Baked Brie with Pepper Jelly and Toasted Pecans
This Baked Brie with Pepper Jelly and Toasted Pecans is a Southern-inspired appetizer that comes together in less than 20 minutes. A creamy, melty wheel of brie is topped with sweet and spicy pepper jelly and crunchy toasted pecans. Serve it straight from the oven with your favorite dippers for the ultimate crowd-pleasing spread.
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Today’s recipe is one of those mashups that I absolutely love. This baked brie with pepper jelly and toasted pecans is like the ultimate southern appetizer… but elevated.
If you are from the South, you probably know about the cream cheese pepper jelly app that is widely available pretty much at anyone’s home you’ve ever attended a gathering at.
(Unsure what this is? You take a block of cream cheese or goat cheese, let that come to room temperature, then cover it in pepper jelly. You serve it with crackers. Honestly, it is a perfect appetizer because it is flavorful and so simple.)
Now I want you to imagine doing that… but swapping the cream cheese or goat cheese with a wheel of brie.
Why I love this recipe:
This recipe was one of those that I made for my Mahjong group, and my goodness, is it simple but stunning.
Basically, we’re taking that classic appetizer, swapping the cheese and baking it for the ultimate sweet-spicy-gooey app.
Why does it work?
Brie has a little bit of funk, but it’s not overwhelming. (To me, at least. Y’all know how I feel about the funkiness of goat and blue cheese.) And when paired with the heat, slight sweetness, a little bit of brininess and acid from the pepper jelly, it sings.
Sprinkle on some toasted pecans for crunch after baking and YUM.
This appetizer is out of this world. It is also incredibly simple to make, and you can make it for all kinds of occasions.
If you’re looking for a recipe that feels familiar but is a little bit different? This baked brie with pepper jelly is absolutely something that you need to try.
And it is ready in about 20 minutes total!
More easy appetizers to try: Cucumber Bruschetta | Hot Corn Dip | Caramelized Onion Guacamole
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Sharp knife
- Small cast iron skillet or brie baker
- Appetizer knife
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to get at the store to make this recipe:
- Brie — purchase a wheel of your favorite brie cheese. It can be just a standard brie or a double cream brie. Whatever sounds good and whatever you can afford will be perfect for this.
- Pepper jelly — use your favorite brand or whatever you can find at the store. (I purchased Tabasco branded pepper jelly, and it was great.) If you live in the South, there is a very good chance that you can pick up a jar of homemade pepper jelly at the farmer’s market. To me, those are the absolute best.
- Toasted pecans — you could use a different type of nut if you prefer that, but honestly, the pecans are just so wonderfully Southern, and they add that toasty to this appetizer that I really recommend giving them a try.
In addition to these ingredients, you’re going to need some dippers. I used a sliced, slightly toasted baguette, as well as a couple different crackers to pair with mine. I also sliced up some apples and served those alongside because I love an apple paired with a creamy cheese.
But you can do whatever sounds best to your tastebuds.
How to make Pepper Jelly Baked Brie
Toast the pecans. Do this before you start on the cheese portion so that you don’t have to keep an eye on two things simultaneously.
I toasted mine for about 7-9 minutes in a 400F oven, then let them cool.
These will keep for a bit in your pantry or fridge, too, so you can make them well in advance.
Prepare the brie. Use a sharp knife to score the top of the brie in a criss-cross pattern.
We do this so that the pepper jelly can soak into the cheese and give it some bonus flavor and color.
Add the pepper jelly. Measure the pepper jelly directly on top of the brie. I used a spoon to spread it around in an even layer.
Bake. Pop the baking dish into a preheat oven and bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the brie is gooey and bubbly. (This happened at the 12-13 minute mark in my oven.)
Serve. Remove from the oven and garnish with the toasted pecans. Serve with your favorite dippers and enjoy immediately.
how to store:
Real talk: the charm of this recipe is its being warm. If you have leftovers, let them cool completely before putting them in an airtight container and storing them in the refrigerator for one to two days.
You can attempt to reheat it, but it will not have the same effect.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Honestly, baked brie is so perfect for a crowd because it is gooey, it is delicious, and it honestly feels super fancy without requiring a ton of work.
This one feels special because it’s a little different than other recipes that you might have had before, but it still feels familiar because the appetizer that inspired this is very similar.
If I were to serve this pepper jelly baked brie to a crowd, here are some things I might do…
- Toast the nuts early. Let them cool completely, then store in a cool, dark place.
- Purchase a larger brie. This sounds like a silly thing, but you can get wheels of brie in different sizes. The one that I used for this recipe is 7 oz., but my grocery store had a larger one, as well.
- Offer a variety of dippers. Baguette slices, crackers and sliced apple all work beautifully and give guests options.
Frequently Asked Questions
While you can toast the nuts ahead of time, I do not recommend baking the brie early because it will no longer be gooey when you serve it. And the whole point of baked brie is for it to be hot and melted.
Yes, we leave the rind on the brie to help hold it together as it bakes. I really like this article about the brie rind and the manners surrounding that.
We score the top of the brie to help the pepper jelly soak into it a little bit. This will also get the pepper jelly flavor into the cheese, so that you can have some of it in every bite.
I used a 7oz. wheel of brie, but you could very easily use a larger wheel if that is what you have on hand or if you are serving more people.
If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet like I do, I recommend using a brie baker or another ceramic casserole that is on the smaller end so that everything can be self-contained and not melt out into a larger dish.
You should be able to find pepper jelly at your regular grocery store or at the farmer’s market.
You could, but then it’s not going to be a pepper jelly baked brie, and to me, the pepper jelly is the whole point of this recipe. So if you are going to make it, I recommend seeking out the pepper jelly.
Sure, but the pecans are a wonderful Southern ingredient that pair nicely with the pepper jelly. But any other toasted nut should work if you prefer those.
You will know the brie is done baking when it is bubbly and some of it has spilled out the side. This is not an exact science, but you need the brie to be gooey to have it capture the full effect.
No, I have never tried a dairy-free brie and do not recommend it.
Quick tips and tricks to the best baked brie:
- Score the top of the rind before adding the pepper jelly. This allows the jelly to seep into the cheese as it bakes rather than just sitting on top and melting.
- And speaking of rinds, don’t remove it. It holds everything together while the cheese bakes and keeps the brie from spreading in your baking dish.
- Toast the pecans separately. Trying to toast them on top of the brie (or on a separate sheet pan) while the brie bakes is a recipe for disaster.
- Seek out quality pepper jelly. To me, farmer’s market pepper jelly is top-tier. The store-bought stuff works perfectly, but a good local pepper jelly can take this recipe over the top.
- Serve immediately. This is not a make-ahead recipe. The whole point is that melty, gooey dip straight out of the oven.
When to share…
- GAME NIGHT: It’s easy to assemble quickly and impossible to stop eating. (My mahjong group approves.)
- HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and more… this is the app that disappears quick.
- LADIES NIGHT: It’s fancy enough to feel special, but easy enough that you’re not stressed before guests arrive.
- WINE NIGHT: Brie and wine are a natural pairing. The added pepper jelly and pecans elevate everything.
- SHOWER APP: Baby or bridal, this fits in on a beautiful spread alongside fruit and crackers.
Here’s how you can make this appetizer at home…
Pepper Jelly Baked Brie
EQUIPMENT
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- Cast iron skillet or brie baker
- Appetizer knife
Ingredients
- 7 oz. brie wheel
- ¼ cup pepper jelly
- 2 tablespoons toasted pecans
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Instructions
- Toast the pecans. Spread the chopped pecans over a rimmed sheet pan and toast for 5-8 minutes in a 400°F oven, or until golden brown. They will smell fantastic. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. This can be done in advance.
- If you were not toasting the pecans directly before making the baked brie, now is the time to preheat the oven to 400°F. Find a small cast-iron skillet or a brie baker to use as your baking vessel and set aside.
- Use a sharp knife to score the 7 oz. brie wheel Make ¼” deep slices in the top of the wheel of cheese, creating a criss-cross pattern.
- Place the scored wheel of brie into the cast-iron skillet and top with pepper jelly. Spread ¼ cup pepper jelly over the top of the brie in an even layer so that the entire surface of the wheel of cheese is coated.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly, gooey, and delicious.
- Remove from the oven and top with 2 tablespoons toasted pecans.
- Serve with your favorite dippers, be they baguette slices, crackers, apple slices or more, and enjoy immediately.
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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