Craving grilled cheese? Here’s a new kind of grilled cheese with a secret ingredient: Brie, Apple and Cranberry Grilled Cheese
The boys in my house almost always ask me to make grilled cheese sandwiches for them on the weekends. My go-to method is good bread, good butter, sharp cheddar and sliced tomato. They love the usual, but they totally agreed to try this Brie Apple and Cranberry Grilled Cheese. I mean… think about all of those things in a grilled cheese sandwich! It could be brilliant!
How to make Brie Apple and Cranberry Grilled Cheese:
Here are all of the goodies I use in this fabulous grilled cheese sandwich recipe. A (very smart) friend told me a long time ago that there was a trick to making a really amazing grilled cheese sandwich: brush the bread with (secret ingredient reveal) white wine. Why I’ve never tried it until now is a big mystery. I like to use a hearty sourdough bread that’s able to take on a generous brush of wine without getting soggy. I brush Sauvignon Blanc on one side and butter the other side.
Butter-side-down on a hot skillet, I top my bread slice with soft brie and Honeycrisp apple slices.
Then it’s time to spread some whole cranberry sauce on top. The other slice of bread is placed on top (wine-brushed-side-down). Cook in a medium-hot skillet until the bread is golden and the brie is beginning to melt. Then carefully flip the sandwich and toast the other side too.
The result is a gooey grilled cheese filled with tangy brie, sweet cranberry and the crunch of apple. The wine brushed on the bread lends a nice flavor to the sandwich as well.
What to serve with Brie Apple and Cranberry Grilled Cheese:
Since you have wine INSIDE of your sandwich, you simply must have wine WITH your sandwich too, right? I pair my husband’s sandwich with a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc- this fruity, dry wine is a nice treat to accompany an afternoon lunch! You can use any brand of wine you’d like- your favorite!
The verdict: This new version of grilled cheese is amazing! My husband has declared it as “restaurant quality,” which is a very big deal in our house! It’s the perfect grilled cheese sandwich recipe to make when you’re looking for something new to try. Enjoy!
Here are a few more grilled cheese recipes you might enjoy:
- The Italian Grilled Cheese
- Marbled Jack and Ham Grilled Cheese
- Lasagna Grilled Cheese
- The Adult Grilled Cheese
- Parmesan Crusted Pepperoni Pizza Grilled Cheese
- Mushroom Grilled Cheese with Balsamic Caramelized Onions
Brie, Apple and Cranberry Grilled Cheese
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 4 sturdy slices sourdough bread (don't use soft bread)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup Sauvignon Blanc
- 8 ounces chilled brie (rind removed), cut into thin slices
- 1 medium honeycrisp apple, cut into thin slices
- 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
Instructions
- Butter the four slices of bread. Brush the other side with Sauvignon Blanc.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place two slices of bread butter-side-down on the skillet. Top each slice with brie, sliced apple and cranberry sauce. Place the other slices of bread on top- butter-side-up. Place a lid on top of the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let the sandwiches toast on the bottom. When the cheese looks like it's beginning to melt, take the lid off the skillet and use a spatula to check under the sandwiches. When they're golden brown, flip them gently. Toast the other side of the sandwich until golden brown. Serve and eat immediately with a glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc!
Absolutely delicious and very easy. I skipped the white wine as I didn’t have any on hand.
Can i substitute the cranberry with fig jam using the same other ingredients?
I think that sounds delicious!
This is my absolute favorite grilled cheese recipe! I love the fall flavors, and brie is my favorite kind of cheese. Absolutely perfect.
Absolutely delicious! My Father-in-law said it was “restaurant quality” and that I should open one. haha. Thanks for making me look good!
These are so yummy. I’ve never had brie before. Its very mild. I did find the brei hard to slice. It seems pretty soft. Is there a trick to using this cheese?
It can be tricky! Cutting it while it is chilled is easiest.
After finding this recipe, I purchased all of the ingredients to make for our lunch, and boy! was it good. So good that several days later I prepared it again. I have also told several people, letting them know just how delicious it was. I don’t know what make it so special – the crisp apple, the cranberry tart flavor or a combination of everything but it was very satisfying for both of us. Thanks for sharing!!!.
How do you make the Cranberry sauce?
Use canned cranberry sauce.
Delicious
Can’t use wine. Rice wine vinegar? Balsamic?
You can leave out the wine.
Phenomenal! With brie, apple and cranberry, the world of grilled cheese just expanded over the horizon!
LOVELY! Now, slip a nice slice of Roast Turkey inside with all these goodies and continue grilling. Ah, Thanksgiving leftovers here we come! Thin deli Black Forrest Ham might also work. O.K., O.K. stop this madness, I’ve must go make a sandwich! Num-nums. (I’m thing about the wine, get back to you on that.)
Can it be made without the wine? I don’t drink and don’t eat food it is in. I’d like to try it but that is a lot of expensive ingredients that might be wasted if one ingredient is excluded.
Yes, you can leave off the wine 🙂
I’m turning this tasty sandwich into an appetizer for Thanksgiving dinner. I’m making mini sandwiches using thin slices of baguette instead of the sourdough bread.
great idea!
Not going to lie – I love eating grilled cheese for dinner as there are so many combinations you can do! And of course being an adult, a glass of Barefoot Wine is a bonus too 😉
Umm, grilled cheese brushed with wine?! That sounds amazing!! I can handle that.
Instructions say nothing about brushing the sandwich with wine. It says to pour a GLASS of wine.
In the first step of the instructions on the recipe card: “Butter the four slices of bread. Brush the other side with Sauvignon Blanc.”
Um, who needs Thanksgiving when you’ve got a sandwich like this and a glass of Barefoot wine??
Now, this is a sandwich! I love this flavor combo, perfect any day if you ask me and with wine, even BETTER!!!
looove me a grilled cheese and especially this one!
White wine on the grilled cheese bread? Fabulous! I actually made a red wine/cranberry/brie/turkey panini yesterday. Luckily I still have most of the ingredients to try your version! I am so excited to have a bonafide research reason for eating grilled cheese. For that, I say thank you. 😉
You’re speaking my language with the brie and cranberries. And I love the white wine trick, I must try this!
I’m a grilled cheese fiend and have never tried adding wine to my brushing technique. Game changer!
Shut the front door! Wine in your grilled cheese?? That is absolute genius! This is totality kind of grilled cheese. I love a good bottle of Barefoot! Absolutely delicious without breaking the bank. It’s my go to when I’m making a big pitcher of sangria!
What an awesome looking treat!! I bet it’s delicious!
Oh my. I’m going to gain like 50 pounds now. Thanks! 🙂 This looks SO AMAZING!
My favorite thing to make grilled cheese sandwiches even better is to spread a light layer of whipped cream cheese on the inside of the bread. It makes it soooo creamy!
I like the uniqueness of this recipe. Maybe through some Thanksgiving turkey in there and make this for leftovers! (I’m always thinking ahead)
Ooh, LOVE this sweet take on the classic grilled cheese!