Cherry Salsa Baked Brie - Fast and Easy

Luscious Cherry Salsa Baked Brie is a show stopping appetizer, dessert or charcuterie board star. It's so easy-just chop, spoon, bake and serve!

This is the link to the Cherry Salsa Recipe used in this recipe. If you love cherries, check out these Easy Cherry Recipes.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Cherries! -I love cherries. They are a mixture of sweet and tart and pair perfectly with the creamy brie.
• Show Stopper-These delicious little red cherries look like a pile of jewels spilling off of the brie. This recipe adds the "wow-factor" to any party from family gatherings to holiday celebrations.
• Quick and Easy- Oooo… Did I mention how easy it is to throw this together? You can chop the cherry salsa early in the day and bake it when your friends are coming up the driveway.  Or, better yet, assemble the whole Cherry Salsa Baked Brie ahead of time and refrigerate. All you will have left to do is slide it into the oven when you are ready.

What to Serve With Cherry Salsa Baked Brie

• Charcuterie Boards are the perfect way to serve this Cherry Salsa Baked Brie recipe. Place it in the center and surround it with your favorite fixin’s.
• Toasted Baguette Slices
• Pita Chips
• Hearty Crackers
• Apple Slices
• Grapes
• Hot Honey for a little drizzle of heat and sweet

Tips for Choosing Ingredients

One of the great things about this recipe is how adaptable it is when choosing ingredients.

Cherries are not always in season so feel free to make substitution. Cranberry Salsa is fabulous with Baked Brie! So is Strawberry Salsa Baked Brie. If you don't have fresh berries on hand, try this Baked Apple Brie with cinnamon.

Tip: Be sure to taste for the perfect balance of sweet and sour when making your fruit salsas. Add a little sugar to add sweetness, add a little lime juice for sour.

First thing to do is choose your cherries.

• Look for cherries that are bright and colorful. Even the darker cherry varieties should have a glossy shine.
• The skins of the cherries should not be bruised or wrinkled.
• Fresh cherries with have stems that flexible and still have green color, if possible, not shriveled and dark brown.
• Cherries be plump and firm.
• Cilantro should be a bright green and show no signs of wilting.
• Jalapeños should not be bruised or shriveled.

Tools Used in the Recipe-

• Cherry Pitter- This cherry pitter can pit six cherries at a time.
• Single Cherry Pitter- this pits one cherry at a time but is less expensive.
• Oven-Safe Porcelain Gratin Dish- you can use any oven-safe dish but, I find the brie stays warm and melted longer if you bake it in the same dish that you serve the brie in. (I do not recommend cast iron for this recipe)

Can You Use Frozen Cherries in Cherry Salsa?

Yes! Frozen cherries work well in Cherry Salsa Baked Brie. Because you will bake it for a few minutes with the brie, the cherries will soften any way. I buy extra cherries when they are in season and freeze them for this recipe. Be sure to pit them before freezing.

I do not recommend canned cherries, however. I think the canned cherries are a little too mushy and the color can be very pale and wrinkly.

Just about any cherry will work well, I like the brighter red cherries because they are so pretty and are slightly tart. The darker cherries are also delicious, they are not as red but, they are nice and sweet.

Can I Use Cherry Jam Instead of Cherry Salsa?

Yes! You can use a jar of cherry jam. Jelly might melt and get too runny so test it before using jelly. Substitute Chipotle in Adobo for the jalapeńo if using cherry jam.

Cherry jam is sometimes difficult to find. Raspberry Jam makes a good substitute and is fabulous with chipotle in adobo! Try these cute little Raspberry Brie Bites Appetizer tarts for an easy alternative to cherry.

Choose Your Chile for Cherry Salsa Baked Brie

Tip: Cherries go very well with chipotle in adobo. Add a teaspoon of minced chipotle in adobo instead of the jalapeńo for a smokey heat. For a milder heat, just stir in a teaspoon or two (go slowly and taste as you go) of the adobo sauce.

How to Make Cherry Salsa Baked Brie

Now it's time to put it together. Just count to four-

• 1- Chop- Chop your salsa ingredients and stir them together. Taste as you and adjust the heat to your liking. Set the Cherry Salsa aside for the flavors to blend. You can refrigerate for a day or two.
• 2- Spoon- Shave some of the rind off of the center top of the brie to allow the cherry juice to get through to the brie. DO. NOT remove the rind from the sides or bottom of brie. Set in in an oven safe serving dish or on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• 3- Bake- Bake at 350ndegrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until the brie is soft and it starts to ooze (sorry, I couldn't think of a better word).
• 4- Serve- Slide the Cherry Salsa Baked Brie off of the parchment onto a serving dish. Garnish with chopped cilantro and drizzle with honey, if desired.

It's that easy!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!