Persimmon Bacon Baked Brie Appetizer

This Persimmon Bacon Baked Brie Appetizer recipe is warm, smoky, sweet and absolutely scrumptious! There's nothing quite like savory baked brie with fruit, and it's the most scrumptious holiday appetizer your guests could hope for!

This is a show stopper!

Your Thanksgiving and/or Christmas guests will be wowed before they even sit down to the main course.

While the persimmons and honey are sweet, this is a savory baked brie. Oozing, warm brie cheese, blended with the smoky flavor of bacon and sweet onion and persimmon -- all laced with the scent of cinnamon is mind-blowing.

Just look at these stunning ingredients . . .  how could they not result in perfection?

Ingredient Notes

• Fuyu or Cinnamon persimmon - You can use Cinnamon persimmons or Fuyu persimmons for this savory baked brie recipe. Both can be eaten out of hand and are fantastic for slicing and chopping. Do not attempt to use Hachiyas, which are best for baking. Choose persimmons that are a deep red-orange color, and that are fairly firm.
• firm wedge of brie - It's very important to use a firm brie for this recipe! This makes it easy to slice through the center to add the fruit mixture. Soft Brie cheese won't work for this.
• bacon - I love applewood smoked bacon for this recipe.
• onion - Try to choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
• fresh thyme - Look for perky bunches and avoid any brown, bruised or yellow leaves.
• ground cinnamon - Cinnamon adds a delightful warm, earthy flavor.
• honey - The honey is amazing with brie and it subtly enhances the sweetness from the other ingredients.
• salt - I cook and bake with Kosher salt. It’s coarse and salts foods in a subtle way that enhances their flavors without making them taste salty.
• pepper - Preferably freshly ground.

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

How to Make it

- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

- Cook the bacon in a skillet over until it's golden and crispy, a few minutes per side. Set it aside on a double layer of paper towels to drain.

- Add the onion to the pan with the bacon grease. Sauté, stirring frequently, until they’re soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and then mix in the persimmons.

- Crumble or finely chop the bacon and add it to the pan along with the cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir and let it cool a bit.


- Slice the brie in half horizontally from the tip to the rind, being sure not to cut all the way through, and place it on the parchment lined baking sheet.

- Gently lift the top half of the brie and add about ½ to ¾ of the persimmon mixture, in an even layer. Then add the rest on top.

- Drizzle with the honey and place in the preheated oven just until the cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes.

Recipe Tip: If your honey is thick, warm it for a few seconds in the microwave so it's easy to drizzle.

- Serve with crackers or a sliced, toasted baguette.

(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Variations

• Vegetarian? Just skip the bacon. It'll be a little bit different, but still amazingly delicious.
• Other fruits. You can also make this with firm pears or apples.

Serving Suggestions

Right out of the oven, this can be spread over thin slices of a baguette, and the baking time is only seven minutes.

If you happen to let it go too long, no worries!  It'll then be like a dip, which is also fantastic -- though not quite as lovely a presentation. 😉

Can you make it ahead?

Absolutely! Believe it or not, you can get this appetizer assembled and oven-ready the day before you're serving it.

• Once you've added the persimmon-bacon mixture to it (inside and out), place it on parchment paper on a plate and gently cover it with plastic wrap.
• Just before you want to serve it, remove it from the refrigerator, remove plastic and transfer the parchment with the brie to a baking sheet.
• Drizzle with the honey and place in the preheated 350°F oven just until the cheese begins to melt, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve!

More Amazing Persimmon Recipes

• Spiced Apple Persimmon Cake
• Ginger Persimmon Bread
• Spicy Persimmon Preserves
• Persimmon Prosciutto Pork Tenderloin
• Persimmon Salad with Honey Pistachios

Enjoy every bite of this Persimmon Bacon Baked Brie Appetizer!

And here are a handful more scrumptious show-stopping Thanksgiving appetizers.

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