Cranberry Brie Grilled Cheese

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This easy cranberry brie grilled cheese is a perfect creamy, gooey sandwich - with a seasonal twist from leftover cranberry sauce! The cranberry sauce lends a hint of tart, bright flavor that pairs beautifully with rich, melted brie. A great way to repurpose those Thanksgiving leftovers!

Three cranberry grilled cheese sandwiches, stacked on top of each other on a white plate.

We love repurposing Thanksgiving leftovers into new and exciting recipes - and this quick grilled cheese sandwich recipe is one of our favorite post-Thanksgiving staples!

We're using leftover cranberry sauce as a tart sandwich spread, and layering it up on toasted sourdough with some sliced brie cheese and shredded mozzarella (this is the perfect place to use any leftovers from your Thanksgiving cheese plate!) Bonus points if you add a pinch of flakey sea salt as you assemble the sandwiches for a pop of flavor!

This is a very loose recipe, so you can use whatever you have on hand. Keep reading for some of our favorite swaps, riffs, and substitutions.

Grilled cheese ingredients, organized into individual bowls on a white table.

Our Basic Order of Operations

Generously butter one side of each slice of bread.
Flip half the slices over to put the bread butter-side-down, and spread their opposite sides with leftover cranberry sauce (we like to do this on a large cutting board for easy cleanup!)
Put brie and mozzarella cheese on top of the cranberry sauce, add a pinch of flakey salt (optional, but delicious) then top each sandwich with a remaining bread slice (butter side up).
Cook sandwiches in a large skillet until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is nice and melty.

Sourdough bread topped with cranberry sauce, brie, and mozzarella cheese on a black cutting board.

Riffs and Substitutions

This grilled cheese recipe is a wonderful blank canvas. Some of our favorite ways to change things up:

Add a protein. Helloooo, leftover herb roasted turkey breast! Bacon, prosciutto, and slow cooker shredded chicken are also great in this sandwich.
Swap the cranberry sauce. You can use just about any fruit sauce or spread for this grilled cheese. Leftovers from your Thanksgiving charcuterie board would be delicious (like apple butter or fig spread). You can even swap a bit of whole grain mustard for the cranberry sauce, or use fresh berries (à la our blackberry grilled cheese) or apple slices (à la our brie apple grilled cheese).
Throw in some greens. Add a handful of fresh arugula, spinach, or kale to get some greens in. These sandwiches are also tasty with a few leftover maple cranberry brussels sprouts thrown in!
Change up the cheese. We love the addition of shredded mozzarella here because it cuts the richness of the brie and gives you the dreeeeamiest Instagram-worthy-cheese-pull. But you can mix up the cheeses (white cheddar, goat cheese, gruyere, and havarti are all good!) Also amazing on this sandwich: A bit of whipped goat cheese or whipped feta.
No bread? Grab some flour tortillas and turn this recipe into a quesadilla, or slice some leftover salted dinner rolls in half, add cranberry sauce and cheeses, then add the top halves back on and bake until they're nice and melty.
Use salted or unsalted butter. Whatever you have on hand is fine!

Two grilled cheese sandwiches in a large blue skillet.

Serving Suggestions

These grilled cheese sandwiches pair well with creamy soups or quick side salads! Here are a few of our favorite accompaniments:

Two grilled cheese sandwiches on a white plate, next to a bowl of cranberry sauce.

A Few FAQs

Does the cheese need to be at room temperature?

No - you can use brie and mozzarella that are straight out of the fridge! We actually prefer cold brie in this recipe: when it's cold, it's easier to cut into thin slices.

Can I make this grilled cheese in the oven?

Yes! Grilled cheese is easy to make in the oven if you don't want to use the stove - it's our favorite way to prep these sandwiches for a crowd! Butter your bread slices, assemble each sandwich as directed, then lay sandwiches on a large sheet pan and bake at 400° F for 5-7 minutes (or until the tops are lightly toasted), then flip the sandwiches over with a spatula and bake another 5-7 minutes or so until browned.

What kind of bread should I use?

We love using sourdough or homemade crusty bread here. These sandwiches are also incredible with homemade cranberry pecan bread!

Hands pulling two halves of a grilled cheese apart, with cheese stretching in the middle.

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