The Secret to Making Baked Brie in 5 Minutes

Microwave "baked" brie

We’re always on the hunt for easy, elegant appetizer ideas that help take the stress out of entertaining. And baked Brie definitely fits that bill—especially when the temperatures outside dip and a warm, melty cheese dip is exactly the kind of cozy, comforting holiday party food we crave. All you have to do is unwrap the cheese, stick it in the oven and then add some toppings (if you want) and serve with some kind of dipper.

But what if we told you that you don’t even have to turn on your oven to make it and instead of taking 15 minutes, it could be done in just 5?

Oui. Say bonjour to “baked” brie made in the microwave!

Whether you’re planning a holiday celebration or just having some friends over, this is the ultimate answer to “easiest party food ever.” It’s also a great option for those times when you have last-minute guests or your in-laws text you asking if they can stop by for a little bit. Because, after all, who can be annoyed when you’re eating melted cheese? Especially when it makes you look like a hostess who has it all together but it barely took any effort at all. Your secret is safe with us. You can simply smile and let the compliments roll in.

Related: 23 Awesome Phyllo Cup Recipes

Tips for Making Baked Brie in the Microwave

We'd seen a few microwaved brie recipes online and on our social feed, including Recipe Tin Eats, Anyday (the microwave cookware brand), and @erinobrienn on TikTok, so we were curious to give it a shot. As many things you'll see online, we soon found that it wasn't quite as easy as the videos made it seem. We tried this method with 6 wheels of brie to figure out what method actually worked. Here are our top tips for nailing this recipe every time.

1. Low is the way to go.
Heating the Brie wheel at full power caused it to “explode” out of the top (and make a huge mess in the microwave) before it was evenly melted inside. We’re not scientists but we suspect this's because it’s being heated more quickly than in the oven. This is also why we recommend heating the cheese in 2-minute intervals because microwave wattage can vary so much. This is especially important if you use a larger brie wheel than the 8-ounce wheel we used.

2. Skip the plate and grab a bowl instead. 
When the Brie wheel was heated on a flat dish or plate, the cheese oozed out the sides, even at lower power levels. We found using a vessel like a small bowl that tightly hugs the Brie is key to corraling the cheese. The bowl also hides any mess if you accidentally microwave the cheese too long and it explodes a bit and ooze out the sides. The melty mess will simply collect underneath and once people start digging in they'll never know what happened. If you have an actual Brie baking dish, that's the perfect vessel, but you don’t need one. We used a standard 8-ounce supermarket Brie wheel that was about 4.5 inches in diameter, which fit perfectly in a cereal bowl we had in the cabinet.

Ooey Gooey Microwave Baked Brie

Ingredients

• 1 8-oz wheel of brie (about 4 1/2 inches in diameter)

• Honey

• Pomegrante seeds

• Crackers, bread and/or apple slices for serving

1. Place Brie in a microwave-safe bowl. To contain the melty cheese, you want the cheese to fit snugly in the bowl.

2. Heat on medium power (we did power level 5) in 2 minute intervals until cheese is evenly melted, approximately 4 to 6 minutes. When it’s ready, it will be soft to the touch.

3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pomegrante seeds. Serve with your dippers.