Baked Brie in Skillet with Cranberries, Walnuts, Maple Syrup, and Thyme Recipe
- May 25
- 3 min read
A whole Brie wheel baked until molten in a cast iron skillet, topped with tart cranberries, toasted walnuts, Canadian maple syrup and fresh thyme.The appetizer that takes 20 minutes and earns every compliment it gets.
By HF Kitchen
There is a category of appetizer that does a disproportionate amount of work at a holiday table. It arrives before the main event, sets the tone for the evening, and buys the host time. Baked Brie in a skillet is that appetizer — and it has earned its place on every Christmas, Thanksgiving, and winter gathering table precisely because it asks so little and delivers so much.
The Brie goes in whole. The heat does the rest. What comes out of the oven fifteen minutes later is a wheel of cheese that has softened all the way through, its rind holding everything together just long enough for it to reach the table. Spoon the cranberry, walnut and maple topping over while it's still in the skillet, scatter fresh thyme across the surface, and bring it straight to the table with crusty bread or good crackers alongside.
It looks, to anyone who hasn't made it, like something that took considerably longer than it did. That is the best possible thing that can be said about a holiday appetizer.
A Few Notes Before You Begin
The skillet is not decorative — it keeps the Brie contained as it softens and doubles as a serving vessel, which means one less dish to warm and one less thing to transfer. A 20–23cm cast-iron or oven-safe skillet is ideal.
Do not score or cut the rind before baking. The rind is what keeps the cheese from spreading across the pan. It will hold until it reaches the table, at which point a spoon through the top releases everything cleanly.
If using dried cranberries, soak them in warm water or a splash of orange juice for 10 minutes before baking — they rehydrate slightly and give a better texture. Fresh or frozen cranberries need no preparation.
Walnuts toast quickly under heat — watch them in the final few minutes and pull the skillet early if they're colouring fast.
Baked Brie in Skillet with Cranberries, Walnuts, Maple Syrup, and Thyme Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 whole Brie wheel 200–250g
80 grams fresh or dried cranberries
40 grams walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons Canadian maple syrup
4 fresh thyme sprigs
0.3 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
1 loaf crusty bread or crackers, to serve
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Place a 20–23cm oven-safe skillet in the oven while it heats.
2. Prepare the topping: Combine 80 grams of fresh or dried cranberries and 40 grams of walnuts, roughly chopped, in a small bowl. If using dried cranberries, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes first and drain before using.
3. Bake the Brie: Remove the warm skillet from the oven. Place 1 whole Brie wheel 200–250g in the centre. Spoon the cranberry and walnut mixture over the top. Drizzle 2 tablespoons Canadian maple syrup over everything and finish with 0.3 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground. Return to the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes until the Brie is visibly soft and yielding when gently pressed at the centre.
4. Finish and serve: Remove from the oven. Scatter 4 fresh thyme sprigs across the top. Serve immediately in the skillet with 1 loaf crusty bread or crackers, to serve alongside — break through the rind at the table with a spoon and let the cheese spill out.
NOTES
Do not score or remove the rind before baking — it holds the cheese together in the oven. A cast-iron skillet is ideal; it retains heat and keeps the Brie warm at the table longer. The topping can be prepared up to a day ahead and refrigerated. For a more savoury version, add a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard to the cranberry mixture and swap the thyme for fresh rosemary.
If You Make This Tag us at @homefindss — we want to see your holiday table. And if you're building a full holiday spread, the Lemon and Herb Butterfly Chicken on the site makes a beautiful main course to follow this.
You might also like: → Lemon and Herb Butterfly Chicken — The Roast Worth Making Any Night of the Week
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