Apple brie dip turns a wheel of melty cheese into a warm fall appetizer, with cinnamon apples, toasted walnuts and a drizzle of caramel all cooked in one skillet. It comes together in about 30 minutes and needs nothing more than a skillet and a spoon.
I’ve been obsessed with skillet brie dips all summer. But now that we’re moving into fall, it’s time to shift the flavors from peaches and berries to fall fruits and warm spices.
What Is Apple Brie Dip
Apple brie dip is a skillet cheese dip made with sliced apples, brie cheese and walnuts. Fall apples need a head start in the pan so they soften into the melty cheese instead of staying firm. It’s a wonderful appetizer for the fall or holiday season.
Fun Fruit Fact: Did you ever really pay attention to fruit seasons? Fruits harvested in summer, like berries and stone fruits, are tender. They don’t need much heat to soften, so you can add them to a skillet and they’ll melt alongside cheese perfectly.
Fruits harvested in fall, like apples and pears, are firmer. If you add them to the skillet at the same time as the cheese, they’ll stay firm to the bite when the cheese is ready. That’s why I partially cook the apple slices before adding the brie, so the apple melts into the cheese on your bread or cracker.
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Heat Grill: Light your coals in a charcoal chimney or gill and heat your grill to medium heat.
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Prep Apples: Peel, core and slice the apples. Toss in a mixing bowl with the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.
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Fry Apples: Place the skillet on the grill over the coals. Add the butter. One melted, add the apples. Cook until simmering, about 5 minutes.
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Score Brie: Score deep diamonds into the brie. Push the apples to the edge of the skillet and add the cheese to the center.
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Add Juice and Nuts: Pour the apple juice around the cheese. Sprinkle walnuts on top.
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Melt Cheese: Cook until the cheese melts, adding more apple juice if needed. It should take about 15 minutes.
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Finish: Just before taking the skillet off, drizzle with caramel. Garnish with fresh herbs.
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Serve: Serve with buttercream bread, toast or crackers.
If the heat is too hot and the liquid evaporates quickly, add a splash of apple juice so the sugars don’t burn. Warm spices like nutmeg, cloves or apple pie spice work in place of cinnamon. Camembert can stand in for brie.
Calories: 679kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 25gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 951mgPotassium: 369mgFiber: 7gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 566IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 287mgIron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What you’ll need
- Apple: One apple, peeled, cored and sliced. Any baking apple works here, so use your favorite. I tend to use Honeycrisp or Envy apples.
- White Sugar: Sweetens the apples and helps them caramelize in the skillet.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness alongside the white sugar.
- Flour: Thickens the apple juices so the fruit isn’t swimming in liquid when it hits the cheese.
- Cinnamon: The classic fall spice for this dip. See the substitutions below if you want to switch it up.
- Salt: Just a pinch, to balance the sweetness.
- Butter: For cooking down the apples in the skillet.
- Apple Juice: Keeps the skillet from drying out as the cheese melts. You could also use water or crisp white wine.
- Brie: One wheel, scored into diamonds so it melts evenly. Be sure to leave the rind on it. That holds the cheese together.
- Walnuts: Adds crunch. I prefer to get texture from the nuts rather than undercooked fruit.
- Fresh Oregano: Optional, for garnish. I like the herbal contrast against the sweet apples and caramel.
- Caramel, Honey or Syrup: For drizzling over the dip just before serving.
- Buttercream Bread, Toast or Crackers: For serving. Use whichever dipper you have on hand.
Substitutions: In addition to cinnamon, you can use other warm spices like nutmeg and cloves or apple pie spice. Instead of brie, try camembert. Sub pecans or almonds for walnuts.
See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to cook Apple Brie Dip
Light your charcoal in a charcoal chimney or in your grill, and let it come to medium heat. You want steady, even heat, not raging hot coals.
GCG Pro Tip: A fire that's too hot will scorch the bottom of the skillet before the cheese has a chance to melt through.
Step 1: Prep the Apples
Peel, core and slice the apple on a cutting board. Toss the slices in a mixing bowl with the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. The flour slightly thickens the juices so the apples aren’t runny once they hit the skillet.
Step 2: Cook the Apples
Place the skillet on the grill grate over the hot coals. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the apple mixture, and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the apples.
Step 3: Score and Add the Brie
Score deep diamonds into the brie so it melts evenly. Push the apples to the edges of the skillet and add the brie to the center.
Step 4: Add Apple Juice and Walnuts
Pour the apple juice around the brie and top with the walnuts.
GCG Pro Tip: When cooking this dish over live fire or on a grill, if the heat is too hot, the liquid may evaporate quickly. If that happens, add a splash of apple juice to the skillet. This also helps so the sugars don't burn.
Step 5: Melt the Cheese
Cook until the cheese melts, adding more apple juice if needed. You’re looking for gooey brie that oozes out of the white rind.
Step 6: Finish with Caramel and Herbs
Just before taking the skillet off the heat, drizzle with caramel. Garnish with fresh oregano.
How to serve apple brie dip
Serve this brie appetizer straight from the skillet with buttercream bread, toast, baguette slices or crackers for scooping. It’s a wonderful appetizer for the fall or holiday season, so set it out at a gathering with plenty of dippers nearby.
Storage
Apple brie dip is best eaten right away. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave to remelt the cheese.
GCG Pro Tips
- Cook the apples first so they soften into the cheese
- Adding flour thickens the sauce
- If the skillet runs hot, add a splash of apple juice so the sugars don’t burn
Frequently Asked Questions
Apple brie dip is a skillet cheese dip made with sliced apples, brie cheese and walnuts. It’s a wonderful appetizer for the fall or holiday season.
Camembert makes a great substitute for brie in this recipe.
Yes. In addition to cinnamon, you can use other warm spices like nutmeg and cloves or apple pie spice.
Serve apple brie dip with buttercream bread, toast or crackers for scooping.
Yes, to make baked brie dip, set your oven to 375F degrees and bake for about 15 minutes.
Apple brie dip is best eaten right away. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
