Garlic Baked Brie with 4 Ingredients — 15-Minute Appetizer

This gooey garlic baked brie has only 4 ingredients and takes 15 minutes to prepare! It comes out of the oven gooey and cheesy and loaded with rich garlic and herb flavors! This is the ultimate holiday appetizer for any party!

easy brie cheese recipes — This 4 ingredient baked brie is gooey, flavorful, and takes only 15 minutes to prepare! #brie #quickbrie

Lately we’ve had a lot of last-minute gatherings at our house. Often those quick get-togethers require more scrambling than larger planned parties.

My home is a lived-in one. It rarely looks perfect: couch pillows end up on the floor after a fort session, play-doh dots the playroom, and laundry makes its rounds up and down the stairs.

When guests arrive unexpectedly, most of my time goes to tidying. I’ve accepted that as I clean, the kiddo often undoes my work. Still, a simple, outstanding dish usually distracts everyone from the scattered pillows.

Usually, by the time I decide to host, there’s about 30 minutes to get food ready. Over time I’ve perfected a handful of foolproof recipes that fill plates and impress guests fast.

A few weeks ago I hosted a last-minute gathering after my daughter’s birthday party. The party ran late, so I had very little time to prepare. I assembled a deceptively fancy antipasti platter that’s actually easy to build, and I saved the brie for another plan.

BTW antipasti platters make a stunning, simple addition to any holiday menu—gorgeous, impressive, and ridiculously easy.

I had plenty of cheeses and olives for the platter, but the wheel of brie in the fridge deserved a moment of its own. Inspired by a live demo from one of my favorite bloggers, I adapted her baked Camembert idea for brie. With just a few ingredients and minimal time, this garlic baked brie was perfect.

The Technique

This is genuinely quick and simple, but a few key details make the result perfect.

The Cheese: Use any soft-ripened cheese with a rind—Brie, Camembert, St. Andre. A wheel that comes in a small wooden box makes baking easier; just remove any plastic wrap before oven use. I still place the box on a foil-lined sheet pan in case of a little ooze.

2. Scoring the Top

Score the rind in a crosshatch pattern to give the cheese space to expand and to keep it from bursting and making a mess.
Scoring also creates pockets to tuck in garlic and herbs so the flavors infuse the cheese as it melts.

3. Flavors

My go-to combination here is thinly sliced garlic, fresh thyme, and a drizzle of truffle oil. Truffle oil is optional but highly recommended for an extra luxurious touch.
Other excellent variations include rosemary with lemon, or sage with garlic. Fresh herbs look rustic and appealing, but dried herbs work in a pinch.

4. Accompaniments

Nuts—pecans, almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts—add crunch and contrast nicely with the creamy cheese.
Crostini, toast points or crackers are essential for spreading the warm brie.
Sweet elements—jam, preserves, chutney or honey—balance the savory cheese. I’ve used quince jam and dark cherry preserves with great results.

I brought out the baked brie as everyone finished the antipasti platter. The warm, fragrant wheel earned plenty of “oohs” and “ahhs” and hands reached in despite my warning that it was piping hot.

A few second-degree tongue burns later and the brie was nearly gone. Later that night, after it cooled, I slid it back in the oven for a few minutes to revive the ooze—still delicious.

The brie was exquisite. Guests left full and impressed, never guessing this elegant, gourmet-tasting appetizer took only 15 minutes and four main ingredients.

Fast, easy, and impressive—this baked brie is a holiday appetizer you’ll turn to again and again.

Check out more of my delicious appetizers for your quick and easy holiday menus!

4 Ingredient Garlic Baked Brie (15 Minute Appetizer!)

4.5 from 2 reviews

Author: Mila Furman
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4

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Description

This gooey garlic baked brie uses just four main ingredients and about 15 minutes of prep. It bakes up melty and rich with garlic and herbs, making it an ideal appetizer for holiday gatherings and last-minute parties.

Ingredients

Scale

1 8-ounce wheel Brie (or Camembert)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons truffle oil (or a fragrant extra-virgin olive oil)
Crostini or crackers, for serving

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Remove the cheese from any plastic and unwrap it. If it came in a wooden box, keep the cheese in the box for baking; otherwise place it on a foil-lined sheet pan.
Return the unwrapped wheel to its box or onto the prepared pan.
Score the top rind in a shallow crosshatch pattern—cut only the rind, not through to the bottom.
Tuck the garlic slices into the scored lines and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
Drizzle the truffle oil (or olive oil) over the top.
Bake on the sheet pan for about 15 minutes, until the cheese is soft and gooey.
Remove from the oven and let rest 2–3 minutes before serving with crostini or crackers.

Notes

1. If truffle oil isn’t available, use a fragrant extra-virgin olive oil—still delicious. 2. Any soft-ripened cheese with a rind will work; a wooden box makes baking tidier. 3. If using a sheet pan instead of a box, expect more spreading.

4. Nutritional information is an estimate. Recipe inspired by a baked Camembert demonstration.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: French

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