easy brie and jam phyllo cups are the perfect holiday appetizer!
Make these easy brie and jam phyllo cups and watch them fly off the tray!
does hosting Thanksgiving stress you out?
I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving for several years now – and I love it more than I ever thought I would. The first Thanksgiving I hosted was SO stressful – there is so much pressure on this holiday! I wanted everything to be delicious and beautiful, while keeping with the traditional dishes that everyone expects. And every year since that first year I’ve become more organized, changed some things up and learned how to plan ahead – which makes the actual day something that even the host can truly enjoy!
I have a few tips for a stress-free Thanksgiving!
From a planning perspective I love that the Thanksgiving menu can be somewhat predictable. For the most part everyone wants to see the same dishes on the table, so if you’ve nailed those recipes you can just lather-rinse-repeat! Taking notes is something I’m a big believer in, so that I can learn from any mistakes or hiccups that occur (because I can guarantee that a year later I will remember nothing from the previous Thanksgiving!).
I also write up a comprehensive schedule for the entire menu, so that I can get a jump on any do-ahead items, as well as have a clear vision of what to prep/make/re-heat in a logical order. This is SO helpful, and frankly critical on the actual day. Knowing what needs re-heating, what can go in the oven together based on temperature, and what needs to come out of the fridge/freezer to warm up is way over my paygrade to have off the top of my head!
Speaking of do-ahead items – in my opinion it is absolute essential to have a few dishes that can be done at least a week (if not more) in advance, requiring no more than a thaw or re-heat prior to serving. This frees up the actual day for things like the turkey, gravy and any other day-of items. I also set the table the day before! Here’s my actual worksheet for last year’s Thanksgiving, to give you an idea of how I make things a little easier!
Thanksgiving 2022
Menu
Cheese board/Spiced walnuts
Turkey/gravy
Cranberry relish – Monday
Brussels salad – Tuesday
Butternut squash casserole – Saturday
Parker rolls – 2 – 3 weeks before, freeze
Duchess potatoes – 2-3 weeks before, freeze
Ginger pumpkin butter blondies – 2-3 weeks before, freeze
Caramel apple hand pies – 2-3 weeks before, freeze
Sugar-free chocolate chip brownies – 2-3 weeks before, freeze
Oven temps/Cooking times
Turkey/gravy take out 2 hours before baking. 425 for 30 minutes; 350 for 3 ½ hours; ½ hour rest time; make gravy
Parker rolls 350 for 30 minutes; warm honey butter and get sea salt ready
Butternut squash casserole 375 for 30/35 minutes
Duchess potatoes 400 for 10 minutes, then broil – get melted butter ready
Caramel apple hand pies 375 for 30 minutes
Day-of Schedule
Take out parker rolls/butter
Take out casserole/cream
Melt butter for duchess potatoes
Turkey in top oven, then parker rolls
Butternut squash in bottom oven, then duchess potatoes
You can see how many items I make ahead. This is KEY to a smooth Thanksgiving Day. And knowing what can go into the oven together, and in what order, is beyond helpful!
I struggle the most with appetizers!
I don’t know about you but I actually struggle the most with the appetizers! Weird? I want fun, yummy food to serve with drinks, but don’t want people to fill up before the big meal. The cheese board has been a mainstay but this year I’m not doing it. On the surface it seems like the ideal solution – one tray full of assorted nibbles, none of them baked and things that everyone loves. But I’ve found that it’s not only more work than I seem to remember, it is VERY filling. So I decided to switch things up this year, and these brie and jam phyllo cups will be on the menu!
brie and jam phyllo cups couldn’t be easier to make!
I had an extra box of phyllo cups from a client shoot sitting in my freezer for months. I had done a brie/jam/cup recipe for another client, using puff pastry, but these seemed even easier! I whipped up a test batch and all agreed that they were “Thanksgiving worthy”!
phyllo cups > puff pastry cups!
You literally need 3 ingredients to make this recipe:
- frozen mini phyllo pastry shells
- Brie
- fig jam
To make the cups from puff pastry, you need to roll and cut the dough. But these phyllo cups are ready to bake, making them that much quicker to get into the oven. They are just the right size for a “bite”, perfectly thin and crispy and IMO even better than puff pastry!
this is a true “no recipe recipe”!
There is no secret to making these cups. Just dice up some Brie, place a few pieces in each cup and bake till melty. Remove from the oven, add your jam, jelly or preserves and bake again. Garnish with a rosemary sprig, drizzle with hot honey (so good!) and serve warm!
The only “trick” is to par bake the cups and Brie before adding the jam. If you add the jam right away it will overcook and bubble over, losing all that jammy goodness!
anything goes with these cups!
Talk about versatile! Almost any cheese you like will work here! We love Brie in our house but goat cheese, cream cheese or pimento cheese will also work. And truly any jam, jelly, preserve or fruit spread can be swapped for the fig jam. The garnish can be changed up too – think small, so leaves like thyme work best, or choose the smallest of another herb like basil or mint if you go that route.
but you don’t have to bake a charcuterie board!
So I was hesitant about making anything that had to go in the oven – hence the charcuterie board. But we’re talking 15 minutes tops in the oven, and at a temperature that I’m using for other items. I am very fortunate to have a double oven in my kitchen but you can easily pop a tray of these in the toaster oven and it will work perfectly! And though I don’t own an air fryer I have seen recipes for these cups using one and have included instructions in the notes, below!
need more app ideas?
I will always serve my spiced walnuts at any gathering I host – they are SO good. But I wanted one more appetizer to round things out and everyone agreed that my gougeres were the way to go. They can be piped, frozen, and placed in a ziploc bag till ready to bake. Another favorite recipe is this one for spinach pinwheels, which can also be shaped, cut and frozen in advance.
Let me know if you try them!
Brie and Jam Phyllo Cups!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen mini phyllo cups (15 shells)
- 4 ounces Brie, cut into 30 cubes
- 3 tablespoons fig jam
- fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish, optional
- hot honey for drizzling, optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pastry shells on the pan and put 2 pieces of Brie in each shell. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or till the cheese is melty.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place about 1/2 teaspoon of jam in each shell. Return to the oven and continue baking for another 3 - 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, garnish with a bit of rosemary if using, and let sit a few minutes. Drizzle with the hot honey if using and serve warm.
Notes
- To make these in an air fryer, place the filled cups in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 300°F for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown.
- This recipe easily scales up!
Nutrition
Please note that this post contains affiliate links. As a Rewards Style influencer I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases – at no additional cost to you.
Related posts:
Hi! I'm Sheri!
Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!
