Christmas Brie with Cranberries and Pistachios

Baked brie with fresh rosemary and cranberry sauce.

If you’re looking for a a zippy nibble for Christmas or New Years, look no farther. This recipe is holiday easy, but also suitable for anytime you want a spread for a few crackers.

Quick and Easy

Start by simmering some cranberries, sugar, orange zest, and water for about 10 minutes. While that’s going on, bake the brie until semi-soft.

Pour the sauce over the baked brie and sprinkle with pistachios and a bit more orange zest. Add to platter or cheese board and stand back.

This baked brie can be ready in less than 20 minutes and be wiped out in even less time.

Ina’s Baked Brie

Baked brie with honey and walnuts

Ina Garten makes a version that she serves at the end of a meal. (But it could go before or after.) It’s scooby-doo easy. She cuts a large round of brie into quarter-size chunks and anoints them with a bit of honey—though I think the round brie makes for a prettier serving.

Into the oven they go resting on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 5-7 minutes. Not too long, mind you. The cheese should ooze, but not completely melt. You can leave on the rind, which is edible.

Puff Pastry Version

Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Lingonberry

There’s another take on the recipe at Food52, where the cheese is covered with cranberry sauce and wrapped in puff pastry before baking. It takes a bit more time, but is quite good.

Easiest of All

Recently, when I mentioned this stunning appetizer to a friend, she said, “Oh, you can buy that already assembled at Aldi’s.” Hmm . . . didn’t know that.