Roasted Balsamic Cranberry and Brie Crostini
There’s nothing like the fearlessness of a teenager to get you out of your crostini rut. These Roasted Balsamic Cranberry Brie Appetizers are so hip and fun, they might even learn how to text.
A few years ago I had the privilege of teaching an informal cooking class to several young people from our neighborhood. Over a series of several weeks, we worked through essentials like pizza dough, roasting red peppers, cake baking, and pie crust. But our very first lesson was on crostini.
Crostini is one of the easiest things you can make in your kitchen. The word literally means “little toasts” and it doesn’t get much more complicated than a slather of butter and a short journey in the oven. I thought crostini would be a great way to begin our cooking classes since they’re simple, versatile, and allow for plenty of creativity. I bought a few baguettes from the store, along with a variety of meats, cheeses, and spreads.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this group of teenagers. Would they think crostini was lame? Too fancy? Too boring? Were they too cool for crostini? As it turns out, they loved it. Gathered around the kitchen island, we experimented with all sorts of different combinations. One person would start with sun dried tomatoes, then another would chime in with a hearty, “Oooo! Add some mozzarella to that!” or “Wouldn’t a smear of pesto really take it over the top?”
The crostini we created that night was far better than anything I could have created on my own. The teenagers challenged each other, encouraging each other to try foods and combinations they otherwise might never have been brave enough to try. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and the creativity built on itself, leaving us with some of the most unique crostini recipes I’ve ever encountered.
Those cooking classes signaled the first time I realized I don’t simply love cooking, I love cooking with other people. There’s something magical about being gathered in the kitchen together. It spurs us to think outside the box. It brings new perspectives, new palates, and new ideas. Working with teenagers made me far braver in the kitchen. They weren’t afraid to try something different, which led to some unexpectedly delicious surprises.
In honor of the creative, brave, and daring spirits of these teenagers, I bring you this Roasted Balsamic Cranberry and Brie Crostini. There’s nothing particularly new about cranberries and brie, but when I thought of the ingredients I gathered for that cooking class so long ago, a range of herbs popped into my mind. Basil, cilantro, rosemary, thyme. Could any of them go with cranberries? I decided to give it a try.
Like most times, the willingness to take a risk paid off. I tossed some rosemary into a mixture of cranberries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar then roasted it until the cranberries were bursting with juices and sticky sweet. This then became a topping for creamy brie with a festive sprig of thyme to finish it off.
These are without a doubt my new favorite holiday appetizer. Their bright red and green color would be absolutely perfect for party trays, and the combinations of sticky sweet cranberries and brie offset with the piney rosemary just screams Christmas time!
When I’m looking for a spark to inspire my latest kitchen adventure, I often think back to that cooking class, and other times I’ve been playing in the kitchen with others. That face to face interaction is what Bon Appetit’s Out of the Kitchen series is all about. If you find yourself in a rut, try perusing their page, or inviting some folks over for a cooking extravaganza. You’ll be surprised how a different perspective can enliven your cooking.
Roasted Balsamic Cranberry and Brie Crostini
Sweet, tangy, colorful, and toasted. These Roasted Balsamic Cranberry and Brie Crostini make for the perfect Holiday appetizer.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 a french baguette, sliced thin
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon rosemary
- 4 ounces triple cream brie
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the butter and olive oil. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with mixture and line them up on a baking sheet. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, stir together the cranberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and rosemary. Spread these out on a rimmed baking sheet. (They get pretty sticky, so if you want to avoid scrubbing, line the pan with parchment paper).
- Place the cranberries in the oven. Roast for five minutes, then add the tray of baguette slices to the oven. Roast for an additional 6 minutes then remove the baguette slices, flip them over, and return to the oven for another 4-6 minutes, or until crispy and golden. At this point, the cranberries should be popped open with juices running out. Remove both the cranberries and baguette slices from the oven.
- Top each baguette with a slice of brie and a spoonful of cranberries. Garnish with thyme if desired. These can be served while the cranberries are still warm, or you can make the components ahead of time. The cranberries can be chilled overnight and the crostini will keep in a zip lock bag. Simply assemble and serve at room temperature when you're ready!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 164Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 115mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g
Please note nutritional information for my recipes is calculated by a third party service and provided as a courtesy to my readers. For the most accurate calculation, I always recommend running the numbers yourself with the specific products you use.
Recipe by NeighborFood
Also, check out BonAppetit.com‘s “OUT OF THE KITCHEN,” an exploration of the coolest food artisans in America, from spice blenders to knife makers to cider brewers. See how they mastered their crafts—and learn how to apply their knowledge at home.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bon Appetit. The opinions and text are all mine.
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
You can roast the cranberries several days in advance and store them in the fridge, but I wouldn’t assemble or bake the crostini until right before you’re planning to serve them.
This has been my go-to recipe for thanksgiving the last few years. I love it and so does everyone else. It’s different, delicious and simple. I’m pretty sure everyone ruins their thanksgiving meal when I bring this out as an appetizer. I don’t blame them 😉
Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing that feedback! It makes my day!
That’s a great question! I would probably layer the brie in a serving dish (you could even use a wheel of Brie if you’re thinking it’ll be more like a disposable recipe), then bake it for 8-10 minutes or until it’s melting. Spoon the cranberries on top and serve as a dip with the crostini.
I’ve made this a few years in a row and love it. I’d like to try to carry it in for another family thanksgiving. Have you ever layered the Brie with cranberries on top just in a serving dish with the croustinis on the side? Would I need to melt the Brie
It looks like Thyme on top in the photo. Have you tried both, anyone?
Preferences? Seems like softer Thyme might be a good choice.
I cant wait to make these and I’ll use both herbs if I don’t hear back from anyone and let you know my guests preferences.
It’s the wrong time of year for fresh cranberries now, but I always put a few bags in the freezer after Christmas. Has anyone tried making this with frozen cranberries? Just wondering if there is any reason I can’t do that? I may try it and see what happens….
It was so good!!! What a great hit! I’m making this for all my holiday parties now!!! I did heed a previous commenter’s posting and took the cranberries and the crostini out a little earlier. And I also had an issue with the juices running off the parchment paper and therefore away from the berries. I took them out when I was turning the crostini, and scraped them off the parchment paper and made sure they mixed into the juice. Next time, smaller cookie sheet for the cranberries, and no parchment paper. The sticky wasn’t bad at all – I left the pan in the sink to soak while I went to the party! 😉 But they were a BIG HIT and I loved them. Thank you so much!
Since my husband is a meat and potatoes guy, trying this recipe was somewhat daunting. I didn’t have fresh rosemary, so I used crushed, way too much, apparently. The result was sour, so I sprinkled some extra sugar on them. There was way too little cheese for the amount of topping. Twice as much would have been better. My cranberries ended up too dry because I left them in as indicated. I should have watched them and gotten them out sooner. In spite of all of this, my husband asked to taste one! Then he ate the whole thing!! The crostinies went over well at our church function.
This is exactly what I was looking for! Do you think that I can prepare the cranberries a day in advance?
I’m not a fan of rosemary. Have you ever tried fresh thyme instead of rosemary and if so, how did it taste? Thanks
Thank you! Love your site. I will absolutely include your message to our guests. Happy Holidays!
Yes, you may. Thank you for asking. Please credit the recipe to Courtney at NeighborFood and include the web address. It’s be awesome if you said something like, “For more recipes, check out neigborfoodblog.com.” Happy holidays!
Can I print and duplicate the recipe to hand out to patrons at a hospital café? Your website and copyright are clearly printed on the document. It is just an educational event re: cooking with cranberries.
Hi! Could I thaw some frozen whole cranberries and make this??
I think that should work!
Not too difficult but sure is messy! They came out delicious and the best part is they look like the picture!
Yay! I’m so glad they came out like the picture! I hope it was worth the mess. 🙂
This sounds divine. For a shortcut do you think it might work using canned whole cranberry sauce and skipping the sugar? I would probably reduce it with the balsamic and rosemary on the stove… Thoughts?
That could probably work. I don’t know if the texture would be quite the same. I’ve never really used the whole cranberry canned sauce before. As long as it’s decently thick and sweet it should be fine!
I really have to watch my sugar intake. Do you think I can make these with a sugar substitute?
Do you use dried or fresh rosemary?
I use fresh. 🙂
Thanks so much!
Omg I made these and they are so darn good. Simple and mouthwatering! My fav
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I made these yesterday for my holiday party. The balsamic roasted cranberries were amazing! It also made a ton!
Great! So glad they turned out for you! Thanks for coming back to let me know! 🙂
Amazing recipe! The combination of flavors is superb.
Only 1 comment: I put the crostini with brie (no cranberry) in the oven for a few minutes to really melt the brie as well.
Thank you so much Isabelle! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Melty brie is always welcome. 🙂
What an amazing experience that must have been, Courtney. I’d have been afraid of the kids not engaging but it sounds like you all had a fantastic time together. I’m adding this to my Christmas dinner menus. The roasted cranberries sound delicious, I looooooove brie and this looks so darn festive!
Yeah, teenagers sort of terrify me, but they were GREAT. It was so fun to see them discover things in the kitchen and their excitement was contagious!
What a great story! Love love love these crostinis!
I could eat crostini all day every day…especially topped with cranberries and brie. And the cooking class you taught sounds SO fun! I love that you started with these so that the students could see that cooking doesn’t have to be daunting or full of a million complicated steps!