Best Baked Camembert
Cheesy, gooey, slightly spicy and ready in less than 20 minutes – Here's our ultimate guide on how to make baked camembert.
Looking for an easy happy hour snack to share for your next dinner party? Baked camembert is the answer!
If you are not familiar with camembert, it's a French round cheese very similar to brie cheese.
It's usually sold in a little wooden box and when baked, it has a delicious nutty flavor that pairs well with lots of fruits and nuts, so it's perfect for apéro time!
And the great news is that you can easily make baked camembert in just 20 minutes.
With almost zero effort, you'll create a gourmet appetizer to share that's perfect for feeding a crowd, making it an excellent choice for dinner parties and holiday gatherings!
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Camembert VS Brie
Both these kinds of cheese come from a similar recipe using cow’s milk.
The main difference between these two kinds of cheese is that Brie has cream added in, making it slightly creamier and higher in fat.
They have both an earthy flavor and aroma (slightly similar to mushrooms), but brie has a more buttery and delicate flavor.
Camembert, on the other hand, is sold in a whole wheel and has a more intense and nutty flavor.
If you have the chance, look for the AOC Camembert de Normandie, which is the best of the best.
If you want to make baked brie instead, you can follow the same recipe for baked camembert.
Ingredients
This is truly the best baked camembert recipe out there, and you need just 5 ingredients!
Here's what you'll need:
- Camembert: I use a 9oz (250 g) camembert that comes in its wooden box. Traditionally made from raw milk, today camembert is mostly made from pasteurized milk, but you can use unpasteurized camembert if you want. Some good brands include Marks & Spencer French Camembert, Le Rustique Camembert, and Camembert Le Bocage.
- Honey: I like to brush the cheese with honey, but you can substitute it with maple syrup or extra-virgin olive oil.
- Red chili flakes: to add a little spiciness, sprinkle some chili flakes on top of the rind.
- Aromatic herbs: I used fresh rosemary sprigs, but thyme sprigs or other herbs will work.
MORE TOPPING IDEAS
- Garlic: Add a sliced garlic clove for an extra layer of flavor.
- Fruit Spread or Jam: You can use any type of fruit jam, chutney or marmalade that you like! Apricot jam works well, but you could also use fig jam, cherry jam, apple jam, onion chutney or mango chutney.
- Nuts: Add your favorite nuts! Almonds add both texture and flavor, and the same goes for walnuts or pecans.
How to make baked camembert
What I love the most about this recipe is that you don't need specific kitchen tools to bake camembert at home.
All you need is a small Camembert wheel, its wooden box, some favorite herbs and spices and honey.
Here's an overview of the recipe with helpful step-by-step pictures.
Scroll down for the full printable recipe and tips.
STEP 1. Score the Camembert cheese with a sharp knife.
STEP 2. Season the rind, by drizzling it with honey, and sprinkle with rosemary sprigs, sea salt and chili flakes.
STEP 3. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, until gooey and bubbly.
STEP 4. Serve immediately, while the cheese is still hot and creamy.
What to serve with baked camembert
Enjoy your baked camembert with toasted baguette slices, water crackers, grissini, crostini or garlic bread.
Fruit like strawberries, sliced apples, grapes, and dried apricots would also make a great addition to your spread.
For the perfect aperitivo combo, pair it with an Italian charcuterie board.
Regarding wine pairings, consider serving it alongside Champagne (the bubbles work great with it), Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc and even sparkling cider.
Recipe FAQs
Bake the cheese for 12-15 minutes, not more than that.
I know it's often suggested that the more you bake it the softer and creamier it gets.
But if you bake it more than you should, the cheese will harden back again and there’s no chance you can rescue it from there.
If the camembert wheel doesn't come in its box, use one of the following:
Baking dish: you can bake the camembert in a shallow round baking dish that’s slightly larger than the cheese.
Camembert ramekin: it's a little baking dish designed specifically to bake this cheese.
Kitchen foil: place the cheese on a sheet of kitchen foil and wrap it around the cheese to make it look like its wooden box.
Cast iron skillet: you can also use a small cast-iron skillet to bake the camembert. I recommend lining the skillet with tin foil.
Yes, you can safely reheat it.
Place leftover camembert on a microwave-safe dish.
Warm it in the microwave on medium power for 30-60 seconds, checking it frequently to prevent overheating. The cheese should be soft and melted but not overly runny.
Baking tips
I've been making this recipe for years, and it's always a success.
The recipe is totally fool-proof, but make sure to follow these easy tips for the best results.
- Let the cheese sit at room temperature for at least 1 or 2 hours before baking.
- Bake the cheese in its wooden box, but remove the plastic wrapping.
- Wrap the wooden box in foil, and arrange it on a baking sheet to avoid any cheese spillage (I never had this issue, but just in case).
- If the camembert doesn’t come in a wooden box, you can use a small baking pot, a Camembert baker, a cast-iron skillet or arrange it on kitchen foil.
- Do not put the cheese in the oven without one of the options given above, as it will spread around.
- Make sure the oven temperature sticks to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4 (fan oven 160C), and not above that.
- Use a knife to score the top of the cheese, this will allow the air to escape while cooking.
- You can also cut the top rind entirely, this is really up to your taste, I keep it on mine.
- Sprinkle sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper, or chili flakes to add a little heat to the cheese.
- Drizzle the top with extra-virgin olive oil or honey, which adds a nice sweetness and balances well the cheese flavor.
Storage tips
Wrap it thoroughly and then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. This kind of cheese does not freeze well.
More cheese recipes you'll love
- Bruschetta with Caramelised Pears & Grana Padano
- Italian Fried Mozzarella Sandwich
- 3-Ingredient Parmesan Cookies
- Perfect Ploughman's Lunch
Did you try this recipe?
Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook!
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Recipe
Best Baked Camembert
Ingredients
- 1 Camembert cheese wheel , (about 250 g/9 oz)
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 pinch dried red chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon honey , to drizzle
- sea salt flakes and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F (oven fan 160°C). Arrange a baking tray onto the middle shelf.
- Remove the plastic packaging and arrange the Camembert back in its wooden box, or in a small baking pot.
- Score a deep cross or a crosshatch pattern on the top rind of the cheese. Drizzle with honey or extra-virgin olive oil, and insert the leaves of one sprig of rosemary into the gaps.
- Sprinkle with red chili flakes and season with sea salt flakes and optional black pepper.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and serve with cheese crackers or toasted bread slices.
Video
Notes
- Bake the cheese in the wooden box, wrap it with kitchen foil, or use a small baking pot or a Camembert baker.
- Do not put the cheese in the oven without a container, as it will spread around.
- To be extra safe, you can wrap the wooden box in foil, and arrange it on a baking sheet to avoid any cheese spillage.
- Make sure the oven temperature sticks to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4 (fan oven 160C), and not above that.
- Score a deep cross or a crosshatch pattern. Using a sharp knife, score the top of the cheese, this will allow the air to escape while cooking.
- Bake the cheese for 12-15 minutes, not more than that. If you bake it more than you should, the cheese will harden back again.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Love this recipe! I also found cutting the camembert in half, placing on baking paper and cooking it in the lid, means I can eat it twice! Yum!
I was introduced to camembert when I was 17 or 18 in Manchester UK. I cannot recall how it was served but I was impressed enough to buy some. At the time I was in lodgings and did not have permission to access or use the kitchen suggesting that my introduction was not cooked. I kept the camembert in my wardrobe and savoured it over a period of time and marvelled at the way the cheese matured until the day my landlady asked "What is the source of that terrible smell that is coming from your room?" I probably denied smelling anything but finished it as soon as I could. It would be later in my life that I would become aware of "Best Before" and "Use By". Today, some 70 years later I referred to your website for temperature and time because I could not read the white on blue destructions on Tesco's packaging. I'm glad I did - thank you for the imaginative additions.
I'm trying this out tomorrow. Can I bake it in the air fryer for half the time? Also, I wanted to use cranberry topping but could find any, do you think a strawberry compote would work well?
Hi Tracy! Yes, you can prepare baked Camembert in the air fryer, set the temperature at 160 C, and bake for 15 minutes. Make sure you use an air fryer-safe container for the camembert or wrap it well with aluminum foil.
Question: I have a round package of Camembert packed in white wrap. Has this already been baked or has to be baked before using it?
Great results, couldn't have seasoned it better!
Made this a few times studded with garlic but followed your cooking times. This is the best tip I ever got for Camembert baking. It really makes a difference to cook it at that bit lower temp and for a shorter time. Keeps it runny well beyond cooling. Thank you
Hi Andrea, Do you bake the Camembert uncovered or do you cover it with the wooden lid?
Hey Sabine, I bake it uncovered!
Hi, I'm a newcomer to camembert. I'm trying this with my family this Christmas Eve. I noticed that the printable recipe has a different oven temp (360) than your descriptive text (350), and you seem emphatic about sticking to the 350. Was the 360 a typo? Looking forward to the camembert. PKO
Thank you for spotting this! Yes, it's a typo, I've just corrected it 🙂 Hope you like this amazing baked camembert! Merry Christmas x
I made two, one with olive oil, and the second with honey. Much preferred the one with honey, gave it more flavour. I have had this in a restaurant as a main meal. Very filling. Enjoyed it, made a change from the usual meat and two veg!!
I've made this before. Mix Calvados (French apple brandy) with the honey & pour over before baking. I used thyme sprigs. The apple brandy adds a wonderful flavour.
Loved it! Made it as one of the appetizers for my husbands birthday, I added a little extra. I did honey, garlic olive oil, and some white truffle oil with the salt, pepper, rosemary, and chili flakes. Wonderful recipe, thank you!
RAS
Can I heat the camembert in quarters in little ramekins
Anita
Hi Anita! I've never done it before, so I can't give any advice, sorry! If you do give it a try, let me know how it goes, I might give it a try myself too!
I bake my Camembert or Brie the same way, but my favorite topping is thinly sliced almonds with apricot preserves...and instead of olive oil I use a little bit of butter...
Hi I know this is an old post, but which Camembert do I use pasteurised or unpasteurised
Hi Samantha! That's quite an interesting question! I use camembert from a brand I love. It's quite a big brand so I'm pretty confident it's pasteurised camembert. I never tried unpasteurised camembert, but I would say, it should work the same way.
Made it this evening, following your recipe, was brilliant! Thank you:)
Hi Louise, so glad the recipe turned out great! I hope you have an amazing 2018, and I surely hope you get to try more of my recipes :)))
Hi, I know this thread has been up a while but was hoping you might be able to say whether the cheese should be at room temperature prior to cooking? Or is it best cooked straight out the fridge? Cheers!
Hi Louise, that's a great question. I usually use the cheese straight out of the fridge, so I would suggest to stick to refrigerated camembert 🙂
Andrea, thanks so much for the quick reply, I'll cook it straight from the fridge as suggested! Many thanks:)
I have been brought to this page as I have just baked this cheese and it's gone a bit rubbery. I have obviously baked it for too long. I shall follow the tips here and hopefully have better luck! Thanks x
So sorry to hear that Ruth! Perfect timing and temperature is the key, it can be tricky sometimes as different ovens work different ways, so don't give up and give it another try, I'm sure you'll end up with great results!
For me, nothing is more indulgent than a good cheese, crackers and wine! So I must make this delicious baked camembert. Thanks for the easy recipe!
I couldn't agree more with you Thalia! Give me baked Camembert a bottle of red wine ( Chianti or Bordeaux if possible) and I can conquer the world! Let me know when you try the recipe!