I've had this recipe idea rolling around in my head for probably about a year. I'm not sure why I waited so long to test it out, but I'm certainly glad I finally did because this Vegan Baked Brie in Puff Pastry is the stuff of holiday appetizer dreams!!!! Gooey homemade easy-to-make vegan brie cheese is paired with cranberry sauce, walnuts, and wrapped up in flaky crispy puff pastry. Don't be surprised when this gets gobbled up at lightning speed.
Although this recipe has a few steps, it's actually super easy to make. The brie is made with just 7 ingredients you can find at almost any grocery store. Just blend, cook for 2 - 3 minutes to make a gooey melty brie. The trick is to freeze this brie so that it holds its shape. Once wrapped in puff pastry and baked it re-melts making a delicious creamy filling. And because the brie needs to be frozen before using it, this means most of the recipe is actually made ahead of time. Just bake fresh and serve hot!
Then just roll out the puff pastry, add cranberry sauce and walnuts, wrap the frozen brie inside and bake. So easy peasy!
I paired my brie with cranberry sauce and walnuts. But you could get creative and use any jam or chopped nut combo you like!
How to Make Vegan Baked Brie:
To Soften the cashews (optional): If you have a high-powered blender you may be able to skip this step, but if not, this step is important to get a smooth cheese. You can either boil or soak the cashews. To boil the cashews (the fast method): add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until the cashews are very tender. To soak the cashews: add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or overnight until tender. Drain and rinse cashews before using.
To make the vegan brie:
Add the cashews along with ⅔ cup of water, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, vinegar, salt and garlic powder to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. It will be very watery.
Pour into a small saucepan and put over medium-high heat. Continually stir. The cheese will start forming clumps, keep stirring and it will continue clumping until the mixture turns from watery to a thicker melty cheese sauce. This takes 2 - 3 minutes.
Line a 4 inch spring form pan with parchment paper, or use a similar sized container lined with parchment paper, or use a 4 inch silicon mold. Pour the cheese into the prepared mold, and freeze overnight. This can be kept frozen until ready to use.
When ready to assemble:
Preheat your 400F (200C). Line an 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper (or use a similar sized baking dish).
On a lightly floured surface roll out the puff pastry to ⅛" thickness, making a square that's about 10" x 10".
Spread the cranberry sauce in the middle of the puff pastry making a circle about the same size as your vegan brie. Sprinkle the walnuts on top of the cranberry sauce. Then place the frozen un-wrapped brie on top of that. (I find placing the cranberry sauce on the bottom makes it easier to pinch the puff pastry closed without sauce escaping everywhere).
You can make your own homemade cranberry sauce or use canned store-bought cranberry sauce, either way is great!
Gather the edges of the puff pastry and wrap around the brie. Pinch the pastry closed. Remove any excess pastry if needed. Optionally, you can use any leftover pastry to make leaf shapes or any other decorations you like.
Once wrapped, brush the puff pastry with aquafaba or plant-based milk, this will help it get golden brown in the oven. Carefully transfer the wrapped brie to the prepared baking pan and bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve hot.
Get your napkins ready because this gooey vegan baked brie is deliciously messy. YUM.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
Vegan Baked Brie in Puff Pastry
Ingredients
For the brie:
- ⅓ cup raw cashews, softened if needed (see step 1)
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
- ½ tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
For the puff pastry:
- 7 oz puff pastry, thawed (check to make sure it's vegan)
- 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce, (see notes for substitutes)
- 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 - 2 tablespoons aquafaba or plant-based milk
Instructions
Softening the cashews (optional):
- Softening the cashews first helps them blend. If you have a high-powered blender you may be able to skip this step, but if not, this step is important to get a smooth cheese. You can either boil or soak the cashews. To boil the cashews (the fast method): add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 10 minutes until the cashews are very tender. To soak the cashews: add the cashews to a bowl, and cover with water. Let soak for 4 hours or overnight until tender. Drain and rinse cashews before using.
To make the vegan brie:
- Add the cashews along with ⅔ cup of water, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, vinegar, salt and garlic powder to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. It will be very watery.
- Pour into a small saucepan and put over medium-high heat. Continually stir. The cheese will start forming clumps, keep stirring and it will continue clumping until the mixture turns from watery to a thicker melty cheese sauce. This takes 2 - 3 minutes. Line a 4 inch spring form pan with parchment paper, or use a similar sized container lined with parchment paper, or use a 4 inch silicon mold. Pour the cheese into the prepared mold, and freeze overnight. This can be kept frozen until ready to use.
When ready to assemble:
- Preheat your 400F (200C). Line an 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper (or use a similar sized baking dish).
- On a lightly floured surface roll out one of the puff pastry to ⅛" thickness, making a square that's about 10" x 10". Spread the cranberry sauce in the middle of the puff pastry making a circle about the same size as your vegan brie. Sprinkle the walnuts on top of the cranberry sauce. Then place the frozen un-wrapped brie on top of that. (I find placing the cranberry sauce on the bottom makes it easier to pinch the puff pastry closed without sauce escaping everywhere).
- Gather the edges of the puff pastry and wrap around the brie. Pinch the pastry closed. Remove any excess pastry if needed. Optionally, you can use any leftover pastry to make leaf shapes or any other decorations you like. Once wrapped, brush the puff pastry with aquafaba or plant-based milk, this will help it get golden brown in the oven. Carefully transfer the wrapped brie to the prepared baking pan and bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve hot.
Sunny White says
How well does this hold? I'd like to take it to a potluck but it might be 3 hours before it gets eaten.
Alexandra Colacito says
SHOW STOPPER. This tasted like cheese danish. So decadent and very easy, as long as you remember that overnight freezing part. Can't believe something so delicious and spectacular looking is so simple!! Puff pastry is like magic. (Also:
Sam Turnbull says
That's wonderful, Alexandra! Thrilled you loved it so much 🙂
Rochelle says
Okay, this recipe is seriously amazing! My omni parents both liked it too, and my mom liked it better than real brie because it didn't spill everywhere when it was hot. I used red pepper jelly because I thought it would go well with brie, but Sam was right and cranberries would have been better! I can also confirm that it's delicious when eaten cold straight out of the fridge...
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, amazing! So happy you loved it, Rochelle 🙂
Lauren says
I’ve never tried Brie so I’m not sure what to compare it to but regardless, it was wonderful. My extended (non-vegan) family couldn’t stop raving about it saying it was better than the real thing. This will be on regular rotation! You always kill it, Sam! Can’t wait for your next cookbook.
Sam Turnbull says
Awww that's wonderful, thrilled everyone enjoyed it. Thank you, Lauren 🙂
Julia says
I made this without the jam or nuts (just personal preference-but I am thinking I may enjoy it with some hot red pepper jelly) and because it has been so long since I've had actual baked brie, I asked my family if it tasted similar. Everyone who tried it was SHOCKED at the creamy resemblance. My sister, who despises 99% of vegan cheeses, said it was the best vegan item I've ever made. This is a definite must-make-again recipe! I don't know how you always do it, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Julia!! I always love when the non-vegans are impressed!!
Kortneii Mackenzie says
Boom. This is so tasty melt in yo mouth. I used home made BlackBerry jam and walnuts. Yum. So much yum. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Kortneii! Thrilled you loved it so much 🙂
Jules says
Hey! Would this be too wild if I somehow incorporated roasted garlic into this? Or should I just stick to the recipe? What do you recommend?
Thanks, I cannot wait to make this for my husband and I's Boxing Day fancy dinner.
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Jules, I always recommend sticking to the recipe the first time you make it, and then if you want to play around after you have a better idea of what to expect. Roasted garlic sounds nice. ENjoY!
Sarah says
If I wanted to make just the brie, for eating with crackers, would you recommend refrigerating instead of freezing? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
The brie will be like a gooey thickened sauce. It won't have a skin like brie to hold it in shape. So you can enjoy it just cold, but not that it might not hold together well. Hope that helps!
Sue says
Sam, you are blowing my mind, in a good way! Thanks for sharing your creativity.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Sue! 🙂
Ashley says
This is sooo good. Made it as a Thanksgiving appetizer for our small get-together and even my parents (the meat eaters) loved it. Super easy too. Will def make again.
Sam Turnbull says
That's wonderful, Ashley!! So thrilled everyone loved it! (My non-vegan parents devoured it too) 🙂
Ivy says
A hit! My husband and I devoured this while waiting for the turkey-less roast to cook. I'm not huge on cranberries and my husband is allergic to walnuts so I did raspberry jam and pecans instead. Really easy, really delicious, and only mildly messy. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Beautiful!! Thrilled you both loved it so much, Ivy 🙂
Kaylynn says
You are a wizard! I've been looking for an easy vegan brie. In my dairy consumption days, I made almost the exact delicious little packet of goodness to take to gatherings (read as: eat the whole thing alone on my couch). This is in the freezer now, and I'm about to go crazy waiting to try it! Instead of cranberry sauce, I'm sticking with the apricot jam from my original recipe. Eeeeekkkk! I can't wait.
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! I hope you love it, Kaylynn!!
Stefanie says
This looks SO amazing! Once again, can hardly wait to try one of your awesome recipes :))))
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you Stefanie 🙂
Sonya Davidson says
Thanks Sam for another awesome recipe. Cannot wait to make this!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Sonya! I hope you love it 🙂
Michelle says
Oh boy! You have just fulfilled my holiday dreams!!! This is one of those things I miss from my pre-vegan days! Thanks Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!! You're most welcome, Michelle! I hope you love it when you try it 🙂
Carol Adams says
Hi, I wondered if there is any substitute for the nutritional yeast as my daughter is not allowed to touch it?
Thank you
Sam Turnbull says
For this recipe since it's only a small amount I would just omit it. You could up the garlic powder a tad if you like. Enjoy!
Kathie Gerber says
This sounds incredible! I have one question, do you leave the frozen Brie wrapped in parchment and fold puff pastry around paper and all, or do you remove the paper and wrap in pastry?
Thank you for all your holiday recipes. LOVE them all
Rebecca Ariss says
Definitely remove the parchment paper first!
Sam Turnbull says
You'll definitely want to remove the parchment paper or you will be eating it. Enjoy!
lei says
Looks great. Do you mind sharing what brand of puff pastry you use? I am from Ontario, so I would be able to get it.
Sam Turnbull says
I included that info in the recipe notes 🙂