Cranberry-Jalapeno Baked Brie Dip. Tart cranberries, spicy jalapenos, and brown sugar transform brie cheese into a hit party dip.
This recipe for Cranberry-Jalapeno Baked Brie Dip was also featured on Serious Eats.
You all have probably picked up by now that I'm a sucker for sweet and spicy recipes, gooey cheese, and easy appetizers. But even I was surprised by how much I loved this baked brie. Not because I don't expect the best out of beautifully melted brie, or because I was shocked by the combination of tart cranberries and hot jalapenos, but because I am about 93% sure that I could fully prepare this recipe in my sleep-- that's how easy it is. And I guess deep down, I still feel like nothing this easy has any right to taste this good.
But it does. This Cranberry-Jalapeno Baked Brie Dip absolutely does.
This recipe really was a surprise. Between holiday cooking and testing out my recent Pesto Chicken Cheesy Tarte Soleil recipe, I had a whole TON of extra ingredients in the fridge that needed to be used up. (Sidenote: why did I buy SO MUCH brie? Did I think it would take 18 tests to make that recipe work? Or was I subconsciously stocking up so that I could snack on it for the sake of "not letting it go bad" for weeks to come? We'll never know.)
Anyway, when my friends rang us up a couple of weeks ago asking if they could swing by while they were in town, I decided to try to use a bunch of my leftovers up so that I wouldn't be tempted to eat them all myself they would have something tasty to eat. Lo and behold, Cranberry-Jalapeno Baked Brie Dip was born. And just as quickly as it came into this world, it disappeared. We inhaled it.
At first, I thought this recipe might be too simple to share on the blog. But after making it a few more times for the holidays, I knew it belonged here. I'm sorry for holding out on you guys.
Yes, I know that this would have been great to have while you were doing your Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve menu-planning, but trust me when I say that as long as fresh cranberries (or even thawed frozen ones) are available, you'll forever be finding excuses to make this Baked Brie Dip. You can make it year-round.
You can even substitute in raspberries for the cranberries, if you'd like. That's the next one on my list to try!
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY-JALAPENO BAKED BRIE DIP
Alright, like I said, this recipe is almost too easy. Here's how you do it.
First, throw some cranberries into a food processor or blender. Pulse until they're finely chopped. You don't want any huge chunks making the dip difficult to scoop up or spread.
Next, add in brown sugar, scallions, and a bit of jalapeno. I start off with a half of a jalapeno. Pulse that all together and give it a taste. Season it with salt and, if you think you need it, add more jalapeno. Then pulse again until well-combined.
Now cut off the top rind of the brie and place it in a pie dish or gratin dish. Generously spoon the cranberry-jalapeno mixture all over the top of the brie, and around the sides between the brie and the edges of the dish.
Lastly, throw it in the oven for about 20 minutes, until it's gooey and melted and ready for dipping.
That's it! Now you're ready to serve.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CRANBERRY-JALAPENO BAKED BRIE DIP
The first time I made it, I served this baked brie with crusty bread, soft pumpkin bread, and crackers. (The pumpkin bread with baked brie dip was my favorite combo.)
But in the time since, I've also served it with chips, pretzels, and apple slices. (Pretzels were James' favorite.) I can imagine it being fantastic with toasted brioche as well.
Next time, I think I'll try making dippers out of twisted puff pastry. Or just eating it with a spoon.
Honestly, I'll probably just eat it with a spoon. I do have some more brie that I need to use up, come to think of it...
PrintCranberry-Jalapeno Baked Brie Dip
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170g) fresh cranberries
- 2 scallions, green parts only, chopped
- ⅓ cup (65g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced (or enough jalapeño pepper to taste)
- Kosher salt
- One 8-ounce (225g) wheel Brie cheese
- Chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, for garnish
- Crusty bread or crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Pulse cranberries in a food processor or blender until well chopped. Add scallions, brown sugar, and half of jalapeño and continue to pulse until finely minced. Season with salt. Add more jalapeño to taste, if desired, and pulse again until well combined.
- Slice the top of the rind off the Brie and place Brie in a small baking dish, such as a pie dish or gratin dish. Top Brie generously with cranberry-jalapeño mixture. Use remaining mixture to fill space surrounding Brie in the baking dish.
- Bake until Brie is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve warm with crusty bread or crackers for dipping.
Jennifer says
Baked brie is my favorite and I love the addition of cranberry here. This looks so yummy! I am going to try making this over the weekend.
Jill says
I like baked brie any way I can get it. I love your cranberry and jalapeño topping!
Tayler Ross says
I am absolutely loving this flavor! Perfect for entertaining at any party!
Jacqueline Debono says
I love eating baked brie with cranberry sauce so this recipe is really calling my name. I think it's a great idea to spice it up and make it a dip! Going to pin for later!
Annissa says
Love how you made use of leftover recipes over the holidays. This sounds so delicious!