The ultimate holiday party appetizer. Baked Brie in a Sourdough Bread Bowl! Topped with brown sugar and white wine this may be the best way to eat cheese ever!!

Baked Brie with brown sugar, white wine and fresh thyme!!! I don’t usually do the multi-exclamation points but this recipe is deserving of them. This is so flippin’ easy to make and if you serve it at a holiday party, be prepared to break up a huddle around the table. This is an addictive appetizer and one that usually disappears fast, so I recommend making at least two of them.
How to make the ultimate baked brie in a sourdough bread bowl!
It’s really simple. Just buy one of those par-baked loaves of bread that are available in most stores, a circle of brie and cut a hole in the middle of the bread. Dig out the inside making sure to save the bread because those extra clumps of bread become dippers! Seriously, every single part of this obnoxiously cheesy mess is edible!
We’re almost done with this brie bread bowl recipe already, I told you this was an easy one to pull together.
After giving the top of the cheese a quick skim with a knife, top with brown sugar, white wine and my all time favorite go-to herb…fresh chopped thyme.
recipe faq’s
Place the bread bowl along with the extra bread chunks on a baking tray Bake the brie in the oven and 15 minutes later you’ll understand the meaning of cheese porn.
The rind will have become soft and the surface of the cheese will be a sweet caramelized flavor. The bread should be well done and crispy.
I like to use crackers that are going to be able to stand up to a good sized dip into the cheese. There’s nothing worse than crackers that break in the dip. Apple slices would be great to use also
Transfer the baked brie to a large party platter and serve at once with extra crackers and the chunks of bread from the inside of the bowl.
No you don’t. The rind will soften and remain just as tasty as the inside of the brie.
A wedge of brie should be taken from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to eat it. This will let it come to room temperature and soften which releases more of the flavors from the brie.
Definitely! I recommend a pepper jelly but any sweet fruit version will work well.
You can use Camembert cheese which is very like Brie.
more fun party appetizers




Baked Brie in a Sourdough Bread Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 whole par-baked sourdough or french round boule about 6-8 inches in diameter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 13 ounce wheel of brie cheese Usually sold in a round box
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp white wine
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees°F
- Roughly measure the circumference of the brie on the bread and carefully cut out a circle the same size making sure to not go through the base of the bread.
- Pull out the bread from the center where the cheese will be placed. Tear the bread and the circle into small chunks and place on a baking tray. Drizzle the olive oil over the bread chunks.
- Using a sharp knife take of some of the surface of the brie to let the other ingredients penetrate the cheese.
- Place the cheese into the hollowed out circle and top with the brown sugar spreading it out over the cheese.
- Pour the wine over the sugar and top with the chopped thyme.
- Place on the same baking tray as the extra bread chunks and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Serve at once with extra crackers and the crusty bread chunks from the inside of the sourdough boule.
Hi Gerry,
I love any kind of cheese, especially Brie. This looks too good for words! Do you use dry wine or any kind? When you put this in the oven, you don’t cover the bread with lid, right? I am making this..soon!
Thanks Marale! Don’t cover the cheese, the lid is just for show (and extra dipping ;) No point wasting it! Any kind of white wine will do except a really sweet kind.
Um, love this!! I would take two of these!
Brie + bread is pretty much my dream. Love this for an easy holiday appetizer!
Hot cheese in a bread – that is my kind of food!
What a wonderfully comforting way to enjoy cheese! Gorgeous, too!
Hello ! The dish is great. Photo too ! Thanks for sharing and have a pleasant day !
What a great dish for the holiday party season, Gerry! Well done, sir.
Thanks Chris!
This looks killer Gerry. Perfect snackin’ anytime, no holidays required. :)
you take the red waxy cover off the Brie, right?
Hi Susan, brie doesn’t have a red waxy cover, that would be Gouda
Can i use red wine?
Hi Kassie, sure you could use red wine but it might color things a little strange.
This is awesome!!
This was SO easy and delicious! Will be making it again during the holidays!
I am drooling here and I’m not even the biggest brie fan in my house. My husband will LOVE this!!!
I love every part of this recipe- and it would make you a hit at any party!
Can we use triple creme brie with this recipe?
Hey JC- For sure, that’s going to be even more epic!!
making this today for the SuperBowl. not interested in the game, well maybe halftime…but more about the food!!! thank you
Will light brown sugar work well with this recipe?
yes no problem
Oh yummmmm. This is the perfect easy recipe as the weather gets colder. Have you tried any other types of cheeses? Would be curious how well this would work with other ‘meltable’ cheeses. Brie was incredible and so perfect when in the bread bowl.
Hey Emma, thanks! I haven’t tried it with any other cheese but my first choice would probably be Camembert.
I am drooling! Would love to make this to take to Christmas dinner…do you think it will travel well? I have a 20 minute drive to where we are heading . I’m thinking I’d have to bake it ahead of time and pop it in the microwave when we get there, before serving.
You could do that or maybe just have it ready and bake when you get there? The bread won’t be crusty if you microwave it :(
Ahh…right. I just hate commandeering the oven as a guest. Plus, it’s typically occupied for the main course. Might have to consider something else. Thanks!
Scrap what I said!!! I made it, it traveled perfectly, and was still nice and gooey when I got to the party. Cheese porn is an understatement! I baked it in an Italian Boule and drizzled the bread chunks with garlic olive oil. Also served it with a platter of multigrain crackers, apple and pear slices, and hot pepper bacon jam. Was an absolute hit! Thank you!
Sounds amazing!!!
I want to make this! Can I bake my sourdough bread with the cheese inside or first bake it and then cook it again like you have described?
You can add cheese inside and then bake