Warm Brie Cheese and Spiced Cranberry Compote Appetizer

Are you looking for a delicious, easy, and festive recipe to enjoy during the winter holidays? Look no further than this warm brie cheese topped with a ginger-spiced cranberry compote, served with gluten-free crackers. This post is sponsored by Crunchmaster and contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

If you’re looking for a reliably tasty, easy, and crowd-pleasing appetizer to serve this holiday season, look no further than this warm brie cheese recipe topped with homemade ginger-spiced cranberry compote.

This is a recipe you can be proud to serve at your next holiday party, office potluck, or cozy Sunday brunch. It’s the perfect holiday appetizer for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve.

The oozing warm brie cheese spreads beautifully, and the ginger-spiced cranberry compote hits all the festive notes. The crunchy pistachios add a festive color and bonus crunch. And the tasty gluten-free crackers from Crunchmaster help to transport all these wonderful flavors and textures from plate to mouth.

Gather your ingredients and prepare this wonderful holiday appetizer that is naturally gluten-free, completely delicious, and oh-so-simple to make.

Make the Cranberry Compote

The first step to putting this colorful appetizer together is making the ginger-spiced cranberry compote.

While you could use canned cranberry sauce if you’re feeling lazy, it’s simple to make warm and fresh cranberry compote from scratch.

To make the cranberry compote, combine the following ingredients in a medium pan and turn the heat to medium.

• 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Cinnamon stick
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Once the mixture starts to bubble lightly, reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 7-9 minutes until the cranberries begin to burst and the mixture slightly thickens.

Uncover the cranberries and add the zest of one orange and 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped dried candied ginger, which will add a spicy kick to the cranberry compote.

You can find crystallized ginger or dried ginger at most grocery stores across the U.S., including Trader Joe’s, as well as online.

Stir the mixture continuously for 1-2 minutes uncovered. The cranberries will soften, although you want some of them to remain intact.

Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to cool while you prepare the other ingredients. It will thicken as it cools. Don’t forget to remove and discard the cinnamon stick before serving the cranberry compote.

Warm the Brie Cheese

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the brie cheese and place it on the parchment paper.

Heat the cheese for 10-12 minutes until warm. When you touch the brie wheel, it should feel soft and squishy but remain intact. This means it will lightly ooze when you cut into it.

You can find a brie cheese wheel at most grocery stores in the U.S. If you’re feeding a crowd, consider getting a larger-sized brie cheese wheel. Costco carries 21-ounce brie cheese wheels, double the size of most standard brie cheese wheels found at the grocery store.

Just remember to cook a larger cheese wheel for about 15-16 minutes or until warmed through.

As always, brie cheese is naturally gluten-free, But I always check the ingredient label to be certain.

Assemble the Appetizer Board

Using a large flat spatula, carefully transfer the warm cheese to your serving platter. Top the cheese with a generous scoop of warm cranberry compote, and sprinkle the cranberries with crushed pistachios.

If the brie cheese becomes cold while you wait for your guests, you could reheat it in the oven or zap it for 10-15 seconds in the microwave. This works best if you serve it inside its own bowl vs. on a board directly.

Serve your snack board with Crunchmaster crackers, apple slices, and candied pecans, and then garnish the appetizer board with fresh rosemary sprigs to make this holiday appetizer look even more festive.

Crunchmaster makes a variety of crackers that serve as the perfect scooper for oozing brie cheese. I used the Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Sea Salt crackers (square-shaped) and the Rosemary & Olive Oil crackers (hexagon-shaped). You can find Crunchmaster crackers in grocery stores nationwide (check the company’s store locator) or online.

More Gluten-Free Appetizers

If you’re entertaining this holiday season, check out these 18 Gluten-Free Christmas Party Appetizers.

I also think you might enjoy my Festive Cranberry Jalapeno Dip (Salsa), Baked Brie with Walnuts, Pomegranates and Honey, or Christmas Charcuterie Board.