Cranberry Brie Crostini with Hot Honey

Cranberry brie crostini with hot honey are crisp baguette toasts topped with warm brie, a spoonful of cranberry sauce, toasted pecans and a drizzle of spicy honey. One tray takes about 20 minutes and makes about 24 pieces, which suits a Christmas table, a holiday open house or any party where people eat standing up. If your guests like sweet, salty and a little heat in one bite, this is the appetizer to put out first.

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What goes on the tray

• 1 baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz brie, sliced
• 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp hot sauce

Two things that decide how these turn out

Toast the bread before the cheese goes on

The bake happens in two stages for a reason. If you put brie on raw bread and bake it all together, the cheese melts into the crumb before the toast has a chance to dry out, and you end up with soft, slightly greasy slices that bend when someone picks them up. Toasting the oiled slices alone first, for 6 to 8 minutes at 400°F, gives each one a firm, golden surface. The brie then sits on top of that crust instead of soaking in.

Watch the edges rather than the clock. Baguettes vary in width and density, so some trays are ready at 6 minutes and others need the full 8. You want the slices golden and crisp all the way across, with no pale, spongy middle.

Keep the hot honey runny

The recipe’s own tip is the one people skip: warm the honey with the pepper flakes and hot sauce only until it runs. If it boils, the honey cooks further and sets hard on the toast as it cools, which turns a soft drizzle into a sticky shell. Use low heat and pull it off as soon as it flows freely when you tilt the pan. The recipe gives no set time for this step, so watch the honey itself instead of a timer.

Fans of sweet heat can also spoon our hot honey bacon onion jam over goat cheese for another easy appetizer.

For a milder version with a salty crunch, try our cranberry brie crostini with pistachios finished with rosemary and a light drizzle of honey.

How to make cranberry brie crostini

• Heat the oven to 400°F. Lay the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush with the olive oil.
• Toast 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and crisp.
• Top each toast with a slice of brie and bake 3 to 4 minutes, until the cheese softens.
• Warm the honey with the pepper flakes and hot sauce.
• Spoon a little cranberry sauce on each toast, sprinkle with pecans and drizzle with the hot honey.

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Getting them to the table while the brie is soft

Timing matters more here than in most appetizers. The brie only needs 3 to 4 minutes to soften, so use that window to warm the honey. By the time the tray comes out, the drizzle is ready and you can finish every toast in one pass while the cheese is still warm and slightly glossy.

Work in an assembly line: a small spoonful of cranberry sauce on each slice, a pinch of pecans, then the honey last so it runs over everything. Half a cup of cranberry sauce spread across about 24 toasts is roughly a teaspoon each, so keep the portions small. Too much sauce slides off the brie and makes the bread wet.

Move the crostini straight onto a board or platter. The red sauce, the cream of the brie and the brown pecans look festive on their own, so there is no need for extra garnish. Set out napkins, because the honey does drip.

These are at their best soon after you finish them. As they sit, the brie firms back up and the toast slowly softens under the sauce. If you are hosting a long party, bake one sheet at a time instead of all the slices at once, so a warm batch is always on the way.

Cooking for a bigger holiday spread? Pair these toasts with a cranberry pecan baked brie in puff pastry or our flaky cranberry brie crescent bites , and if you want a little heat on the cheese board, a jar of spiced cranberry orange jalapeno jelly fits right in.

A few questions before you start

Do I need to cut the rind off the brie?

No. The rind is edible and it helps each slice keep its shape in the oven. Slicing the brie straight from the fridge is easier, since cold brie cuts cleanly and warm brie smears on the knife.

How spicy is the hot honey?

It is a gentle warmth. Half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes and a teaspoon of hot sauce are spread through 3 tablespoons of honey, and each toast only gets a thin drizzle. The sweetness of the cranberry sauce and the richness of the brie soften the heat further. If some guests avoid spice, drizzle lightly on part of the tray.

Why whole berry cranberry sauce?

Whole berry sauce spoons into neat little mounds and keeps visible pieces of fruit on top of the cheese. That texture and color are a big part of how these look on the platter.

Why are the pecans toasted?

Toasting brings out a deeper, nuttier flavor and keeps the pecans crunchy against the soft brie. Toast and chop them before you start the bread so they are ready when the tray comes out of the oven.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us