Oozy Baked Brie in a Bread Bowl

The only thing better than oozy, gooey, gloriously creamy baked brie is when it’s baked INSIDE a loaf of lovely, crusty bread. Piled with sweet and savory fig jam, topped with crispy candied bacon, pistachios and slathered with roasted garlic butter, it makes for a wonderful showstopping party appetizer, guaranteed to impress.

You just can’t go wrong with baked brie when you’re looking for something to impress. It’s SO easy, super customizable, and who can resist that glorious ooze when you cut into it?! I know I can’t.

This one is extra special because it’s baked right inside a loaf of bread, for a bit of a two-in-one situation. Not only do you get lovely, gooey baked brie, but you also get the perfect crispy dipper to scoop it out with.

• I’m topping this one with fig jam – both inside the bread and on top of the brie.
• Then, a crunchy bacon and pistachio crumb provides a lovely bit of texture to the creamy brie.
• THEN, it’s brushed with a very garlicky butter as it comes out of the oven.
• Bonus: you can prep the whole thing ahead of time, then just bake it when you’re ready to serve your guests.

Love baked brie? Try these gorgeous prosciutto-wrapped brie bites, or brie, cranberry, and prosciutto cups next.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Brie. This gorgeously creamy, soft French cheese is an absolute go-to when it comes to entertaining. It’s mild, a crowd-pleaser, and it bakes into a beautiful, fondue-esque saucy delight. Camembert is very similar, so you could use that if you like.
• Bread. Any round-shaped bread works well – just make sure it’s not TOO large for your brie. I love sourdough, so that’s always my preference here.
• Fig jam. You can play around with the jam or relish you use, based on what you like. Sweet chili jam is also great, as are caramelized onions.
• Bacon. Use streaky (American) bacon if you can, it has more fat so gets more crispy.
• Pistachios. I love these for their festive green color, but you really can use any nut you like (cashews, pecans, walnuts or almonds are great), or you could use pumpkin seeds for a nut-free version.

How to Make the Baked Brie

Cut the top off your bread, then use your brie as a guide and cut around it (the idea is that you want it large enough for the brie to fit inside). Scoop out the bread from the middle, and set aside. Make slices around the edges of the bread bowl, so you can easily tear pieces off to dip into the brie once baked.

Spoon half the fig jam into the hole in the bread, then top with the brie. Score it, then top it with the rest of the fig jam and bake until golden, oozy and glorious.

While it’s in the oven, make the crunchy toppings. Cook bacon until super crispy, then stir through pistachios and honey. Mix your quick garlic butter.

Once the brie is ready, remove it from the oven, brush the garlic butter around the bread, and then scatter over the crispy bacon and pistachios. Finish with the pomegranate seeds and dig in.

Baked Brie Bread Bowl FAQs

What’s the best type of bread to use for the baked brie?

I love to use sourdough, but any round loaf will do.

What other jam could I use with this baked brie?

Use your favorite – I love this with sweet chili jam too, or caramelized onions

Can I make the baked brie bread bowl in advance?

You can prepare it in advance (so pop the brie into the bread and even top it with the fig jam), then refrigerate it overnight to bake the next day.

Once it’s baked you want to eat it there and then – it doesn’t reheat well. The garlic butter will keep well for a week in the fridge, as will the candied bacon and pistachio crumb.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @Zageer on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.

The only thing better than oozy, gooey, gloriously creamy baked brie is when it's baked INSIDE a loaf of lovely, crusty bread. This lovely baked brie in a bread bowl is piled with sweet and savory fig jam, topped with crispy candied bacon and pistachios, then slathered with roasted garlic butter. It makes for a wonderful, showstopping party appetizer, guaranteed to impress. Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

• 1 round loaf of bread, I love sourdough
• 1 large round of brie cheese
• ¼ cup fig jam or relish
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 slices bacon
• ¼ cup pistachios, chopped
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ¼ cup butter
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
• A handful of thyme leaves
• Flaky salt
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds, or use dried cranberries

Method

1. Prepare your bread.Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Slice the top of your bread right off. Place the brie on top of the bread, then use it as your guide to cut out a circle in the bread. Scoop out enough bread so the brie can sit comfortably inside the loaf.Don’t discard the bread you’ve pulled out (you'll bake it with the loaf to make crispy dippers). Make slices all around the bread, so it's easy to pull out and dip into the brie when baked.
2. Arrange the brie. Spoon half of the fig jam into the hole in your bread, smoothing it evenly across the bottom. Place the brie on top, pressing it down so it sits right in there. Use a knife to score the top.Spoon the rest of the fig jam on top and spread it out so it covers the top of the brie. Transfer it to your prepared oven tray, then scatter the discarded bread around the loaf. Drizzle them with olive oil, then transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until golden and gooey.
3. Make the crispy bacon and pistachios.While the brie is baking, make the crunchy topping. Line a small plate with parchment paper (this will prevent the crumb from sticking to the plate), then add the bacon to a small pan over high heat and cook until super crispy. Add the chopped pistachios and toss through the bacon for a minute, before adding the honey. Stir as the honey bubbles up, for another minute. Transfer to the lined plate to crisp up.
4. Mix the garlic butter.Melt the butter in the microwave (30-second intervals are fine, stirring in between), then add the crushed garlic, rosemary, thyme and a pinch of flaky salt. Mix to combine.
5. Garnish and serve.Once the brie is gooey and golden and the bread is super crispy, remove it from the oven. Brush the garlic butter all around the bread, then break up the crispy bacon and pistachios, and crumble on top of the brie. Scatter over pomegranate seeds, then dig in.

Notes

PREP AHEAD: Assemble the brie in the bread up to a day before you want to bake it, then just keep it in the fridge until you’re ready. The garlic butter will keep well for a week in the fridge, as will the candied bacon and pistachio crumb. INGREDIENT NOTES: Play around with the jam you use – sweet chilli is fab, as is caramelized onion relish. Raspberry, apricot or cherry jam would also be lovely.