When it comes to holiday appetizers, nothing beats puff pastry filled with all kinds of yummy treats. These Brie, Fig & Pecan Puff Pastry Bites have all my favorite things stuffed into a little 2-bite morsel of food. So easy to make and so delicious. They were definitely inspired by my niece Carly who could polish off an entire wheel of brie that had been baked with jam and wrapped in puff pastry…quite amazing actually! When she was little, she’d look at me with this big happy grin like she had just scored the winning touchdown. So cute! Of course, that meant no one else got to try it, but you know the rule in my house, snooze and you lose!!! LOL
The recipe starts with a good store-bought puff pastry that has been thawed overnight. This recipe is for twelve appetizers, so you only need one sheet of puff pastry. BTW, they go fast and people love them so, go ahead and make to batches. The recipe is so easy to double or triple.
Simply roll out the puff pastry dough on a cutting board that has been lightly floured. Cut the pastry into 12 equal squares.
BTW: if you like puff pastry or want to try it in other recipes see my 8 Recipes Using Store Bought Puff Pastry post for inspiration.
Using silicon mini muffin trays (for easy clean up), press a square of pastry dough into a muffin cup and press it down on the bottom and up the sides creating a well for the filling. (Yes, you can use traditional mini muffin tins.) Because these cups will puff up when baking, alternate the pastry so they aren’t touching each other in the cups. (see photo). Don’t worry about how the pastry looks…they are supposed to be rustic.
In a small mixing bowl, mix the egg and water. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash onto all the pastry cups. Put in the fridge while you prep your filling ingredients.
Prepare you filling. You’ll need a jar of fig jam or preserves. Brie and fig puff pastry is a favorite combo of mine. I like making fig puff pastry tarts for brunch parties too but note, you can use any flavored jam you like. Strawberry, raspberry, apricot and pineapple all work great.
Chop up your nuts. I used pecans but any of your favorite nuts will work. If you want to develop the flavor of the nuts, toast them in a small skillet over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes tossing every once in awhile until fragrant. Make sure you chop them into small pieces that fit nicely in each pastry cup.
Cut your brie into small pieces – one piece for each appetizer cup.
You are ready to assemble your appetizers.
Remove the chilled muffin trays from the fridge. Add a piece of brie, 1/2 teaspoon of the fig jam and some nuts to each cup. Put back in the fridge for another 10 minutes to chill.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Once chilled and the oven is preheated, pop the muffin trays into the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes until the pastry is cooked through, the cheese is melted and the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit a minute. Using the tip of a paring knife, remove the appetizers from the muffin tray and place on a platter or serving board.
Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves and flaky salt (optional) over the top of the baked bites. Serve immediately and enjoy. Did you like this recipe? If so, please leave a rating and comment below. What jam and nut combo did you use? I’d love to hear from you. If you liked this recipe, be sure to try my Croque Monsieur Appetizers too. Another great holiday starter.
Looking for other holiday appetizers? Check out some of my easy favorites:
Truffle Infused Parmesan & Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Brie, Fig & Pecan Puff Pastry Bites
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 Sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight
- All-purpose flour to roll pastry
- 1 Egg, beaten with water
- 6 Oz. Brie, cut into small cubes
- 6 Tsp. Fig preserves
- 6 Tsp. Pecans, chopped
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Sprinkle flour on your kitchen counter and unfold the puff pastry. Roll out the pastry into a 12” x 10” rectangle and cut into 12 squares. You’ll stretch the squares slightly and press into the muffin cups. Gently press on the bottom and up the sides of the cups.
- Make an egg wash by mixing the egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush the pastry cups with the egg wash and put in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill.
- Meanwhile, cut your brie into 12 small cubes. Chop your pecans.
- Remove the muffin tin from the refrigerator and add one cube of cheese in each cup, top with ½ Teaspoon of the fig preserves and sprinkle each with a ½ teaspoon of the chopped pecans.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown, and the cheese is melted.
- Serve your pastry puffs on a serving platter and enjoy.
