Baked Camembert Recipe (3 Easy Flavor Variations)
Elevate your appetizer game with this simple baked Camembert recipe!
If you’re looking for a quick and delicious appetizer for your next dinner party or happy hour, you’ve come to the right place.
Featuring three delicious flavor variations, there is a baked camembert recipe that is perfect for any occasion, any season.
Just like my baked brie recipes, you only need 20 minutes to make this cheesy appetizer recipe.
Why you’ll love this appetizer
- Quick: You only need 20 minutes to prep and cook this appetizer.
- Simple: Each flavor variation requires less than 5 ingredients.
- Seasonal: Perfect appy for any season!
What is camembert cheese?
Camembert is a soft cheese with a creamy texture from Normandy (France) which is covered by a white rind. It tastes more earthy than brie cheese, and a bit nutty.
You’ve probably seen it on a cheese or charcuterie board but it really shines when it’s baked! While most enjoy it during the holiday season, I think you can enjoy it anytime of year, especially when you use flavors that are in season. It’s one of the best baked cheeses!
What’s the best way to bake a Camembert?
Traditionally, Camembert cheese is baked in the circular wooden box it comes in. Ensure you remove the plastic packaging first that the camembert is wrapped in. Then place the camembert back in the wooden circular box and place on the baking sheet. Add toppings and then bake until you have a very melty cheese.
Alternatively, if you have a brie or camembert baker that is oven-safe or even a small baking dish, that also works for this recipe, especially if the camembert does not come in the wooden box.
Basic baked camembert recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove the Camembert cheese from its paper wrapping.
- Place the Camembert into a small baking dish (or brie-baker) lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have a small dish, you can line the wooden box it came in with parchment paper and use that, then place on a baking sheet. Alternatively, if the camembert did not come in a wooden box, you can make a circular ‘parcel’ with aluminum foil, line it with parchment paper and then place on a baking sheet.
- Use a sharp knife to score the top of the rind of the cheese in a criss-cross pattern, about a 1/4 inch deep.
- Season the top of the camembert cheese with one of the flavor variations below.
- Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the cheese is very soft within and almost starting to ooze out. Let sit for 2 minutes and then serve with crostini or crackers.
What can I put in baked Camembert?
There are so many simple ingredients you can pair with this fantastic appetizer. All of these simple ingredients are use on top of the cheese. Here are three easy ways to top the camembert cheese –
Flavor Variation 1: Garlic and Fresh Herbs (Rosemary or Thyme)
This is a classic flavor variation that you can enjoy anytime of year.
- 1 small-medium garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Flavor Variation 2: Hot Honey And Walnuts
A little bit of heat from the drizzle of hot honey pairs beautifully with the crisp fresh herbs and crunchy walnuts. This flavor variation is delightful in the Fall and Winter.
- 2 tbsp hot honey
- 1 sprig fresh thyme or fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
Flavor Variation 3: Fresh Thyme and Lemon
With fresh thyme and sprinkle of lemon zest, this lightly-flavoured variation is perfect for the Spring and Summer season.
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Baking Tips for Camembert Cheese
- Do not bake this cheese at a higher temperature than 350F.
- You can wrap the wooden box in foil to ensure no cheese leaks out of the wooden box.
- Take the camembert out of the fridge for 1-2 hours before baking for the most melty, delicious cheese.
Tips For Serving Baked Camembert – Pairing Suggestions
Crostini: Make crostini ahead of time to serve with this appetizer. See notes below on how to make your own crostini.
Fruit: Make the camembert the centrepiece of a cheeseboard. Place the baked cheese in the centre of a heat-proof serving board or platter, then surround with fresh fruits like red grapes, crisp apples, pears, apricots or figs.
Wine: Creamy baked camembert is delightful with a glass of dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or chardonnay any time of year. For the cooler months, try a light-bodied red like a pinot noir. And, for a celebration pair with a glass of sparkling wine like champagne!
How to make crostini for serving
Preheat the oven to 400°Fahrenheit. Use a bread knife to slice a baguette into 1-inch thick slices, about 20-24 slices. Place the baguette slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush the bread slices with olive oil on one side and place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip and bake for another 5 minutes until toasted. Set aside.
Baked Camembert Recipe FAQs
I love to serve this cheese with crostini, crusty bread, crunchy crackers or even bagel chips! Choose something that is plain so that the flavors baked with the cheese shine through.
Absolutely! The rind on the cheese edible. What you will need to do is score the top of the wheel of camembert which will make it much easier to eat once baked.
No, brie cheese is different than camembert but they do bake up quite similarly. If you love baked brie, try my baked brie recipes.
If walnuts aren’t for you, you can substitute with chopped pecans or almonds with the hot honey variation. Alternatively, if there is an overall nut allergy, simple omit the nuts.
How to store and reheat
I recommend serving the baked camembert on the day it’s made. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
So long as the baked camembert was refrigerated within 2 hours of the bake time and it is a pasteurized cheese, you can reheat the leftovers one time. To reheat, place the leftover cheese on a piece of parchment paper in a baking dish in a preheated 325F oven until warmed through again.
Baked Camembert Recipe (3 Easy Flavor Variations)
Ingredients
Fresh Thyme & Lemon Baked Camembert Recipe
- 225 grams (8 oz) wheel of camembert cheese (this cheese usually comes in a round wooden box)
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Garlic & Herb Baked Camembert Recipe
- 225 grams (8 oz) wheel of camembert cheese (this cheese usually comes in a round wooden box)
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch of kosher salt or sea salt
Hot Honey Baked Camembert Recipe
- 225 grams (8 oz) wheel of camembert cheese (this cheese usually comes in a round wooden box)
- 2 tbsp hot honey
- 1 sprig fresh thyme or fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
Optional: Crostini for serving
- 1 baguette sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces (about 20-24 pieces)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Let the camembert sit out for 1 hour before baking. This brings out the best flavor of the cheese.
Optional: Make crostini for serving
- Preheat the oven to 400°Fahrenheit. Use a bread knife to slice a baguette into 1-inch thick slices, about 20-24 slices. Place the baguette slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush the bread slices with olive oil on one side and place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip and bake for another 5 minutes until toasted. Set aside.
Fresh Thyme & Lemon Baked Camembert Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove the Camembert cheese from its paper wrapping. Place the Camembert into a small baking dish (or brie-baker) lined with parchment paper. If you don't have a small dish, you can line the wooden box it came in with parchment paper and use that, then place on a baking sheet. Alternatively, if the camembert did not come in a wooden box, you can make a circular 'parcel' with aluminum foil, line it with parchment paper and then place on a baking sheet.
- Score the top of the Camembert in a crosshatch pattern, about a 1/4 inch deep.
- Season the top of the cheese with the fresh lemon zest, chili flakes and leaves pulled off from a sprig of thyme and then drizzle with the olive oil.
- Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the cheese is very soft within and almost starting to ooze out. Let sit for 2 minutes and then serve with crostini or crackers.
Garlic & Herb Baked Camembert Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove the Camembert cheese from its paper wrapping. Place the Camembert into a small baking dish (or brie-baker) lined with parchment paper. If you don't have a small dish, you can line the wooden box it came in with parchment paper and use that, then place on a baking sheet. Alternatively, if the camembert did not come in a wooden box, you can make a circular 'parcel' with aluminum foil, line it with parchment paper and then place on a baking sheet.
- Score the top of the Camembert in a crosshatch pattern, about a 1/4 inch deep.
- Push the garlic slices into the crevices of the cheese. Top with the leaves of one sprig of thyme or 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary or push the fresh herbs into the cuts you made into the cheese. Drizzle the top of the camembert with the olive oil and then sprinkle over a pinch of salt.
- Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the cheese is very soft within and almost starting to ooze out. Let sit for 2 minutes and then serve with crostini or crackers.
Hot Honey Baked Camembert Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove the Camembert cheese from its paper wrapping. Place the Camembert into a small baking dish (or brie-baker) lined with parchment paper. If you don't have a small dish, you can line the wooden box it came in with parchment paper and use that, then place on a baking sheet. Alternatively, if the camembert did not come in a wooden box, you can make a circular 'parcel' with aluminum foil, line it with parchment paper and then place on a baking sheet.
- Score the top of the Camembert in a crosshatch pattern, about a 1/4 inch deep.
- Season the camembert with the hot honey. Top with the leaves of one sprig of thyme or 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary or push the fresh herbs into the cuts you made into the cheese. Sprinkle over the chopped walnuts and drizzle the olive oil over top of everything.
- Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the cheese is very soft within and almost starting to ooze out. Let sit for 2 minutes and then serve with crostini or crackers.
Notes
- If you don’t have hot honey, you can quickly make some by mixing together 1/4 cup liquid honey, 1 tsp hot sauce and 1/2 tsp chili flakes (or red pepper flakes). Then, use 2 tablespoons for the recipe.
