Brie and Apple Butter Crostini

This tasty brie crostini recipe is the perfect way to use up extra or leftover apple butter. A delicious appetizer recipe for fall entertaining!

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If you’re skimming this article like “yeesh, are these people seriously telling me how to put cheese on top of toast?” the answer is YES.

But stick with me, because I promise this easy brie crostini recipe (with homemade apple butter, hey-oh!) is worth it.

Use our stovetop apple butter or our slow cooker apple butter as a base for this recipe, or grab your favorite store-bought version!

How to assemble these apple butter appetizers:

1. Slice a baguette, lay the slices on a sheet pan, and drizzle with olive oil. Toast in the oven until they’re just barely browned. (We do this at 350 degrees Fahrenheit in this recipe, but you can honestly toast crostini at just about any temperature as long as you keep an eye on them!)
   
2. Top each baguette slice with a small piece of brie and a dollop of apple butter. Pop the sheet pan back in the oven for a few minutes until the brie has juuuuuust barely started to melt and the apple butter is warmed through.

Make-Ahead tips:

These crostini are SO easy to make for a crowd (and you can assemble them a few hours ahead of time so you aren’t swamped when your guests arrive!) A few of our favorite make-ahead tips:

Prep individual components ahead of time.

• Slice the baguette and store it in an airtight container on the counter for a day or two until you’re ready to use it, or freeze the slices for 3-4 months.
• Cut the brie into pieces a day or two ahead and store in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Make the apple butter ahead of time and store in the fridge or freezer (try our fan-favorite stovetop apple butter or slow cooker apple butter recipes!)

Toast the baguette slices and assemble the cheese crostini in the morning.

Lay your baguette slices out on a metal sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and toast until they just BARELY start to crisp up (they’ll dry out a little in the fridge and during their second stint in the oven, so don’t let them toast too much here!)

Let the toast slices cool completely (leave them right on the sheet pan!) then top with brie and apple butter as directed. Lay a piece of beeswax wrap or plastic wrap loosely over the sheet pan, then pop it in the fridge for up to 5 hours or until you’re ready to serve.

When you’re ready to serve, move the sheet pan right from the fridge to the oven (make sure you’re using a thick, sturdy metal pan here – thin pans can warp and bend when they’re put cold into a hot oven, which can send your crostini flying!) and bake until the brie softens.

Additions & Substitutions

• No apple butter? Use a dollop of your favorite jam (we love fig jam here!) or leftover cranberry sauce. These are also great with a drizzle of honey!

• Add fresh apple slices (or pear slices!), walnuts, or pecans for extra texture and flavor. You can also add prosciutto to make them a little heartier!

• Finish crostini with a sprinkle of flakey sea salt for an extra pop of flavor.

Serve warm for best results!

The key here is to keep the apple butter warm – if it’s too cold, it will taste more applesauce-y and less luxurious. Bake the brie right before you plan to serve them to make sure everything stays warm!

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