Forget the Pie and Make These Brie and Fig Bites Instead!

I don’t know where I was or what I was looking for, but I stumbled upon a Joy the Baker recipe that sent my heart in a flutter of wild palpitations. It involved puff pastry, brie, and preserves, and I knew I had to create my own version.

Instead of puff pastry, I opted to use pie crust. I envisioned creating little Pop-Tarts pastries, filled with brie and fig preserves. Rather than cut the rectangular shapes by hand, I used a round cookie cutter, because it makes for an easier, faster prep than measuring and hand-cutting the dough squares.

Pie dough thaws fast, so you really need to cut it quickly and throw the pieces back into the fridge to firm up before stuffing and closing them.

The round shape, fork crimping, and “X” on the top give the impression that these are miniature pies! Upon biting into the flaky, layered crust, the salty brie and sweet fig preserves ooze out. It was everything my fluttering heart had hoped for, and these bites disappeared quicker than they were made. Now it’s your turn to make these adorable brie bites.

Notes

If any of your brie bites explode while cooking, then just cut off the oozing bites with the edge of a spatula. The crispy cheese and fig ooze is quite delicious and a great snack to sneak prior to their grand reveal at a party!

Ingredients

2 sheets frozen, ready-made 9-inch pie crust, thawed but still cold
4 ounces brie cheese, cut into 1/4-by-1-inch pieces, cold
1 jar fig preserves
1 egg, beaten
Splash of milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a 3-inch diameter cookie cutter (or jar top), cut out circles of pie crust and place them on a parchment paper- or Silpat-lined baking sheet. Put them in the refrigerator or freezer for 2 minutes to refirm the dough.
Remove dough circles from fridge. In the center of every other piece of dough, put a 1/4-by-1-inch piece of cheese. On each top of the cheese, dollop 1 teaspoon of fig preserves. On empty dough circles, cut a large 1-inch “X” with a knife (this will help steam escape during cooking). Place dough circles on top of cheese-covered dough circles. Use your fingers to pinch the edges until they are sealed all around. Return tray to the refrigerator or freezer for 2 minutes to refirm the dough.
Remove tray from fridge. Whisk together egg and milk to create an egg wash. With each dough circle, use a fork to firmly press a crimp pattern around the edges (this also helps to seal the pastry shut). Brush tops of each pastry with egg wash. Bake for the recommended time on your pie crust box, or until pie is flaky and golden brown, approximately 22-25 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes, and then serve immediately while warm.