet, caramel-like coating on the apples.
• Butter: Butter helps soften and caramelize the apples while giving the topping a rich, buttery flavor.
• Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon adds warmth to the apples and gives this baked brie its cozy caramel apple flavor.
• Pecans: Chopped pecans add crunch and a slightly nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the creamy brie.
• Caramel syrup: A generous drizzle of caramel syrup is the finishing touch that brings all of the flavors together.

How to Make Apple Baked Brie

Caramelizing the apples before baking the brie is what makes this recipe extra delicious. Instead of adding raw apples to the cheese, cooking them first gives them time to soften and soak up all that buttery cinnamon flavor.

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Place the wheel of brie in a small oven-safe baking dish and set it aside while you prepare the apples.

Step 2: Prepare the Apple

Core the apple and cut it into small, bite-sized pieces.

You can peel the apple first if you prefer, but you don’t have to. I like leaving the peel on for a little extra color and texture.

Try to cut the apple pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

Step 3: Caramelize the Apples

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Add the chopped apples, brown sugar and cinnamon and stir until the apples are completely coated in the melted cinnamon butter.

Cook the apples for about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and caramelize.

Don’t cook the apples until they’re completely soft. They’ll continue cooking once they’re on top of the brie in the oven.

Step 4: Score the Brie

Using a sharp knife, lightly score the top rind of the brie in a crisscross pattern, creating small diamond shapes.

Only cut through the top rind. You don’t want to slice all the way through the wheel.

Scoring the top of the brie makes it look beautiful once baked and allows some of the buttery cinnamon flavor from the apples to settle into the cheese.

Step 5: Add the Caramelized Apples

Spoon the warm cinnamon apples over the top of the scored brie.

Be sure to drizzle any cinnamon butter left in the skillet over the apples and cheese. You don’t want to leave any of that flavor behind.

Step 6: Add the Pecans and Caramel

Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the apples, then drizzle the caramel syrup generously over the top.

Step 6: Bake the Brie

Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, or until the brie is warm, soft, and gooey in the center. Remove from the oven and drizzle with additional caramel sauce, if desired.

You’ll know your baked brie is ready when the center feels very soft when gently pressed.

Serve immediately while the brie is still warm and melty.

Watch How to Make It

Expert Tips for the Best Apple Baked Brie

Baked brie is incredibly easy to make, but a few simple tips will give you the best results every time.

• Leave the rind on the brie. The rind is edible and helps hold the melted cheese together while it bakes.
• Use a whole wheel of brie. A wheel works better than a wedge because the rind surrounds the cheese and keeps everything contained.
• Don’t overcook the apples. You want them to begin softening on the stove but still have some texture since they’ll continue cooking in the oven.
• Cut the apples into small pieces. Smaller pieces make the finished baked brie much easier to scoop onto crackers or bread.
• Don’t cut too deeply when scoring the brie. You only need to slice through the top rind.
• Toast the pecans for even more flavor. Toasting the pecans for a few minutes before adding them will bring out their nutty flavor.
• Add the caramel after baking. Drizzling the caramel syrup over the brie once it comes out of the oven gives you the prettiest presentation and keeps the caramel flavor front and center.
• Serve immediately. Brie begins to firm up as it cools, so this appetizer is best enjoyed straight from the oven.

Apple Baked Brie Variations

Once you’ve made this caramel apple baked brie, there are plenty of easy ways to customize it.

• Apple Walnut Baked Brie: Swap the chopped pecans for walnuts.
• Maple Apple Baked Brie: Drizzle a little pure maple syrup over the finished brie along with or instead of the caramel.
• Salted Caramel Apple Brie: Finish the caramel drizzle with a pinch of flaky sea salt for an easy sweet-and-salty variation.
• Cranberry Apple Brie: Add dried cranberries to the finished brie for a sweet-tart flavor and extra color.
• Extra Caramel Apple Brie: Add an extra drizzle of caramel just before serving and put additional caramel on the side for dipping.
• Brown Sugar Apples: Add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the skillet while cooking the apples for an even sweeter caramelized apple topping.
• Pear Baked Brie: Swap the apple for diced pear and prepare the recipe the same way.

Make-Ahead and Storage

This Apple Baked Brie is best served warm from the oven, but you can easily prep the apple topping ahead of time and store any leftovers.

• Make ahead: Prepare the caramelized cinnamon apples up to 2 days in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, warm the apples slightly, spoon them over the scored brie, and bake as directed. Add the pecans and caramel syrup after baking.
• Store: Keep leftover baked brie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Warm leftover baked brie at 300°F for 10–15 minutes, or until the center is soft and creamy again. Add a fresh drizzle of caramel and pecans before serving.
• Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing baked brie, as freezing can change the creamy texture of the cheese and make the apples too soft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Take the Rind Off Brie Before Baking?

No, you do not need to remove the rind from brie before baking.

Brie rind is edible and actually helps the wheel maintain its shape as the cheese inside becomes warm and melted.

For this apple baked brie recipe, lightly score the top rind in a crisscross pattern before adding the caramelized apples. There’s no need to remove it.

What Apples Are Best for Baked Brie?

Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Fuji are all great apples to pair with baked brie.

Honeycrisp is my favorite apple for baked brie because it has a naturally sweet-tart flavor and holds its shape well when cooked.

If you prefer more tartness to balance the sweet caramel syrup and rich cheese, Granny Smith apples are another great option.

How Do You Know When Baked Brie Is Done?

Baked brie is done when the center of the wheel feels very soft and gooey when gently pressed.

For an 8-ounce wheel baked at 350°F, approximately 25–30 minutes should be enough time.

Avoid baking it much longer than necessary because the cheese can eventually burst through the rind and spill into the baking dish.

You’ll Also Love

If you’re looking for more easy appetizers and recipes that are perfect for entertaining, try these next:

• Mini Brie Pumpkin Pastries
• Bread Dipping Oil
• Caramel Apple Dip
• Neiman Marcus Dip