The holiday season demands lots of merrymaking, which in turn requires plenty of impressive food and beverages. This simple recipe for this Festive Brie Bruschetta Crostini Appetizer is exceedingly easy to make, looks gorgeous on a plate, and is the perfect balance of sweet and savory, crunchy and creamy all in one bite.

9 pieces of brie bruschetta crostini on a round wooden cutting board with 2/3 a wedge of brie, a halved pomegranate and fresh sprigs of rosemary.   

Whether you’re hosting or simply attending, no Christmas party is complete without appetizers. This colorful pomegranate and brie crostini appetizer is sure to astound without hours of prepping and fretting, and will keep your guests satisfied until dinnertime!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The ruby red pomegranate seeds alongside the sprig of green rosemary and creamy white brie makes for a perfect Christmas color scheme, making it my go-to recipe for holiday parties. In fact, I’ve loved it for so long that it even made it into the Muy Bueno cookbook!

This tasty brie crostini appetizer is not only gorgeous, it’s also fast and easy to pull off. With fewer than 10 ingredients and less than 10 minutes of prep, you can impress your guests with this festive hors d’oeuvre. Serve with a pomegranate margarita or cranberry margarita as a light starter to your main course.

rectangular wooden board topped with a jar of bonne maman apricot preserves, a halved pomegranate, a round of brie, a baguette, a head of garlic and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

You can also get most of the prep work out of the way ahead of time – bake the crostini and remove the pomegranate arils from their shell up to a day in advance. To assemble, you literally microwave the cheese, then do some artful spreading and dolloping. That means you can enjoy the party instead of being stuck in the kitchen!

This crostini with brie, preserves, and pomegranate is beloved by kids and adults alike, so the whole party is sure to thank you.

whole pomegranate behind a broken open fruit revealing the beautiful arils.

How to Make this Sweet & Savory Brie Bruschetta

This eye-catching hors d’oeuvre recipe is a snap to pull off, with just three simple steps.

Prep the pomegranate

Watch this video to learn how to cut and deseed a pomegranate. Break open the pomegranate under water to free the seeds. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the rest will float to the top. Discard the white membrane and put the seeds in a separate bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the seeds and set aside.

Make the crostini

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place garlic slices in olive oil and microwave for one minute to infuse the olive oil with garlic. Cut the baguette into 1/2-inch slices.

Brush olive oil on one side of baguette slices. Lay bread on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, until lightly golden and crispy. The bread does not need to brown very much; you just want a toast-like crust on the top surface.

hands using a pastry brush to brush oil on a piece of sliced baguette on a parchment lined sheet tray.

Make Ahead Tip: If you’re trying to get a jump on your to do list, feel free to make the crostini toasts the day before your party. Allow them to cool completely, then store in a zip-top bag. If they end up feeling slightly stale, toss them on a sheet pan and toast for 1 to 2 minutes before assembly.

Assemble

Spread preserves on toasted bread. I happen to love apricot preserves, but feel free to use your own favorite jam or jelly. 

brie bruschetta in the process of being assembled with apricot preserves on top.

Microwave the brie for 10 to 15 seconds to soften the cheese. Cut the brie in half and spoon or drizzle the cheese on the toasted bread.

hand holding the rind of brie and drizzling out the melty interior to top the apricot preserves.

Place a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds on top of the cheese. Garnish your serving platter with sprigs of rosemary to complete the Christmas-y look. Serve while the cheese is still warm. Enjoy!

closeup shot of festive brie bruschetta crostini on a cutting board and topped with pomegranate arils for serving as an appetizer.

Tips & Tricks

This fast and easy appetizer crostini is pretty much foolproof. That said, I have a few extra tips and tricks up my sleeve:

  • Short on time? You can buy pomegranate arils by the cupful in most well-stocked grocery stores. They should be in the refrigerated portion of the produce section.
  • Want a head start? You can prep the pomegranate and toast the crostini up to a day ahead. Pomegranate arils should be kept in the fridge, while the crostini should be kept in an airtight container at room temp.
  • Can’t find apricot preserves? Feel free to shake things up. Guava preserves, quince jam, jalapeño jelly, peach jam, orange marmalade, or even honey are all great substitutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between crostini and bruschetta?

Both words are Italian – crostini means “little toasts,” while bruschetta means “to roast” or “to toast.” Essentially, the only difference between these two terms is size: crostini are meant more as finger foods, while bruschetta are larger pieces of bread that can be served as a plated appetizer. I call this recipe bruschetta crostini because it can easily go either way!

What is a good substitute for brie cheese?

If you can’t find brie at your local grocery store, try another bloomy rind cheese like camembert. If brie simply isn’t your thing, no judgement here! Try swapping in some softened goat cheese (which can also be microwaved), or try gooey delicious burrata instead.

What is a good substitute for pomegranates?

I love the crunch that pomegranate arils offer, but I know they can sometimes be difficult to find. In that case, try using a homemade cranberry sauce or relish instead.

More Holiday-Worthy Appetizer Recipes

If you tried making this tasty Festive Brie Bruschetta Crostini appetizer, please be sure to rate and review it below!

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Bruschetta Crostini Appetizer on a wooden platter.

Festive Brie Bruschetta Crostini Appetizer

5 (1 rating)
No Christmas party is complete without appetizers, and this appetizer is sure to astound without hours of prepping and fretting. This colorful and delicious recipe will keep your entertaining preparation to a minimum.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pomegranate arils
  • 1 French baguette
  • 2 cloves garlic sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 ounce soft-ripened brie cheese
  • 1 cup apricot preserves
  • Rosemary sprig for garnish

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Instructions 

  • Break open the pomegranate under water to free the seeds. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the rest will float to the top. Discard the white membrane and put the seeds in a separate bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the seeds and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Place garlic slices in olive oil and microwave for 1 minute to infuse the olive oil with garlic. Cut the baguette into 1/2-inch slices. Brush olive oil on one side of baguette slices. Lay bread on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes. (The bread does not need to brown, just have a toast-like crust on the top surface.)
  • Spread apricot preserves on toasted bread.
  • Microwave brie cheese for 10-15 seconds to soften the cheese. Cut the brie in half and spoon or drizzle the cheese on the toasted bread.
  • Place a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds on each slice.
  • Serve while warm.

Notes

  • Serve with drinks before a meal, or as a light starter to your main course.
  • Feel free to swap in camembert, goat’s cheese or burrata depending on your preferences.
  • Feel free to use the preserves or jam of your choice.
  • Crostini toasts can be made up to a day in advance and kept in an airtight container. Assemble when the party starts!
Calories: 124kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 188mg, Potassium: 70mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 56IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg