The Prettiest Pumpkin-Shaped Baked Brie
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This pumpkin-shaped baked brie with pumpkin butter, maple candied pecans, and flaky puff pastry is everything you need in a fall appetizer. It’s amazing on its own with a side of seedy crackers, but it would also be beautiful on a fall charcuterie board. And don’t stress, the pumpkin shape is super easy to do. All you need is some kitchen twine!
Kitchen demo has begun, friends! There’s a brand-new studio coming to Sunday Table. Ugh, I’m so excited to have the extra space for baking and entertaining, I’ve been dreaming of this day.
The only unfortunate part is that this is all happening in the midst of the holidays and dinner party season. But it’s fine, we’re fine! If you notice some dust in the background of my TikToks, just know that I’m doing my very best during this season.
All that said, I am still in full-on fall dinner party mode. We can eat snacks and drink wine around a giant hole in the counter, ya know? And I just found my new favorite fall appetizer in the form of a pumpkin.
This recipe is like if brie en croûte and my savory pumpkin cheese ball had a baby. You just wrap the cheese in puff pastry and use kitchen twine to make those ridges. And while you could totally use store-bought candied pecans, they’re super easy to make at home. I’ll show you how I learned how to make them when I was in pastry school. It’s foolproof!
P.S. if you’re looking for more excuses to eat brie this season, you know I have a recipe for that. These cranberry brie tartlets and my 10-minute brûléed brie and apple crostini are always a hit for autumn entertaining.
Maple candied pecans
Store-bought candied pecans will also work in this recipe. I like the Trader Joe’s candied pecans best! For a nut-free version, you can also use candied pepitas.
How to shape & bake
New brie tends to hold its shape better than older brie. That’s cause the older the brie, the softer the texture. When I tested this recipe the first time with aged brie, it melted out of the pastry. So I would recommend using fresh brie right from the store!
Baked brie is kind of like lasagna. You want to let it sit for 15-20 minutes before serving so the cheese doesn’t ooze everywhere. It makes all the difference for brie that is gooey but not a huge mess!
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Puff Pastry Pumpkin-Shaped Baked Brie
Ingredients
Maple Candied Pecans
- 2 cups pecan halves (200 grams)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (120 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne more or less to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt I use Diamond
- Pinch of black pepper
Baked Brie
- 1 large egg
- All-purpose flour for dusting
- 1 sheet of puff pastry preferably all butter, thawed (250 grams)
- 1/3 cup pumpkin butter or jam of choice (100 grams)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 8 ounce wheel of brie cold (225 grams)
- 1/2 cup maple candied pecans or store-bought, roughly chopped (60 grams)
- Raw sugar for sprinkling
- Crackers, crusty bread, grapes, etc. for serving
Equipment
- Kitchen twine
- Small leaf-shaped cookie cutters optional
Instructions
Maple Pecans
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Then, add the pecans, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, cayenne, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl. Toss until the pecans are completely glazed. Then, spread the pecans in an even layer on the prepared sheet pan. (The maple syrup will puddle in the center. That's ok!)
- Bake the pecans for 7 minutes. Stir well, and then bake for another 5-6 minutes until the syrup is thick and the pecans are toasted. (Watch the pecans like a hawk during the second bake because they will burn quickly!) Let the pecans cool completely on the pan until the syrup is completely hardened. Break the pecans into pieces.
Baked Brie
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Then, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water to create an egg wash. Set aside.
- Lightly dust a work surface with all-purpose flour and unroll the sheet of puff pastry on top. Roll the puff pastry into an 11-12-inch square. Then, use a sharp paring knife or pizza cutter to round off the edges, so you have a big circle. Reserve the puff pastry scraps for the stem and leaves.
- Spoon the pumpkin butter into the center of the puff pastry circle, about the same size as the wheel of brie. Sprinkle the fresh sage and chopped candied pecans over the pumpkin butter, and then place the cold wheel of brie on top.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the edges of the puff pastry circle with egg wash. Then, gently wrap the wheel of brie in the pastry, making sure the cheese is completely covered. (Don't pull the pastry too tight, or it could tear.) Seal the pastry very well to ensure it doesn’t pop open in the oven.
- Next, cut 4 long strings of twine (about 18-20 inches each) and criss-cross them into a star pattern. Place the brie seam-side up in the middle of the twine “star”. Then, grab one of the pieces of twine, one side in each hand. Tie the twine into a knot up and around the brie (like a present). Repeat with the 3 remaining strings to create the ridges of the pumpkin. Flip the pumpkin so the seam is on the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Transfer the pumpkin to the prepared sheet pan, and refrigerate it while the oven is preheating (about 15-20 minutes).
- Use a small leaf cookie cutter to cut a few leaf shapes out of the remaining puff pastry. Then, take a couple of strips of puff pastry (2-3 inches) and seal the ends to create a thicker rope of pastry. Twist the pastry rope to create a stem. Place the stem and leaves on the pan in the fridge as well.
- Once the oven is hot, brush the entire pumpkin, leaves, and stem with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle everything with a light dusting of raw sugar. Bake the pumpkin for 17-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
- Let the brie set for 3-5 minutes. Then push the stem into the center of the pumpkin and garnish with the pastry leaves. Let the pumpkin cool for another 15 minutes, and then serve immediately with crackers, bread, fruit, etc.
