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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    November 25, 2020 41 Comments

    Vegan Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

    6.9K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    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. This warm, gooey, brie-filled holiday favorite is the perfect centerpiece for a party. And, don't be surprised when this gets gobbled up at lightning speed.

    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. The perfect appetizer for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any holiday party. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganappetizer #veganchristmas #vegancheese

    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!

    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. The perfect appetizer for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any holiday party. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganappetizer #veganchristmas #vegancheese

    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:

    Make the vegan brie by adding the ingredients to a blender and blending until smooth.

    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 â…” cup of water, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, vinegar, salt and garlic powder to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. It will be very watery.

    cook the brie sauce until thick and gooey.

    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.

    Pour the vegan brie sauce into a parchment paper lined container and freeze overnight.

    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 prepare, roll the puff pastry into a 10" x 10" square.

    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 â…›" thickness, making a square that's about 10" x 10".

    Spread the cranberry sauce in the middle, sprinkle with walnuts, and top with the frozen vegan brie.

    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!

    Wrap the puff pastry around the brie and pinch closed.

    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.

    Decorate if desired then brush with aquafaba or plant-based milk. Bake for 45 minutes.

    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.

    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. The perfect appetizer for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any holiday party. #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganappetizer #veganchristmas #vegancheese

    Get your napkins ready because this gooey vegan baked brie is deliciously messy. YUM.

    Common Questions

    Can I freeze vegan brie?

    Yes, the brie needs to be frozen before you can work with it, so you can have it ready to go in the freezer! You should wrap the brie with the puff pastry just before you bake it. This will ensure the perfect gooey texture.

    Can vegan brie be made gluten-free?

    Yes, if you use a gluten-free puff pastry.

    Can I melt vegan brie? 

    Yes! This is melty and ooey gooey melty cheese that you won't get enough of!

     

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam Turnbull.

    Print Recipe
    5 from 25 votes

    Vegan Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

    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. The perfect appetizer for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any holiday party.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr 5 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: French
    Servings: 6 servings (makes one baked brie in puff pastry)
    Calories: 264kcal
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    For the brie:

    • â…“ cup raw cashews, softened if needed (see step 1)
    • â…” 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
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    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 â…” 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 â…›" 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.

    Notes

    Raw Cashews: cashews are my favourite to make the smoothest creamiest cheese. Alternatively, you could sub blanched almonds or macadamia nuts. For a nut-free option you could try raw sunflower seeds but they might give the cheese a green tint.
    Tapioca starch: is what makes the brie gooey and the perfect texture. You can try substituting a different type of starch but I highly recommend sticking to tapioca starch if possible for the best result.
    Puff Pastry: a lot of brands of frozen puff pastry are vegan, just check the ingredients to make sure. I used half a package of Tenderflake puff pastry which is vegan (that said I have noticed they sometimes change their recipe so always double check).
    Cranberry sauce: feel free to sub the cranberry sauce for your favourite jam or preserve. Strawberry jam, raspberry jam, apricot jam, and fig jam would all be great!
    Walnuts or pecans: feel free to sub for another nut or seed.
    Aquafaba: aquafaba is the leftover liquid in a can of chickpeas. I find this works best to help make the pastry golden, but if you don't have any on hand, any plant-based milk will work just fine.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 2mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michele says

      January 03, 2022 at 9:37 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect timing!! I just saw a recommendation for a vegan Brie —selling for US$69 for 2 8-inch wheels!! No gluten free puff pastry near me, and I don’t have time to bake my own—if anyone fig resist how to replicate the delicious Brie rind, please share!!

      Reply
    2. Sunny White says

      April 09, 2021 at 3:42 pm

      How well does this hold? I'd like to take it to a potluck but it might be 3 hours before it gets eaten.

      Reply
    3. Alexandra Colacito says

      January 04, 2021 at 7:30 pm

      5 stars
      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:

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 05, 2021 at 4:03 pm

        That's wonderful, Alexandra! Thrilled you loved it so much 🙂

        Reply
    4. Rochelle says

      December 30, 2020 at 10:29 am

      5 stars
      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...

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 05, 2021 at 1:36 pm

        Haha, amazing! So happy you loved it, Rochelle 🙂

        Reply
    5. Lauren says

      December 29, 2020 at 10:21 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 05, 2021 at 1:35 pm

        Awww that's wonderful, thrilled everyone enjoyed it. Thank you, Lauren 🙂

        Reply
    6. Julia says

      December 26, 2020 at 9:28 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 05, 2021 at 1:31 pm

        Thank you so much, Julia!! I always love when the non-vegans are impressed!!

        Reply
      • Emma says

        December 08, 2021 at 11:38 am

        5 stars
        Looks amazing!

        Could you make this all ahead of time and either freeze or refrigerate the brie in pastry before baking or does it have to be made up right before baking?

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          December 11, 2021 at 7:18 pm

          The brie needs to be frozen so you can definitely prepare that well in advance. The brie needs to be at least mostly frozen still when it goes into the oven, this will ensure the perfect gooey texture! I haven't tried wrapping it, and refreezing it, it may work, but my guess is it wouldn't be quite as flaky delicious. If you give it a go, let us know how it turns out! 🙂

    7. Kortneii Mackenzie says

      December 26, 2020 at 12:37 am

      5 stars
      Boom. This is so tasty melt in yo mouth. I used home made BlackBerry jam and walnuts. Yum. So much yum. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 05, 2021 at 1:29 pm

        You're most welcome, Kortneii! Thrilled you loved it so much 🙂

        Reply
    8. Jules says

      December 20, 2020 at 7:20 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 23, 2020 at 1:37 pm

        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!

        Reply
    9. Sarah says

      November 30, 2020 at 10:13 am

      If I wanted to make just the brie, for eating with crackers, would you recommend refrigerating instead of freezing? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 04, 2020 at 11:09 am

        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!

        Reply
      • Karine says

        December 04, 2022 at 5:36 pm

        Can I wrap the puff pastry and put it in the fridge for 1-2 days and then bake when we are ready to eat it? Thanks 🙂

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          December 11, 2022 at 11:11 am

          No the puff pastry will get soggy, and the cheese will melt. I recommend assembling it just before baking it. Enjoy!

    10. Sue says

      November 27, 2020 at 1:14 pm

      Sam, you are blowing my mind, in a good way! Thanks for sharing your creativity.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 04, 2020 at 10:37 am

        You're most welcome, Sue! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Ashley says

      November 26, 2020 at 8:57 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 27, 2020 at 11:47 am

        That's wonderful, Ashley!! So thrilled everyone loved it! (My non-vegan parents devoured it too) 🙂

        Reply
    12. Ivy says

      November 26, 2020 at 6:50 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 27, 2020 at 11:46 am

        Beautiful!! Thrilled you both loved it so much, Ivy 🙂

        Reply
    13. Kaylynn says

      November 26, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 27, 2020 at 11:45 am

        Hahaha! I hope you love it, Kaylynn!!

        Reply
    14. Stefanie says

      November 26, 2020 at 11:38 am

      This looks SO amazing! Once again, can hardly wait to try one of your awesome recipes :))))

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 26, 2020 at 12:47 pm

        Aww thank you Stefanie 🙂

        Reply
    15. Sonya Davidson says

      November 26, 2020 at 1:30 am

      5 stars
      Thanks Sam for another awesome recipe. Cannot wait to make this!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 26, 2020 at 12:47 pm

        You're most welcome, Sonya! I hope you love it 🙂

        Reply
    16. Michelle says

      November 25, 2020 at 12:07 pm

      Oh boy! You have just fulfilled my holiday dreams!!! This is one of those things I miss from my pre-vegan days! Thanks Sam!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 26, 2020 at 12:45 pm

        Yay!!! You're most welcome, Michelle! I hope you love it when you try it 🙂

        Reply
    17. Carol Adams says

      November 25, 2020 at 11:23 am

      Hi, I wondered if there is any substitute for the nutritional yeast as my daughter is not allowed to touch it?

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 26, 2020 at 12:44 pm

        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!

        Reply
    18. Kathie Gerber says

      November 25, 2020 at 11:20 am

      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

      Reply
      • Rebecca Ariss says

        November 25, 2020 at 5:16 pm

        Definitely remove the parchment paper first!

        Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 26, 2020 at 12:41 pm

        You'll definitely want to remove the parchment paper or you will be eating it. Enjoy!

        Reply
    19. lei says

      November 25, 2020 at 11:07 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        November 26, 2020 at 12:40 pm

        I included that info in the recipe notes 🙂

        Reply

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