Name: Maple Pecan Baked Brie
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 32 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 wheel of double cream brie cheese (250-350 g); 4 tbsp brown sugar; 4 tbsp maple syrup; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 2/3 cup pecan halves; fresh rosemary or fresh thyme for garnish

When the air gets crisp and you start planning those big gatherings, what’s the first thing you think about making? Forget fussy canapés! I live for warm, comforting appetizers that pull everyone toward the kitchen table. That’s why my Maple Pecan Baked Brie is my absolute go-to for any celebration. It’s pure, melty heaven! This recipe takes me right back to the holiday potlucks I grew up attending in Texas. There was always that one dish everyone clustered around when it came out of the oven—warm cheese and sweet toppings, shared with crackers while the room buzzed with conversation. It’s tradition you can eat, and trust me, this dish disappears faster than anything else on the table.

Why This Maple Pecan Baked Brie Is Your New Favorite Appetizer

If you need one dish that impresses without demanding hours in the kitchen, this is it. Seriously, it’s simple but looks elegant—the hallmark of great hosting! If you’re planning Fall Finger Foods For Party recipes, this needs to be at the top of your list.

The texture is unbeatable: creamy, gooey Brie melting under a warm, crunchy layer.
It perfectly balances sweet maple and savory cheese for that crave-able flavor.
It’s incredibly fast, making it a last-minute savior for Thanksgiving Potluck Ideas.
It truly feels like comfort food served elegantly.

You can see how this recipe fits right in with our favorite Thanksgiving appetizers, right?

Close-up of warm Maple Pecan Baked Brie topped with glazed pecans and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Gathering Ingredients for Maple Pecan Baked Brie

Alright, let’s get our supplies ready! The beauty of this dish is how few things you actually need, which is great when you’re juggling a huge menu. Don’t stress too much about special equipment; just a small baking dish and a bowl is all we are dealing with here. Remember, quality counts here, especially with the star of the show!

You’ll need one full wheel of double cream brie cheese. I look for something around 250 to 350 grams—you want a good, generous size so it doesn’t melt completely away on you.
For our sticky sweetness, grab 4 tablespoons of rich brown sugar and 4 tablespoons of good, pure maple syrup. None of that pancake syrup imitation, please!
We need a little spice lift, so 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Don’t forget 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. It smooths everything out!
The nuts should be 2/3 cup of pecan halves. I like leaving them whole or breaking them slightly by hand, not chopping them down to dust.
Finally, finish it off with some fresh rosemary or fresh thyme for that gorgeous, earthy scent right before serving.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Maple Pecan Baked Brie

If you can’t find pecans, walnuts work beautifully too, though the flavor profile shifts just a bit. When it comes to the Brie, make sure it hasn’t been sitting in the fridge too long; you want that creamy center pliable. If brown sugar runs out, you can use granulated, but you’ll lose that deep molasses note we love so much. For me, the double cream version gives the best molten lava effect when it comes out of the oven!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Maple Pecan Baked Brie

This is where the magic happens, and I promise you, this whole process is so easy you’ll wonder why you haven’t made our Maple Pecan Baked Brie every week! I like to think of this as a warm hug in a baking dish. It all starts with making sure our oven is nice and toasty. We are getting it ready for that fantastic, gooey texture.

First things first: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Don’t just guess; get the temperature right! And while it warms up, line a small baking dish with parchment paper. This is my trick for zero cleanup later—highly recommend it!
Gently place your whole wheel of brie right onto that prepared parchment. Now, don’t skip this next part, it helps the cheese melt evenly: take a sharp knife and score the top lightly. I just score it in a simple crisscross pattern, like making diamonds on top.

Ready to make that incredible topping? Let’s jump over to that next step.

Preparing the Maple Pecan Topping

This simple mixture turns boring brie into the star of your show. It takes about two minutes, tops!

Grab a small bowl—no need to dirty a big one—and whisk together your wet and dry spices. You want the 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, the 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, that little bit of vanilla extract, and the cinnamon. Whisk it until it looks like a thick, uniform syrup. It should smell amazing already!

Next, fold in your 2/3 cup of pecan halves. Make sure every piece of pecan is coated in that gorgeous maple mixture. You don’t want any dry spots clinging to the edges of the topping! Once they’re all slicked up and ready, you just spoon that entire gorgeous mixture right over the top of your scored brie wheel. If there’s any sticky stuff left over in the bottom of your bowl, drizzle it right over the top and the cheese. It will caramelize beautifully.

Baking and Finishing the Maple Pecan Baked Brie

Now we bake! Slide that dish right into your preheated oven. You are looking for about 18 to 22 minutes. How do you know when it’s absolutely perfect? You wait until the cheese starts to bubble around the edges and looks absolutely ready to ooze out when you so much as breathe on it. Don’t walk away for too long, though; we want gooey, not liquid!

Once you pull that delicious Maple Pecan Baked Brie out—wow, the kitchen smell is incredible! Carefully spoon any of that extra warm maple sauce that’s pooled in the baking dish right back over the pecans and the cheese. That liquid gold needs to be on top!

Close-up of warm Maple Pecan Baked Brie, cut open to show the melted cheese and sticky pecan topping, garnished with rosemary.

The final touch is essential for making it look picture-perfect for your guests. Garnish it generously with your fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs. Serve it immediately with some sturdy crackers or perfectly toasted slices of baguette. If you want to see another great way to do baked cheese, check out my ideas for layered phyllo pastry with brie!

Tips for Success When Making Maple Pecan Baked Brie

Even though this recipe is super simple, a few little secrets from my Texas potluck days will make sure your Maple Pecan Baked Brie comes out looking and tasting absolutely phenomenal. The number one enemy here is overbaking—we want melty, not evacuated cheese! Don’t move the baking dish around too much while it’s in the oven either; jostling it can cause that beautiful topping to slide right off the cheese when it’s hot.

Here’s my key advice for serving perfection:

Keep an Eye on the Bubble: You’re totally safe at 18 minutes, but start checking at 15. You want to see the cheese just starting to weep out the sides slightly. The second you see that bubbling happen, pull it out! It will continue to soften after you remove it from the heat.
The Essential Rest: This is huge! Once it’s out, let it sit on the counter for a solid three to five minutes before you even think about serving it. This brief moment allows the structure to firm up just enough so that when your guests start scooping, you get that perfect ooze instead of a runny puddle.
Topping Insurance: Make sure that scoring you did on top of the Brie is deep enough. It gives the hot maple syrup little channels to flow into, helping hold the pecan mixture right where it belongs instead of having it slide down the sides early on.

For other incredible sweet and savory treats perfect for the holidays, you might want to check out my recipe for apple, caramel, and walnut tartlets—they use that same sweet, crunchy vibe!

Serving Suggestions for Your Maple Pecan Baked Brie

You’ve pulled the perfect Maple Pecan Baked Brie out of the oven—now what do you serve it with? This wonderful dish is so versatile! While everyone loves it as a classic Fall Appetizers For Party centerpiece, it can easily transition into a rich side or even a light, comforting meal on a chilly evening. Think beyond basic water crackers if you want to really impress!

I like pairing the richness of the Brie with things that offer a contrasting texture or a sharp, acidic bite to cut through the sweetness of the maple. For toasts, try slicing up a baguette and brushing it lightly with olive oil before giving it a quick toast in the oven. That firm crostini holds up perfectly to the dipping.

Close-up of warm Maple Pecan Baked Brie topped with glazed pecans and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

But here are a few of my favorite pairings that really make this appetizer shine, especially if you are putting together cozy Sunday Dinner Ideas:

Apple Slices: Granny Smiths or Honeycrisps. Their tartness is the most wonderful contrast to the sweet, gooey cheese.
Dried Fruit Medley: Think dried figs or apricots. They bring a chewiness and earthy depth that pairs beautifully with the pecans.
Hearty Bread: Instead of plain crackers, try slices of rustic sourdough or even a maple-walnut bread if you can find some!
Salty Meets Sweet: A small bowl of spiced nuts or maybe some prosciutto slices near the cheese board gives meat-eaters something savory to dip alongside the sweet pecans.

If you really want to lean into the comforting, centerpiece vibe, you could even serve this alongside a bread bowl filled with chili or soup—you can find some of my thoughts on how to use bread as more than just a side dish when you look at how to make a great bread bowl!

Storing and Reheating Leftover Maple Pecan Baked Brie

Oh, leftovers! Sometimes the best part of a party is having a little bit of the appetizer left the next day. If you happen to have any of that amazing Maple Pecan Baked Brie left over—which, let’s be honest, rarely happens!—you absolutely need to treat it right so it tastes just as good when you reheat it.

You can’t just let this delicious cheese sit out! Once it has cooled down completely after the party, you want to store it properly. Wrap the brie tightly, making sure the topping stays as intact as possible, in plastic wrap or foil. Then pop it into an airtight container. It keeps perfectly fine in the refrigerator for about three to four days. The pecan topping might get a little soft as it cools, but honestly, the flavor infusion is worth it!

Now, for reheating. Please, friends, skip the microwave if you can. Microwaving cheese gets it rubbery and changes the texture completely. We are aiming for that gooey, oozy texture from the first bake, right?

For the best reheat, you’ll want to use the oven again. It’s simple:

Preheat your oven to a low temperature—I suggest 325°F (160°C). You want gentle warmth, not aggressive heat.
Take the cheese out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you plan to heat it up so it can warm slightly on the counter.
Place the brie (still on its parchment, if you saved it) back into your baking dish and heat it for about 8 to 10 minutes. You’re just trying to reactivate that creamy melt.
If the topping looks a little dry after reheating, just add a teensy drizzle of pure maple syrup over the top right before you serve it again.

That’s it! You’ll have warm, comforting cheese ready for a late-night snack or even an Easy Lunch Idea the next day—maybe served over a simple green salad!

Frequently Asked Questions About Maple Pecan Baked Brie

I get so many wonderful questions every time I post this recipe, and honestly, I love helping you troubleshoot! Since this Maple Pecan Baked Brie is so popular for holidays, I usually get questions about making it part of a bigger meal or swapping out ingredients if someone has an allergy. Here are some of the things I hear most often in my inbox!

Can I make the maple pecan topping ahead of time?

Oh, absolutely! This is a great strategy for cutting down on kitchen time right before your party starts. You can mix up the brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla together and store that wet mixture in a tiny sealed container in the fridge for up to three days. When you’re ready to bake, just whisk in your pecans, spoon it onto the Brie, and go!

What if I don’t have pecans? What other nuts work for this?

If you have a nut allergy in the house or just ran out of pecans, don’t panic! Walnuts are my second choice; they have a slightly more bitter note that plays well with the maple, but they are delicious. You could also use slivered almonds, though they won’t have the same satisfying chunkiness as the pecan halves. If you need to keep this entirely nut-free, try substituting with toasted, crunchy pumpkin seeds—which totally works for Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas, too! If you skip the nuts entirely, you just have a lovely maple-cinnamon glaze!

Can I serve this baked brie as a main course instead of an appetizer?

That’s a fun idea! While it’s traditionally an appetizer, if you’re looking for light Supper Ideas Easy for a casual weeknight, you can definitely turn this into something more substantial. The key is serving it with heftier sides. Try serving it alongside a huge, vibrant salad loaded with greens, maybe some roasted root vegetables like sweet potatoes, or serve it over toasted sourdough slices instead of crackers. If you need more ideas for turning snacks into family meals, check out my tips on easy family dinner recipes!

What’s the best way to keep the Brie warm if guests are arriving late?

This is tricky because once Brie cools, it gets rubbery fast. Don’t put it on a warming tray unless it’s specifically designed for cheese, as direct heat melts it unevenly. The best trick is to serve it immediately after that 3-5 minute rest period I mentioned. If you absolutely must wait, keep the oven very low (around 200°F/95°C) and place the dish on the *very* edge of a rack, checking it every 5 minutes. Seriously though, this is best enjoyed piping hot right out of the oven!

Close-up of warm Maple Pecan Baked Brie topped with candied pecans and fresh rosemary sprigs.

Author Spotlight: Sophia Reed, Family Cooking Specialist

I’m Sophia Reed, and I truly believe that the best meals are the ones shared with people we love. I grew up in Texas surrounded by the comforting smells of holiday potlucks and recipes carefully guarded and passed down through generations. Today, I carry that warmth into my work as a Family Cooking Specialist here at Sena Recipes.

Since I joined Sena Recipes, my main goal has been to take those timeless, classic family dishes—the cozy casseroles, the hearty Sunday roasts—and offer practical, modern twists so they fit perfectly into today’s busy life. I deeply believe that every recipe carries a piece of our history, and developing approachable dishes helps us keep those traditions alive while making brand new memories right at the kitchen table.

You can connect with me and see more of my cooking philosophy using these links. I hope you find comfort and joy in making these dishes for your own crew!

Connect with my professional journey on LinkedIn.
Visit my author page for more of my favorite comfort food creations here.

Estimated Nutritional Snapshot for Maple Pecan Baked Brie

You asked about the numbers, and I totally get it! Whether you’re tracking macros or just trying to balance out the holiday feasting, knowing what’s in your treats helps. Please remember that these figures are just an estimate. We are dealing with cheese here, so things fluctuate based on the exact brand and size of Brie wheel you buy! Think of this as a helpful guideline rather than strict science.

These estimates are based on dividing the total recipe yield—which is 6 generous servings—by the total ingredients. If you’re cutting it into smaller pieces for a huge crowd, your individual serving size will, of course, be smaller.

Here is the general nutritional breakdown for one serving (approximately 1/6th of the final brie wheel):

Calories: Around 350 calories. It’s rich, yes, but it’s holiday comfort, and that’s okay!
Fat: About 28g of total fat (with 14g being saturated), thanks to that gorgeous double cream brie!
Carbohydrates: Roughly 19g, mostly coming from the maple syrup and brown sugar in the topping.
Protein: Around 12g—cheese is a great source!
Sugar: Expect about 18g of sugar. This is why you eat it with crisp apples to balance it out!

If you are looking for ways to make the appetizer portion a little lighter, you might want to check out my thoughts on creating low-calorie foods and lighter sides that still carry that cozy flavor profile.