Cranberry Brie and White Cheddar Pull Apart Bread
Cranberry Brie and White Cheddar Pull Apart Bread is a fun and festive appetizer that's irresistibly delicious. It's easy to make and always a hit at holiday parties.
Ingredients
- 1 large round sourdough loaf preferably day old
- 1 stick salted butter, very softened but not melted
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped fine or use 1 tsp dried
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, roughly chopped or use 1 tsp dried
- 1 cup shredded white sharp cheddar cheese see recipe notes for other cheese options
- 8 ounce wheel of brie cheese, chilled, and sliced in 1-inch cubes, about 1/4-inch thick see recipe notes to remove the outer white skin
- 14 ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce see recipe notes
- salt to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Mix softened butter and herbs together in a small bowl until combined.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the sourdough loaf in a grid pattern, making sure you don’t cut all the way through the bottom. This will help keep the individual bread pieces attached. You want each piece to be about 1-inch in diameter.
- With a small knife or pastry brush spread a thin layer of butter in between the bread cubes and some over the top. This part takes a little time so just be patient.
- Gently pull apart each row of bread and stuff with shredded cheddar and brie cheese cubes. Repeat with the additional layers until it’s packed with cheese. The more the better!
- Next drop teaspoon size dollops of cranberry sauce down in between the bread pieces with the cheese. Sprinkle the top with a little kosher or sea salt.
- Wrap bread tightly in a large piece of foil and bake in the oven for 25-minutes. Open up the foil exposing the bread and bake another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bread is warmed through. Serve immediately.
Notes
Tips:
Best bread for pull apart bread- You’ll want to use a denser bread like sourdough or a firm crusty loaf, preferably 1-day old from the bakery. This is because you want the bread to hold up well while slicing and adding your cheeses.
Cheese options- I love the combo of white sharp cheddar and brie, but you could also use mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese in place of the cheddar. Even a touch of gorgonzola or blue cheese would be delicious especially if you enjoy sharp cheese flavors. You really can’t go wrong when it comes to bread, butter, and cheese.
White layer around brie cheese- This is preference. The white coating over the creamy part of the cheese is edible but it does have a unique flavor. The layer is very thin and can easily be removed using a sharp knife, or I like to use a vegetable peeler. It it best to cut off the rind when the cheese is chilled.
Cranberries- You can definitely use your own homemade cranberry sauce but I would not recommend fresh, raw berries. Dried cranberries are a great option and can be added in addition to the the cranberry sauce. I like to chop the dried berries in smaller pieces. Scatter over the top before or after baking.
Make ahead- Pull apart bread can be assemble with the butter mixture and cheeses and stored in the refrigerator a few hours ahead of time. Pull out 30-minutes before baking to bring to room temperature and add the cranberry sauce.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 8 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 344 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 22.9g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat 14.5g | 72% |
| Cholesterol 70mg | 23% |
| Sodium 502mg | 22% |
| Total Carbohydrate 21.7g | 8% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.2g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 3.6g | |
| Protein 12.4g | |
| Vitamin D 9mcg | 46% |
| Calcium 157mg | 12% |
| Iron 2mg | 9% |
| Potassium 58mg | 1% |