Hot baked camembert is one of those appetizers that’s always a good idea. You cut through the crisp crumb coating and the middle loosens into warm, soft cheese, while the cranberry orange sauce cuts through it nicely.
I’ve made this baked camembert recipe both as an appetizer for 4 and as a more generous plate for 2, and I prefer serving the cheeses whole. It looks better, and the contrast between the crisp coating and the soft center is more noticeable when you cut into a full round. If you want another way to serve this cheese warm, my Camembert baked in its box is a good one too.
Baked Camembert Cheese Overview
This camembert recipe baked in the oven uses breadcrumbs and egg to coat the cheese before baking, then finishes it with a quick cranberry sauce with orange juice and zest. It’s closer to a crispy baked cheese appetizer than the softer box-baked style.
- Cooking method: Oven baked with a breadcrumb coating
- Key flavor elements: Creamy Camembert, crisp crumbs, tart cranberry sauce, orange zest
- Typical serving style: Served hot as an appetizer with sauce and salad leaves or bread
What This Dish Is
Baked camembert cheese is a warm cheese starter popular in France, the UK and elsewhere in Europe. Some versions are baked plain in the wooden box, while this one coats the cheese first so you get a crisp shell around the soft interior.
This is also fairly close in spirit to fried camembert cheese, although here the oven does the work. You still get the contrast between the crunchy outside and the soft middle, just in a lighter oven-baked version which I prefer, especially if it’s going before a heavier main.
I like this one more than plain oven-baked Camembert because the crumb coating gives you something to cut through. A soft baked cheese on its own can slump fast on the plate, while this one keeps a bit more structure long enough to serve it properly.
I also wouldn’t skip the orange in the sauce. Straight cranberry sauce is fine, though the orange zest and juice give it a fresher edge that suits the cheese.
What It Tastes Like
The cheese is mild, ripe and creamy once hot, and the crumb coating gives the outside a crisp bite. The sauce is sharp, fruity and a little sweet, so each mouthful has more going on than melted cheese alone.
If you like Brie, you’ll probably like this too. Camembert usually has a bit more depth and a little more tang, especially once it’s warm.
How It’s Usually Served
This kind of recipe baked camembert is usually served as an appetizer or starter. You can pair it with salad leaves, toasted bread, crackers or a tart fruit sauce. I like a few dressed leaves on the plate to cut through the richness of the dish.
Top Cooking Tips
- The main thing to watch is the timing. Too short and the cheese won’t soften enough in the middle. Too long and it can split and start leaking through the coating.
- The breadcrumb coating also needs a proper chill before baking. I’ve overlooked that step before, and some of the crumbs came off. This can also make the coating crack.
What Makes This Version Different
Most baked Camembert recipes go one of two ways. You either get a plain wheel baked in its box, or a baked camembert with jam or chutney spooned over the top. This one coats the cheese first and serves the sauce alongside or over the top, so the crisp shell is still part of the dish.
It also gives you some of the character of fried camembert while keeping the cooking method simple. That’s useful if you want the crisp coating and soft center without standing over hot oil.
Key Ingredients
- Camembert: Use small whole cheeses so the center gets soft in the center before the outside overcooks.
- Fresh breadcrumbs: These give a more even coating than very dry crumbs and brown nicely in the oven.
- Egg: To help the crumbs stick all over the cheese.
- Cranberry sauce: To bring tartness and sweetness to the plate.
- Orange zest and juice: These add a hint of sharpness.
- Lamb’s lettuce: Optional, though useful if you want something fresh under or beside the cheese. You can use mixed kinds of leaves if you prefer. I just use whatever I happen to have.
Ingredient Spotlight: Camembert Cheese
Camembert is a soft cow’s milk cheese from Normandy. It has a bloomy rind and a richer, more earthy flavor than Brie. I’ve tried several but this one is my favorite.
In a bake camembert recipe like this, the rind helps the cheese hold together while the inside softens.
If you swap in Brie, it still works. The result’s going to be milder, and the center can loosen a little faster.
How to Make Baked Camembert
- Prepare the cheese: Pat the Camembert dry if needed so the egg sticks more easily.
- Coat it: Dip each cheese in beaten egg and press into the breadcrumbs until fully coated.
- Chill it: Refrigerate the coated cheeses for 30 minutes so the crumb layer firms up.
- Bake it: Bake at 175°C/350°F for about 30 minutes or until golden and hot in the middle.
- Make the sauce: Warm the cranberry sauce with the orange zest and juice in a small pan.
- Serve it: Put the hot cheese on plates, spoon over some sauce. You can add lamb’s lettuce first if using.
Tips for Best Results
- Press the crumbs on firmly: A thin patch in the coating is often where the cheese starts leaking first.
- Use small cheeses: They heat through more evenly, so you get a soft middle before the outside has gone too far.
- Chill after coating: This helps the crust hold together in the oven.
- Rest it briefly: Give it 5 to 10 minutes before serving so it’s still hot but easier to eat.
- Warm the sauce gently: A hard boil can make cranberry sauce thicker than you want for spooning.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use Brie: Brie works in place of Camembert if you want a milder baked cheese starter.
- Try panko: Panko gives a rougher, crunchier crust than soft fresh breadcrumbs. I like it either way.
- Change the sauce: Redcurrant jelly or a tart berry sauce can stand in for cranberry.
- Serve it another way: You can make a baked camembert with honey if you prefer a sweeter finish, though that gives a different balance from the cranberry orange sauce here.
How to Store It
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this one. The texture of the cheese and coating both suffer.
- Reheat: Warm in the oven for a few minutes until heated through. The crust won’t be as crisp as it was fresh.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the chill: The coating’s more likely to slip off in the oven.
- Overbaking: The cheese can burst through the crumb coating and pool on the tray.
- Using too much sauce: Spoon over enough to balance the cheese, not so much that the crust goes soggy.
- Serving it straight away from the oven: The center will be extremely hot and harder to eat comfortably.
What to Serve with Baked Camembert
This baked camembert recipe works well with toasted baguette slices, crackers or a few apple or pear slices if you want something fresh on the side. A small green salad also helps. For another cheese-based appetizer, take a look at halloumi salad.
Baked Camembert vs Fried Camembert
Fried camembert usually has a deeper golden crust and a faster cook time because of the hot oil. This oven method is a little gentler, though the idea is similar. You’re still aiming for a crisp outside and a soft center.
If you’ve searched for fried camembert cheese and want something along those lines, this is the closest route without deep frying.
Baked Camembert Recipe FAQs
Can I make this baked camembert recipe ahead?
You can coat the cheeses and chill them ahead of time, then bake just before serving.
Can I cut the cheeses before coating them?
Yes, though smaller pieces are more fiddly to coat and can leak more easily. I prefer leaving them whole.
Can I use dried breadcrumbs?
Yes, though the crust is usually a little finer and drier. Fresh breadcrumbs give a softer, more even coating.
Is this the same as baked Camembert in the box?
No. That version is softer and looser, while this one has a crisp outer coating.
More Recipes to Try
If you want another warm cheese starter, my Camembert baked in its box goes in a softer direction. You might also like these cheeseball recipes if you’re after more party food and starter ideas.
Crispy Baked Camembert with Cranberry Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 small whole Camembert cheeses (about 9 ounces or 250 grams total)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 ounces fresh breadcrumbs (80 grams)
- 7 ounces cranberry sauce (200 grams)
- Zest of ½ orange
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- Lamb’s lettuce (or mixed greens)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a baking tray or small baking dish with parchment paper.
- Dip each Camembert cheese into the beaten egg, then coat all over with the fresh breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs on gently so they stick well.2 small whole Camembert cheeses, 3 ounces fresh breadcrumbs, 1 egg, beaten
- Put the coated cheeses on the prepared tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until the coating is golden and the cheese is hot through the middle.
- While the cheese is baking, add the cranberry sauce, orange zest and orange juice to a small saucepan. Warm over a low heat, stirring until combined.7 ounces cranberry sauce, Zest of ½ orange, 1 tablespoon orange juice
- Let the baked Camembert rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Give each person half of one of the cheeses. Spoon over some of the cranberry orange sauce and serve with lamb’s lettuce if liked.Lamb’s lettuce
Notes
Top Tips
- Chilling the crumb-coated cheese helps the coating stay in place while baking.
- Small whole Camemberts work better than large ones because they heat through more evenly.
- Don’t skip the rest time or the center can be too hot to eat comfortably.
- Brie can be used, though the flavor will be milder.
- Panko can be used for a rougher, crunchier coating.
This recipe, baked camembert, is one I turn to often because it gives you more than simply melted cheese on a plate. The crust, the hot center and the sharp sauce all pull their weight and make this a really tasty dish. It’s something I come back to because it gives you more than melted cheese on a plate. The crisp coating, the hot center and the sharp sauce all pull together into something worth making again.