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A closeup side view of the bacon bourbon pecan brie bites topped with diced strawberries and a garnish of fresh mint.
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Bacon Bourbon Pecan Brie Bites with Strawberries

Bite-sized phyllo cups filled with melted brie, crispy bacon, bourbon glazed pecans, and fresh strawberries. A delicious fall-inspired appetizer that's also great year-round!
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 9 servings
Calories 373kcal
Cost $20

Ingredients

  • 3 strips of bacon uncured, natural, no nitrates or nitrites
  • 2 cups raw unsalted pecan halves
  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ⅓ to ½ cup brown sugar depending on how sweet you want
  • 3 tablespoon bourbon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ pound brie
  • 1 roll phyllo dough *see notes for pre-made phyllo shells option defrosted and covered according to the box instructions so it doesn't dry out
  • 5 medium strawberries diced

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare two sheet pans (if using bacon, or only 1 sheet pan if not using bacon) by covering them with aluminum foil. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.
  • If using bacon, lay the strips flat on one of the sheet pans and bake them in the oven for 15 minutes, or until bacon is browned and crispy.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and move the bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease. When the bacon is cool to touch, crumble it into small pieces. Set crumbled bacon aside.
  • Chop the pecans into small pieces. Then, add them to the other sheet pan. Toast pecans in the oven for about 5 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  • Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
  • Add the butter to a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, microwave in 30 second intervals until completely melted.
  • Add the toasted pecans, crumbled bacon, brown sugar, bourbon, and salt to the melted butter. Stir to combine it all.
  • Cut brie into small cubes, just large enough to fit in a mini muffin pan. Set aside.
  • Lay out the phyllo dough and use a circular cookie cutter to cut the dough into circles a bit larger than the holes of the muffin pan. You should end up with 18 even-sized circles.
    (If you don't have a cookie cutter, you can also use a knife to cut the dough into squares instead. Or, see the note below on using pre-made phyllo cups.)
  • Once the dough is cut into circles, separate the sheets in half so that there are 9 sheets each, and carefully press them into each muffin cup.
  • Place a cube of brie into each phyllo shell. Then, top it with a mound of the pecan filling. You will end up with 36 bites total.
  • Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown and the pecans are slightly caramelized.
  • To serve, remove the bites from the oven and place them on a large serving tray. Top them with diced strawberries and serve them warm for a bite of perfectly melty brie.

Storage

  • To store: These bourbon pecan brie bites are best when served fresh. However, if you have leftovers you can allow them to come to room temperature before putting them into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
    To freeze: Freezing is not recommended.
    To reheat: You can eat leftover brie bites cold, room temperature, or quickly heated in the microwave for a few seconds. Though, don't overheat them, as they will become chewy and soggy the more they're heated.

Notes

  1. This recipe makes 36 bites total. Plan on about 3 to 4 per person.
  2. For this recipe, you can also use the pre-made phyllo cups found in the freezer section of your grocery store to save you a little time. However, I chose to use the whole sheets of phyllo dough instead because:
    1. It is more cost savvy. You get more sheets of phyllo dough for the price.
    2. Mini muffin pans can sometimes be different sizes. This way, you can cut circles of dough that fit your muffin pan perfectly.
    3. You get more in general. Cost aside, you get more out of the phyllo dough than the pre-made cups, so you don't need to purchase as much.
    4. You remain in control of how many layers of dough are in each cup. If you like a flakier crust, you can add more layers. If you like a thinner crust, you can add less. Whereas, the pre-made cups are already assembled for you.
    If you do choose to use the pre-made phyllo cups: Fill them with the bourbon pecan mixture and bake them at 350 degrees F for only 10 minutes, or until the cups are lightly golden brown and the pecans are sticky and glazed.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 276mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg