Easy Baked Brie with Figs and Honey ~ this elegant baked cheese is your ultimate Fall and holiday appetizer, but it’s so rich and decadent you could even serve it for dessert!
Famously successful hosts, last minute party-throwers, and those neighbors with an open door policy have a closely guarded secret ~ baked Brie. It’s the world’s easiest and most glamorous appetizer and it makes your guests feel welcome and well fed, all for a couple of minutes work on your part. Pretty smart, huh? This baked Brie with figs is the ultimate version!
There aren’t too many people on this planet who don’t appreciate the charms of molten cheese and a dribble of honey. This is the genius of this kind of app ~ it plays on everybody’s weakness. All you’re gonna need is a wheel of Brie, some figs, a few pistachios, and some good honey. You’ve got this.
you’ll need just 4 ingredients
- Brie cheese, in whole wheel form
- fresh figs, any variety
- pistachios
- honey
Figs are one of the oldest, and most luscious fruits. There are a few different varieties that you may come across, depending on the season, but I used the purple skinned Mission (or California) fig for this recipe. It has the softest, sweetest, most flavorful flesh. You can use any of them for this baked Brie, and it helps if they are ripe. But beware, figs are very perishable once ripe, so use them right away. Unripe figs will continue to ripen on the counter, like bananas.
- Mission, they’re the most common (purple skinned, syrupy sweet flesh)
- Adriatic (pale green with bright pink flesh, great for eating raw)
- Brown Turkey (elongated, with brownish skin)
- Calimyrna (green skin, brilliant pink interior)
- Kadota, the original ‘Fig Newton’ fig (yellowish skin, amber flesh)
Photo ยฉ Kenneth A. Wilson/Getty Images
how to keep figs from spoiling too quickly
Figs are incredibly delicate, so careful handling is in order. To preserve ripe figs for a few days, dunk them in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Pat dry and store in a single layer the refrigerator on a paper towel, loosely covered. This works with delicate berries, too.
TIP: Unopened wheels of Brie will last a long time in the fridge, so stock up on a few at the beginning of the holiday season.
what type of Brie is best for baking?
When you’re baking Brie you don’t need to go for the expensive stuff, so don’t splurge. Your cheese is going to be runny and delicious no matter what, so I suggest going for a moderately priced brand.
This baked Brie with figs appetizer is stunning, and really fun to present to a crowd. And like I said up top, don’t be afraid to serve it for dessert, either! If you do decide to try it as dessert, I think it would be amazing with Carr’s Whole Wheat Crackers ~ they’re slightly sweet, kind of like an adult version of a graham cracker.
Wine pairings for Baked Brie with Figs and Honey
Whatever wine you choose, go for a dry variety to balance out the sweetness of the figs and honey.
- Champagne, if you’re in the mood to splurge
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Voignier (one of my favorite wines)
- Pinot Noir
Fresh figs are an exotic treat, even in this era when foods regularly travel across the globe, so when you see them, pick them up, a quick Internet search will give you tons of ways to use them. On my blog alone I’ve got everything from a ROASTED FIG GELATO recipe to an amazing FIG AND FRIED GOAT CHEESE SALAD. And don’t fret if yours go from perfectly ripe to ‘mature’ before you can use them, my CARDAMOM FIG JAM is a delicious solution.
make this baked Brie with figs your own
- You could use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey.
- You can slice the figs into round slices instead of wedges.
- Brush the figs liberally with melted jam (apricot works well) instead of the honey.
- If you love the combination of figs with Brie, try this recipe for Brie stuffed figs. But figs also go well with goat cheese, and this galette makes a gorgeous appetizer or vegetarian main course. If you want a simple decadent dessert, I love these Amaretto Soaked Figs, I’d serve them with a little whipped cream, yum. And did you know that you can make Homemade Fig Newtons? Let’s hear it for FIGS!
Easy Bake Brie with Figs and Honey
Ingredients
- 16 ounce wheel of Brie cheese
- 1/2 lb fresh figs
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts
- 1/3 cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Unwrap the Brie and place it in a shallow baking dish that you can also serve the cheese in. I like to use a pretty pie plate.
- Slice the figs into quarters. Arrange the quarters in a circular pattern on top of the Brie.
- Scatter with the pistachio nuts. Drizzle liberally with honey.
- Cover the cheese loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. The cheese should feel soft when you touch the side of the rind.
- Drizzle with more honey and serve immediately with crackers or thinly sliced bread and plenty of napkins.
I love figs…this will be on one of my Holiday menus this year for sure!
As a passionate lover of figs, I am so happy to learn a new recipe so I can eat them more often. Loved the simplicity and the mouth-watering effect your post has, Sue! ๐
This is absolutely gorgeous! But wait, did I miss it? I didn’t see at what temperature the oven should be set. Please tell. This will be perfect for my next gathering.
Just fixed that, it’s 350F, thanks Donna!
I think I have to hop on a plane to find figs that gorgeous! Such a simple combination, but over-the-top elegant.
Baked brie is the best and this is absolutely gorgeous!!
Baked brie has to be one of my favorite appetizers to make for parties! I mean, it is just so delicious and a breeze to trow together. This baked brie is definitely a show stopper, Sue!! When I saw a photo of this on Insta my mouth fell open! JUST GORGEOUS! I’m dying over those figs with honey! This will be happening at my next soiree! Pinned! Cheers!
Thanks Cheyanne, and cheers right back at you!
It is nutritious and healthy and there’s another recipe for fig Jam that I never thought of thank you for sharing
I just LOVE Figs. In just about any way you can imagine! This is a particularly beautiful presentation and a great education you offer on pairing and using them! Love it!
Definitely trying this. I made another fig appetizer recently: 1/2 fig, topped with a small square of blue cheese (or feta), wrapped in a small slice of prosciutto (just enough to wrap once), grilled for around 2-3 min. on each side til the prosciutto looks a little crispy. Made those for Labor Day weekend bbq and everyone enjoyed. Assembled ahead of time and grilled last minute.
That sounds unbelievably good!
I am so jealous of your gorgeous figs! They never look like that by the time they get to Virginia – haha! This could be a meal for me – just pass me some crackers or bread and I could be a happy camper. So beautiful!
I could totally split this with you for dinner Tricia!
Wow, this is so beautiful Sue. I’m so wanting to scoop up some of that melting deliciousness right now. And I love that it’s really so simple!
Thanks Chris <3