Description
Golden, crispy pistachio-crusted Brie bites with a molten, creamy center. These elegant 20-minute appetizers are perfect for entertaining and guaranteed to impress your guests with restaurant-quality presentation and irresistible flavor.
Ingredients
1½ cups shelled unsalted raw pistachios
16 oz wheel Brie cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for finishing
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup honey for drizzling
Optional: pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pulse pistachios in food processor until coarsely chopped (breadcrumb consistency). Transfer to a shallow bowl and mix with thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Cut Brie into 1-inch cubes and freeze for 15 minutes to firm up. Pat dry with paper towels.
4. Set up breading station with three bowls: flour in first bowl, beaten egg wash in second bowl, pistachio mixture in third bowl.
5. Working in batches, dredge each Brie cube in flour, shaking off excess.
6. Dip floured cubes into egg wash, allowing excess to drip off.
7. Press firmly into pistachio mixture, ensuring complete coverage on all sides.
8. Place coated bites on prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes until pistachio crust is golden brown and cheese is just beginning to soften.
10. Remove from oven and let rest for 3-4 minutes on the baking sheet.
11. Transfer to serving platter and immediately drizzle with honey.
12. Serve warm with crackers, fresh fruit, and optional fig jam.
Notes
For best results, use double-cream Brie with at least 60% butterfat content.
Chill cheese thoroughly before coating to prevent leaking during baking.
Make-ahead: Coat bites up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerate. Add 2-3 minutes to baking time if cooking from cold.
Freezing: Freeze unbaked coated bites for up to 1 month. Bake directly from frozen, adding 5 minutes to cooking time.
Air fryer option: Cook at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, checking at 6 minutes.
Don’t overbake—remove from oven when crust is golden but before significant cheese leakage occurs.
Substitute Camembert for a slightly earthier flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-American Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 bites
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: pistachio crusted brie, baked brie bites, cheese appetizer, party appetizer, elegant appetizer, make ahead appetizer, holiday appetizer