Baked brie, plain or wrapped in puff pastry

The short answer: Baked brie is a wheel of brie warmed in the oven until the center turns soft and spreadable. **For plain baked brie, score the top of an 8-ounce wheel, spoon on 3 tablespoons of jam or honey with a handful of nuts, and bake it on a lined sheet at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes.

For baked brie in puff pastry, wrap the topped wheel in one thawed sheet, brush it with egg wash and bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes.** Rest it for 5 minutes and serve it with baguette and apple slices. Below are both methods, toppings, make-ahead steps and safe serving.

I love cooking for the holidays, and baked brie is the appetizer that looks the most impressive for the least work.

What you need

Keep the brie cold until you wrap or bake it. Cold cheese is easier to handle and won't leak before the pastry sets.

How to make plain baked brie

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a small baking sheet or use a shallow baking dish.
2. Score the top. Cut a shallow crosshatch in the top rind, or slice off just the top rind.
3. Top it. Spoon on the jam or honey and scatter the nuts.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the sides feel soft when pressed.
5. Rest and serve. Let it sit for 5 minutes so it doesn't flood the plate, then serve it warm.

How to make baked brie in puff pastry

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Roll the pastry lightly on a floured counter so it's about 2 inches bigger than the wheel on every side.
3. Top and wrap. Set the brie in the center, add the jam and nuts, then fold the pastry up and over, trimming extra dough so the top isn't too thick.
4. Seal. Flip it seam-side down and brush it all over with egg wash. Use dough scraps to cut leaves or stars for the top.
5. Chill for 15 minutes so the pastry stays flaky.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Eight baked brie toppings

Building a full spread? Baked brie fits right in the middle of a Christmas charcuterie board or next to our Christmas appetizers. Add a hot Rotel cheese dip with tortilla chips for guests who want something savory.

Plain or puff pastry?

Fixes for common problems

• Cheese leaked out: the pastry had a thin spot or the brie was warm. Patch thin spots with scraps and chill before baking.
• Pale pastry: bake a few minutes longer and use egg wash on the sides too.
• Soggy bottom: bake it on the lower rack on parchment, not foil.
• Turned firm on the table: brie firms as it cools. Warm it in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.

Safe serving

Warm brie tastes best in its first half hour, but the clock that matters is the USDA one: its danger zone page caps soft cheese and other perishables at 2 hours out of the fridge (1 hour on a hot day). Wrap what's left, chill it and finish it within 3 to 4 days, which matches the USDA leftovers page advises. Leftover baked brie is good cold on a sandwich or rewarmed for 5 minutes.

Put it on the holiday menu

One wheel of good brie can cost as much as a whole tray of cookies, so it pays to decide early which gatherings get it. Plan each party's menu, then buy the cheese and pastry in the same trip as everything else.

• Holiday Season Bundle, $15.99 (regularly $25.94 for the six items bought separately). The Meal Planner & Grocery List, the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner, a cleaning schedule and savings trackers in one download.
• Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. Map out each party's appetizers and get one aisle-sorted list for the store.
• Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Record which topping won the night and the bake time that works in your oven.

See everything in the Holiday shop or our full Printables line. Pair it with more formal hors d'oeuvres when you need a plated starter table.