Caramelized Honey Baked Brie with Warm Olives

Make Caramelized Honey Baked Brie with Warm Olives: bake brie with honey, rosemary, and spoon warm spiced olives over the top for a gooey, shareable appetizer.

Ingredients

• 1 wheel (12 ounce) creamy brie
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 teaspoons honey, plus more for serving
• 2 cups pitted Castelvetrano olives
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Calabrian Chili Pepper Oil (or use additional olive oil plus crushed red pepper flakes to taste)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• black pepper

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Prep the Brie

Preheat the oven to 375° F, then set the 12-ounce wheel of creamy brie into a shallow, round ceramic baking dish. Using a small paring knife, score a tight crosshatch pattern across the top surface so the cheese can ooze while it bakes. Gently rub the grated garlic and the chopped fresh rosemary into the cuts and over the rind so the aromatics nestle into the cheese. Drizzle two teaspoons of honey over the top in an even sheen, leaving a little extra honey in a small glass jar for serving.

Step 2: Bake the Brie until Melty and Caramelized

Slide the prepared brie (still in the same shallow round ceramic dish) into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, watching for the rind to soften and the surface to take on small bubbling patches and amber caramelized streaks where the honey collects. When it’s done the interior should be pillowy and molten, the crosshatch openings pouring out glossy, molten cheese; let it rest a minute so the top gloss firms slightly but remains seductively runny.

Step 3: Roast the Olives in Spiced Oil

While the brie is finishing or resting, toss the two cups of pitted Castelvetrano olives in a small ceramic baking dish with the 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, the Calabrian chili pepper oil (or extra olive oil and red pepper flakes), the lemon zest, a couple sprigs of fresh thyme, and a generous crack of black pepper. Roast until the oil is shimmering and the olives look plump and scented, about 20–25 minutes; the oil should be fragrant, shimmering, and dotted with flecks of chili and lemon.

Step 4: Assemble and Serve Warm with Bread and Crackers

Using the same round ceramic dish that held the brie, place the warm wheel back on the surface and spoon the hot olive-oil mixture over one side so glossy green olives and fragrant thyme tumble atop the molten cheese. Drizzle a touch more honey from the glass jar across a few caramelized highlights, scatter extra thyme sprigs, and arrange chunks of crusty bread and dark seeded crackers nearby for scooping. Serve immediately while the cheese is molten and the olives still glisten with sizzling oil.

Notes

• Taste the olives before roasting and adjust honey or lemon to balance salt.
• Watch the brie closely at 18 to 22 minutes to avoid overbaking.
• Serve immediately for best texture; reheat gently if needed.
• Use a ceramic or oven-safe skillet to keep melted cheese contained.
• Reserve extra honey in a jar for drizzling at the table.