This recipe looks fancy but could not be easier to make. The trick is using fancy ingredients that everyone loves, and piling them onto perfectly golden puff pastry. They’re so great for hosting because they feel elegant and impressive but require almost no planning or prep! And no one can resist buttery pastry, warm brie, sweet fig jam, and caramelized onions, all in one bite.

We start with a sheet of puff pastry, and cut it into even squares. I went for 3 x 3, which ended up with pieces about 3 inches in length each. This size is small enough to be just a few little bites, but still holds a good amount of filling. Once they’re cut, score a smaller square inside each piece. This helps the edges puff up while keeping the centre flatter for the toppings. You don’t need to press hard for the scoring, it should basically just be like running your knife over the surface (rather than trying to cut all the way through).

For the filling, we spread a little fig jam in the centre, then add a few cubes of brie and a spoonful of caramelized onion. You don’t need a ton — if you pile it too high, the pastry won’t rise properly. Just enough of each so you’ll get a bit of everything in one bite.

Before baking, we brush the edges with egg wash. It gives the pastry that nice golden shine and helps the edges crisp up. Then we finish them off with a sprinkle of salt and some fresh thyme.

They only need about 15 minutes in the oven, and then you’ve got warm, buttery little pastries with melty brie and jam bubbling around the edges. These little babies are best served hot, so dig in right away!

Here’s a short video showing the prep process:

Happy baking!

Print Recipe

Brie, Fig, and Caramelized Onion Puff Pastries

These puff pastry bites are one of my favourite things to make when I want something easy but special. The combination of brie, fig jam, and caramelized onion is simple but hits every note — rich, salty, sweet, and buttery. They’re perfect for fall gatherings or just when you want to bake something that makes your kitchen smell amazing.

Ingredients

2 sheets puff pastry about 10×10 inches each
2 onions caramelized in 1 tbsp butter
⅓ cup fig jam about 1–2 tsp per pastry square
¾ of a 170g wheel of brie cut into small cubes
Pinch of salt
Fresh thyme leaves
1 egg + 1 tsp water for egg wash

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice the onions and cook them slowly in butter until soft, golden, and caramelized — about 20–25 minutes.
Cut each puff pastry sheet into 3.3-inch squares (you’ll get 9 per sheet, for 18 total). Score a smaller square inside each piece, about 1 cm from the edge, to mark the border for the filling.
Spoon about 1–2 teaspoons of fig jam into the centre of each square, then add a few cubes of brie and a small spoonful of caramelized onion.
Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon of water and brush it around the borders. Sprinkle lightly with salt and fresh thyme leaves.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.