Always a crowd-pleaser. Slices of Brie turn into a soft pillow of meltingly tender bites. The slight saltiness of the cheese and pepitas offers a nice contrast amongst the sweet apples. What really puts it over the edge is the simple mixture of butter, brown sugar, and bourbon, further elevated by a touch of orange zest that leaves you with a glaze that is a true delight.

Why You'll Love This

An elegant, crowd-pleasing appetizer — Warm, melty, sweet, and salty all at once, without much active effort.
A genuinely special glaze — Butter, brown sugar, bourbon, and orange come together into something worth making on its own.
Great for entertaining — Both components can be prepped ahead, with just a quick assembly right before guests arrive.

Key Ingredients

Brie — Melts into soft, pillowy bites under the broiler; the mild, creamy flavor is the perfect base for the sweeter toppings.
Honeycrisp or Red Jonathan apples — Sweet-tart varieties that hold their shape and texture even after cooking down in the glaze.
Butter, brown sugar, and bourbon — Together they form the glaze that ties the whole dish together, with deep caramel notes and a warm kick.
Orange zest and juice — Adds brightness that keeps the glaze from tasting one-note sweet.
Pepitas — Toasted for crunch and a savory, salty contrast to the sweet apples.
Fresh thyme — A light herbal finish that balances the richness of the cheese and glaze.

Brie Crostinis with
Bourbon-Glazed Apples

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Makes 10-12 crostinis

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium Honeycrisp or Red Jonathan apple, cored and cut into about 1/4” slices (you don’t want them too thin or they will fall apart)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 orange)
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 loaf of bread, cut into 1/2” crostinis
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling
Maldon salt, for garnish
Pepper
1 garlic clove
1 wedge of Brie, cut into slices
2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, roughly chopped

Instructions:

Bourbon Apples
1. Cook the apples. Melt the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until bubbly. Add the apple slices and cook, stirring and flipping occasionally, until slightly browned and softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add sweetness and citrus. Stir in the brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the apples are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the bourbon. Turn the heat to low and carefully add the bourbon. Stir, then turn the heat back to medium and cook, stirring often, until the alcohol smell fades and the sauce reaches a syrupy consistency, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Crostinis
1. Toast the bread. While the apples cook, turn on the broiler. Place the bread on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Broil for 3–4 minutes, until just golden.
2. Add garlic and Brie. Remove from the oven, rub a garlic clove over each slice, then top each with 2 slices of Brie.
3. Melt the Brie. Return to the broiler until the Brie just begins to melt. Remove and begin assembly.
Assembly
1. Place 3–4 slices of the bourbon apples over each Brie crostini. Sprinkle with pepitas, thyme, salt, pepper, and additional orange zest. Drizzle with the remaining glaze and serve.

Tips for Success

Watch the broiler closely during both rounds — toasting the bread and melting the Brie — since it can go from golden to burnt in moments.
Add the bourbon on low heat first, as instructed, rather than straight into a hot pan — it helps avoid any flare-up near an open flame.
Let the bourbon cook long enough for the raw alcohol smell to fully fade, or the glaze will taste harsh instead of warm and rounded.
Slice the apples to a consistent ⅜ inch so they cook evenly and hold their shape.
Assemble right before serving so the crostini stays crisp under the warm apples and melted Brie.

Ways to Serve It

As a passed appetizer — Perfect for a holiday party or cocktail hour.
On a fall or winter cheese board — Serve alongside other small bites.
As a bar snack with a bourbon cocktail — A natural pairing given the glaze.
As a dinner party starter — An easy make-ahead opener before a fall meal.
Scaled up for a crowd — Increase the ingredients proportionally for a larger batch.

Storage

These are best assembled just before serving. The bourbon apple glaze can be made a day ahead, refrigerated, and gently rewarmed before assembling. The toasted crostini bread (without the Brie) can be made a few hours ahead and kept at room temperature, then finished with Brie and apples closer to serving time.

Swaps and Substitutions

Bourbon: Apple cider or apple juice makes a non-alcoholic substitute — reduce it a bit longer since there's no alcohol to cook off.
Brie: Camembert or another triple-cream cheese works well in its place.
Pepitas: Toasted pecans or walnuts are a good swap.
Apples: Any firm, sweet-tart apple, like Gala or Braeburn, can substitute for Honeycrisp or Red Jonathan.
Thyme: Rosemary adds a slightly more robust herbal note if you'd like to switch it up.

Brie Crostinis with Bourbon-Glazed Apples