Keto Cranberry Brie Bites are the perfect bite-sized appetizers for New Year’s Eve. This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Eggs.
2020 is drawing to a close and I’m sure we can all agree that it’s been quite a year. Quite a year! The likes of which most of us never expected to experience. And I think it’s safe to say most of us (all of us?) would be perfectly happy never to have such a year again.
While we can’t know what 2021 brings, I say it’s time to celebrate the end of a crazy year. Our celebrations may be much smaller and more intimate than in years past but we need these celebrations more than ever right now.
I’m usually the one asleep by 9:30pm on New Year’s Eve. What can I say, I am a girl who likes her sleep! Being on west coast, we have the advantage of clinking glasses at 9pm as the ball drops in New York City. But this year, I may need to gut it out and say goodbye to 2020 properly.
Goodbye, au revoir, auf wiedersehen, sayonara! Game over, case closed, git outta here! Hit the road, Jack, and don’t ya come back…
Keto Appetizers for New Year’s Eve
There’s something about NYE that screams appetizers and cocktails. It may just be my family this year but we’re going bite-sized all the way.
Starting with these adorable and delicious Cranberry Brie Bites. They’re the perfect low carb holiday appetizer, a little bit savory and a little bit sweet. And they pop into your mouth in one easy go.
The crust is an almond flour based pastry, made with eggs to help it hold together properly. And what eggs would I use for such a momentous occasion as the end of 2020? None other than Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs, of course.
I’ve made it clear over the years that they are my egg of choice. I’ve been buying their eggs for years because they are truly organic, truly sustainable, and truly humane. It’s been such a pleasure creating recipes for their website, knowing that their farming practices embody so many of the values I hold dear.
Your keto cranberry brie bites will taste that much better, when you know you used the best ingredients!
How to make Keto Cranberry Brie Bites
These are as fun to make as they are to eat! Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- If you have any leftover sugar free cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving, you can use that for the cranberries. I always end up with too much and I freeze it for other uses. But if you’re starting from scratch, be sure to make the cranberry sauce first so it’s ready when you are putting things together.
- Be sure to grease the mini muffin tins, to allow the tarts to release easily. I brushed mine with some avocado oil.
- This keto pastry is easy to work with, because the eggs help bind it together. It’s flexible and easy to place in the mini muffin tins but don’t try to push it down into the bottoms or it may stick more during baking.
- Unlike conventional pastry, you can re-roll this dough as much as you like. It stays tender and easy to work with, and doesn’t get tough the more you work with it, as a wheat based pastry would.
- The brie will be much easier to work with when it’s cold. Brie is sticky and gooey at the best of times, but more so when it’s warm, so keep it chilled until you cut it.
- This makes a lot of mini cranberry brie bites. That might be the right amount for a larger party, but if you’re having a more intimate gathering, you can make a half batch instead.
Please see my Keto Cranberry Brie Bites on Pete and Gerry’s site!
Nutritional Information
Makes 48 bites, 16 servings (3 bites per serving)
Food energy: 178 cal
Total fat: 14.97g
Carbohydrate: 5.11g
Total dietary fiber: 2.31g
Protein: 6.91g
Jennifer says
Looks delicious! I love brie, but I am the only one in the family who does. Do you think gorgonzola would work well? Or do you have a better suggestion?
Carolyn says
I can’t see why not!
Annalisa says
Love your creations, Carolyn! Do you think this pastry can be used to make your mince pie tarts? I love making them for Christmas, but that dough is very delicate and crumbly. So I was wondering if this pastry can be used instead or if it is not suitable for that recipe…
Thank you!
Carolyn says
Funny you should ask… this pastry worked so well, I was considering exactly the same thing!
Annalisa says
Ok, I will try and use this pastry for the mincemeat tarts… I will let you know how it goes!
Annalisa says
PS: sorry, I meant the mincemeat tarts!
Mary C says
I am dying to try this! Can I make the dough today (Dec. 23) and roll out and freeze and thaw and use on Christmas Day?
Carolyn says
Rolled and cut out already? yes, that would work. I wouldn’t wait to cut them out, though…
Mary says
I saw the other responses after I wrote my question so I assembled the pastries and froze them for 6 hours (ok overnight, lol) in the muffin tin and then put them in a ziploc bag until today. Defrosted them earlier, put the Brie in them. Making them now, can’t wait!
Anu says
Looks delicious! I have cranberries to use up so this will be perfect 🙂 Would this work as a larger, single tart/pie (either as the whole recipe or halved), and if so, what size pie tin do you recommend? Would you recommend making less crust in this case as there wouldn’t be as many mini tart “sides” to make, if that makes sense? Thank you
Carolyn says
Pie pans are usually 9 inches. I think you’d need less of the crust but you could make the whole thing, use what you need for the pie, and then make some mini tarts… they could even be different like chocolate or what have you.
Anu says
This was really wonderful, I have never tried this flavour combination before and I can’t believe it took me so long! I baked this as a single, large tart (9″), as discussed, and didn’t have any leftover pastry, actually, so it was just right, perhaps slightly thick but totally delicious. I used about 8 ounces of brie to use up a block I had, but didn’t change any other ingredients. Since I was baking the whole recipe as one tart, I blind baked the crust for 10 minutes, let it cool somewhat, then added the brie at the bottom and the cranberry sauce on top. This took a good 30 minutes to bake to a beautiful brown and then I topped it with the optional walnuts and rosemary.. I wouldn’t leave them out!! This was delicious for supper two nights in a row, and I can’t wait for my next portion. Thank you!
Cherio says
These were so impressive…even my keto skeptic sister loved them!
Carolyn says
That’s wonderful to hear!
Barb Sutherland says
I think these will become a regular on my appy tray.
Dot says
Thank you for all that u do to help us be healthier! Look forward to trying these!
Merry Christmas!
Cari says
Have everything ready to make these! Wondering if I could assemble and put the pans in the fridge overnight so I can just take them out and pop them in the oven to cook in the morning?
Carolyn says
That should be fine but let them come to room temp before baking.
Marla says
I made these (half of the recipe) for Christmas dinner and my parents and I really enjoyed them! I made them the night before so we ate them cold and they were still good. Though I personally had tried a couple while they were warm and liked them even better. Next time I will make the crust a smidge thicker and will add more brie – I didn’t add enough. I love making my own cranberry sauce! Thank you for all of your recipes!
Kari Puryear says
My Mom and I made these on Christmas Day and loved them! I was nervous about the pastry but it came out perfect. I definitely enjoyed them right out of the oven as opposed to cold. Next time will make the pastry a little bit thicker. Thank you for all your amazing recipes that help me keep keto’ing! Up next, Butter Cake!