Thanksgiving show stopper! Cooking twine is used to create a festive pumpkin-shaped puff pastry that's filled with melty brie cheese, spiced pumpkin butter, and toasted pecans. The most delicious and beautiful Thanksgiving appetizer. This Pumpkin Puff Pastry Baked Brie will seriously impress your friends and family!
How beautiful is this pumpkin puff pastry!? I hope you saved room on your Thanksgiving table for one more appetizer because this is a must make!! It looks a little fancy and seriously impressive, but it's actually quite easy to make with simple ingredients.
The brie cheese is so melty and pairs perfectly with the warm spices of pumpkin butter and crunchy toasted pecans. It's just a Thanksgiving dream!
If pumpkin butter isn't your thing swap it for cranberry sauce, apple butter, or your favorite jam, such as fig or any berry jam!
Why you'll love this recipe
Seriously impressive.
This is a Thanksgiving show-stopper! Serve on a nice platter with assorted crisps, crackers, and toasted baguette. It's so BEAUTIFUL and your family and friends are going to go crazy over it!
Easy to make.
Although it may not look like it, this pumpkin puff pastry is actually super simple to make! Puff pastry is wrapped around brie cheese, pumpkin butter and pecans then tied up with cooking twine to create a pumpkin shape.
You can watch my recipe video on Instagram or TikTok to see how easy it is to make!
Incredibly delicious.
There are few things better than warm, melty brie cheese. Now add pumpkin butter and you have the perfect Thanksgiving appetizer that not only looks amazing but also tastes delicious.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Butter (or you can use store-bought)
- Pumpkin puree
- Apple cider or juice
- Brown sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Salt
Pumpkin Puff Pastry Baked Brie
- Puff pastry
- Pecans
- Pumpkin butter
- Brie cheese
- Egg
- Coarse sugar (optional)
- Cinnamon stick + fresh sage, for garnish (optional)
How to make baked brie in puff pastry
Although it looks super impressive and a little fancy, this pumpkin puff pastry is actually quite simple to make! Let's talk about it.
P.S. You can watch my recipe video on my Instagram or TikTok to see how it's made!
- Make the pumpkin butter. Mix together 5 simple ingredients and simmer on the stove for 15 minutes. That's it! But, if preferred, you can use store-bought.
- Roll out the puff pastry. You want the puff pastry slightly larger than it comes. Roll out into a 10-inch square. Make sure your pastry is thawed but still cold.
- Add your filling. To the center of the pastry, add pecans, apple butter and a whole wheel of brie cheese! We are building the pumpkin puff pastry upside down because it will get flipped over before baking.
- Tie up with cooking twine. This is where the magic happens. Using 4 strands of cooking twine, create a pumpkin shape by tying the twine around the puff pastry. As it bakes, it will turn into a pretty little puff pastry pumpkin!
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Brushing with egg wash creates a nice golden brown crust and the coarse sugar adds a little sweetness to the pastry. If you don't have coarse sugar, you can sprinkle it with a little granulated sugar.
- Bake. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, then let cool for 10-15.
- Make it pretty! This is where it all comes together. Push a cinnamon stick through the center and garnish fresh sage next to it. Serve and enjoy!
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions.
Frequently asked questions
What flavors go well with baked brie?
Pumpkin or apple butter are great fall flavors to use for this pumpkin baked brie. But, other great options are honey, cranberry sauce, or your favorite jam, such as fig or berry!
Do you take the rind off brie before baking?
The rind on brie cheese is soft and edible! It helps the brie hold its shape as it melts. I like to cut the rind off just the top of the brie so the melty brie can blend better with the pumpkin butter and pecans.
How long should you bake brie for?
Bake puff pastry-wrapped brie uncovered at 400 degrees for 20-35 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Do you bake puff pastry before filling?
No! Thawed, uncooked puff pastry dough is wrapped around brie cheese and then sealed closed by folding the corners in and brushing with egg wash to help the dough stick to itself.
Do you brush puff pastry with egg wash or butter?
Brush the puff pastry all over with egg wash to create a nice golden brown crust when baking.
Should I poke holes in puff pastry?
To create a nicely puffed up pastry, do not poke holes. We want to lock in the steam to allow the puff pastry to puff up and create flakey layers.
Tips & tricks
- Brush with egg wash. Brushing the puff pastry all over with egg wash creates a beautiful, golden brown crust.
- Use thawed but still cold puff pastry. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, it should take about 30-40 minutes at room temperature for the puff pastry to thaw enough to handle but still remain cold enough so it doesn't fall apart.
- Tie the twine tight but not too tight. You want the tie to make a little indent in the side of the brie (like you see in the picture), but not too tight otherwise it will break a hole in puff pastry and the cheese will ooze out while baking. But don't stress! One of my strings got a little tight the last time I made it, so a little cheese baked out, but it was still perfectly fine!
- Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Adds a little sweetness to the puff pastry while making it look even more beautiful. If you don't have coarse sugar, you can use a little granulated sugar.
- Wait 10-15 minutes before cutting it open. Trust me, the brie won't firm up in this short amount of time. It will still be hot and melty. Give it a little time to cool slightly so the brie doesn't completely rush out.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, place in a small baking dish with sides and bake at 400 degrees until warm and melty, or you can reheat in the microwave. Since the puff pastry is already cut open, using a small baking dish with sides is key because the warm brie cheese will start to run out of the pastry - this is OK!
Store leftover pumpkin butter in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More Fall recipes you'll love
Recipe video
P.S. You can watch my recipe video on my Instagram or TikTok to see how it's made!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below! I'd love to hear from you! If you're on Instagram, share a picture of the food you created and tag me at Modern Farmhouse Eats! I enjoy seeing all the pictures! 😊
Pumpkin Puff Pastry Baked Brie
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Butter
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup apple cider
- 2 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of salt
Pumpkin Puff Pastry Baked Brie
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed but still cold
- ¼ cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup pumpkin butter
- 8 ounce wheel of brie
- 1 egg
- coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)
- cinnamon stick & fresh sage for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Pumpkin Butter
- Add the ingredients to a small pot and mix to combine. Place on the stove over medium-low heat and bring to a light simmer. Cover loosely with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn't burn, until thickened to a spreading consistency.
Pumpkin Puff Pastry Baked Brie
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Roll the puff pastry into a 10 inch square.
- To the center of the puff pastry, add the pecans and pumpkin butter making a circle about the size of the wheel of brie.
- Carefully cut the rind off the top of the brie. Place the brie cut side down over the pumpkin butter and pecans.
- Bring one corner of the pastry up and over the brie, and then brush that corner of the puff pastry with egg wash. Fold up the next corner of the puff pastry creating a pleated design, and again brushing the puff pastry with egg wash after each fold to help it stick. Continue until all corners are folded around the brie, pressing in the sides to create a rough circle.Watch my recipe video on Instagram or TikTok to see how it's made!
- Lay out 4 long strands of cooking twine creating a cross then an X over the top. Place the puff pastry wrapped brie in the center of the twine with the seam side facing up. Grabbing the ends of each strand of twine, tie the twine around the puff pastry, pulling it tight so it indents the puff pastry just a little. Continue until all the twine has been tied. I like to double knot the twine then cut off the extra length.
- Flip the twine wrapped puff pastry over onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Mix the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush all over the puff pastry. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 20-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then cut away the twine. Push a cinnamon stick through the center of the puff pastry and garnish with sage leaves next to it.
- Serve with crisps, crackers or toasted baguette.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by a third party software and is only an estimate, not a guarantee. This information is provided as a courtesy, and you are solely responsible for all decisions related to your health.
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Maureen says
A group of 4-H youth and I made this recipe last night during our Chefs' club meeting.
The youth did a great job. The pumpkins looked great. I tried it even though I don't care for brie cheese. I loved the crust, pumpkin butter spread, and pecans and definitely want to use it again with another cheese or filling. Could you suggest another cheese that could be cut from a block shape into a round shape?
Rachel Kochlin says
Maureen, I love that you made my recipe with your 4-H youth - what a fun idea! I bet the kiddos had such a great time! You could try goat cheese or Boursin - they have a fig and balsamic cheese that sounds delicious! Or even their rosemary and black pepper would be a fun savory and sweet combination with the pumpkin butter! If you give it another try, let me know what cheese you went with!