Flaky buttery puff pastry, creamy brie, sweet pears lightly brushed with maple syrup... such a great combination of flavors in this easy Brie and Pear Puff Pastry Appetizer! Elegant enough to be served at the fanciest holiday parties, and always a crowd favorite! This puff pastry recipe also works great as a vegetarian main dish for a special dinner.
As usual, I give you ideas for lots of ways to vary this recipe and play around with flavors and ingredients, and give you both oven and air fryer instructions.
More puff pastry appetizers to check out: Spinach Artichoke Puff Pastry
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Brie and pear appetizer
If you've been following Babaganosh for a while, you might have noticed that I love a good combination of fruit & cheese. Like in my pear and goat cheese grilled cheese, in my roasted grapes and whipped blue cheese crostini, or in my fig & goat cheese flatbread with quick caramelized onions. Mmm...
That sweet & savory combination is just the absolute best!
So it's no wonder this brie and pear puff pastry appetizer found its way to my food blog. Brie is tangy and creamy and sooo delightfully melty that it goes really well with fresh pears, especially when that pear has been lightly caramelized in the oven. YUM.
More brie appetizers: Fried Brie
Puff pastry appetizer or vegetarian main dish
I used store-bought puff pastry as the base for this appetizer because it's the easiest and tastiest ingredient. Just thaw, unroll, arrange your toppings, and bake.
I'll show you how to give the puff pastry that nice picture frame shape with the flaky border around the edges.
And of course, this doesn't have to be just an appetizer! This gorgeous puff pastry recipe works well as a vegetarian main dish, perfect for a special dinner in!
More puff pastry recipes to try: Mulberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Danishes
Ingredients
Using the whole package of puff pastry will make about 18 appetizer-sized servings, or 3-4 main dish portions. Tip: Thaw the puff pastry while you get the rest of the ingredients prepped.
- 1 package frozen puff pastry (~1 lb, or 2 sheets), thawed
- 2 medium pears, ripe but firm, core removed and cut into thin slices
- 4 oz Brie cheese (½ small wheel), rind removed and cut into thin slices
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed
- ½ - 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 large egg yolk (save the egg white and add it to your next batch of scrambled eggs!)
- 1 tablespoon water
More puff pastry recipes: Puff Pastry Toaster Strudel
Ingredient tips
→ Puff pastry: Puff pastry typically comes in a 1 lb package containing 2 large square sheets. You can cut the recipe in half and use 1 sheet, which will make approximately 9 appetizer servings. 2 sheets will make approximately 18 servings. You can cut the puff pastry into squares (9 squares per sheet) or into 3 strips before topping and baking, or you can bake the 2 large pieces and slice after. Up to you! Smaller squares are great for appetizers, larger strips/squares are good for serving as the main dish to cut up and serve at the table.
→ Pear: I used a Bartlett pear, which typically have a nice and soft skin that I do not need to peel. If your pear has tough skin, just peel it before slicing. I really recommend slicing the pear into thin even slices instead of wedges. Get 3 pears in case you need a little extra to fill up the puff pastries.
→ Cinnamon and nutmeg: These spices are optional, but I like how they enhance the sweetness of the pears. If you're not sure about it, try sprinkling some on half of the puff pastry and see how you like it! Feel free to use less than the recipe calls for.
→ Maple syrup: Feel free to substitute with honey.
→ Egg yolk: This is optional, but makes for a really flaky deeply golden crust.
More puff pastry recipes to try: Pineapple Mango Puff Pastry Squares
Equipment
- Large baking sheet or two (or an air fryer)
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats (only for oven baking)
- Silicone brush or pastry brush
More savory puff pastry recipes: Black Bean Puff Pastry Triangles
Instructions
Step 1: Thaw puff pastry at room temperature while slicing the pear and getting the rest of the ingredients ready (about 15-20 minutes). Don't let it get too soft or it will be too floppy and sticky to work with easily.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper or silicone mats. Measure out how many baking sheets you will need depending on your puff pastry size. Use 2 sheets if they will fit in the oven, otherwise you might need to bake in 2 batches.
Step 3: Optional step: If you want individual puff pastry appetizers, cut each puff pastry sheet into 9 squares (or into 3 strips), otherwise leave it whole and make one large puff pastry flatbread. If air frying, you'll need to cut the puff pastry into squares/strips that will fit into your air fryer. See air fryer instructions below.
Step 4: Place your puff pastry on your prepared baking sheet. To create a picture frame effect, cut around the perimeter of the sheet with a sharp knife about ½ inch from the outside edge, but do not cut all the way through. Pierce the inner part of the pastry with a fork just like you would a pie crust.
Step 5: Add the sliced brie in a single layer on top of the inner rectangle. Top with pear slices, then sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Brush the top with maple syrup.
Step 6: Create an egg wash by whisking one tablespoon of water with one egg yolk. Brush the egg mixture over the edges of the puff pastry.
Step 7: Bake for approximately 15-18 minutes, or until the pastry edges puff up and turn golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
More brie appetizers: Blackberry Brie Crescent Rolls
Air fryer puff pastry appetizer
This brie pear puff pastry can be baked in the air fryer! Before getting started, figure out what size puff pastry can fit in your air fryer and cut it into squares or strips that will fit, if needed.
Then proceed with step 4 above where you create the edge around the puff pastry pieces that you created.
Preheat air fryer to 350F. Air fry for about 6-8 minutes, or until the edges are flaky and golden brown. Every air fryer cooks differently, so check on the puff pastry after about 5 minutes to make sure it's not burning.
What to serve with brie and pear puff pastry
If you're servings these as an appetizer, then I will recommend a few other elegant appetizers to add: shrimp stuffed mini bell peppers, salami appetizer, and roast tomato and pesto crostini.
If you're serving this brie and pear puff pastry as a vegetarian main dish, then I recommend you pair it with a soup to start, such as this creamy vegan carrot soup or this lentil butternut squash soup, and then pair the puff pastry with a nice salad appetizer, such as beet carpaccio.
Recipe variations
Try adding any of these toppings:
- Crumbled feta or blue cheese on top
- Hot honey drizzled on top instead of maple syrup for a spicy twist
- Thin layer of caramelized onions
- Crushed walnuts for a bit of crunch
- Try this with thinly sliced apples or figs
No matter which toppings you choose, I hope you love the idea of brie, pears, and puff pastry together!
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Brie and Pear Puff Pastry Appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen puff pastry - (~1 lb, or 2 sheets), thawed
- 2 Bartlett pears - ripe but firm, core removed and cut into thin slices
- 4 oz brie cheese - (½ small wheel), rind removed and cut into thin slices
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme - stems removed, use just the leaves
- ½ - 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon - or to taste
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg - or to taste
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup - or honey
- 1 extra large or jumbo egg yolk -
- 1 tablespoon water
Special equipment
- large baking sheet or two (or an air fryer!)
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Silicone brush or pastry brush
Instructions
- Thaw puff pastry at room temperature before prepping the rest of the ingredients. Thaw until they unfold without cracking. Don't let it get too warm, or it will be too floppy and sticky and will be hard to work with.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper or silicone mats. Measure out how many baking sheets you will need depending on your puff pastry size. Use 2 sheets if they will fit in the oven, otherwise you might need to bake in 2 batches.
- Optional step: If you want individual puff pastry appetizers, cut each puff pastry sheet into 9 squares, otherwise leave it whole and make one large puff pastry flatbread.
- Place your puff pastry on your prepared baking sheet. To create a picture frame effect, cut around the perimeter of the sheet with a sharp knife about ½ inch from the outside edge, but do not cut all the way through. Pierce the inner part of the pastry with a fork just like you would a pie crust.
- Add the sliced brie in a single layer on top of the inner rectangle. Top with pear slices, then sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Brush the top with maple syrup.
- Create an egg wash by whisking one tablespoon of water with one egg yolk. Brush the egg mixture over the edges of the puff pastry.
- Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until the pastry edges puff up and turn golden brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.