Happy day before Thanksgiving! I hope everyone is just as excited as I am. We have all of the family here…and then some…for tomorrow’s big meal. My parents house is very full, and will continue to be through the weekend. I know this might sound cheesy, but I’m feeling extra thankful this year. It’s been such a busy year. The last two months have been non-stop, and filled with a lot of work and not enough sleep…and I would not change it for a thing. I’m just so excited for all the growth that HBH has seen this year. And so thankful for all you, who loyally read my rambles day in and day out. It’s funny, when I’m writing each day’s new blog post I never think about how many people will read it, or what you guys might think. I just write and share my life with you all. I love that this space feels like I’m chatting with friends every single day. It’s truly the best, and I’m very thankful to have SO many of you to talk and share my recipes with daily!
Since we’re down to the wire, and somehow Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I wanted to share an incredibly easy recipe that’s also incredibly delicious. Enter these cranberry brie pastry tarts. These tarts are hands down one of the most delicious appetizers you can serve up. They still have a nice classic holiday flavor combo. But they’re made into cute tarts that are the best little three bite appetizers. They’re perfect for tomorrow, or any other party this holiday season.
I mentioned the other day that one of my go-to short cut ingredients is puff pastry. I kind of love it. Puff pastry is great for quick dinners, beyond delicious appetizers, and sweet desserts. That said, if there’s one thing I love to use puff pastry for the most, it’s brie. Brie and puff pastry are like peanut butter and jelly. They’re delicious on their own, but better together (really throwing out all the cheesy lines today…). As you can imagine, these are simple, but don’t let that fool you, they are so good. I guarantee that if you put these on your appetizer table, every last tart will be gone in minutes.
Start by mixing fresh cranberries with a little brown sugar and cinnamon. Since we’re using fresh cranberries it’s necessary to sweeten them with some form of sugar, or they’ll be too tart to eat. I like to use anywhere from 3 to 4 tablespoons of sugar, but use more or less to you taste. The cinnamon adds the perfect warming touch that pairs nicely with the tart cranberries and creamy brie. Now, cut each sheet of pastry into rectangles and spread with fig preserves. The preserves add another layer of flavor and also help to balance the cranberry’s tartness. You could also use an equal amount of maple syrup or honey. Top the preserves with slices of brie, add the cranberries, throw them in the oven, and done. Quick, easy, and perfect.
When these come out of the oven, some of the brie may have melted over the sides of the pastry. Don’t worry, this is totally fine. You just need to scoop any brie that melted off, back onto the tarts. Brie is a melty cheese, so just be aware that will most likely happen. In my opinion, the meltier and messier the tarts are, the better. I finished each tart off with some fresh thyme leaves for a pop of festive green color, and a hint of savory flavor. It’s hard to describe just how good these are, but if you love cranberries, and you love brie, you must make these mini tarts. Promise, they will be the favorite appetizer of the night! I am very much looking forward to making them tomorrow for my family. Hoping you all have a very wonderful Thanksgiving, full of good food, family, and friends! If you need any last minutes recipe ideas, check out my Thanksgiving menu. Taking tomorrow off to cook (I’ll be on Instagram though, with fun behind the scenes stories). I’ll be back on Friday with my first ever pot pie recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!
If you make these cranberry brie tarts be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite! Watch The How To Video Here:
Cranberry Brie Tarts from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo.
