This Pumpkin Brie Fondue is one of those appetizers that looks much harder than it actually is. You roast a small pumpkin until tender, tuck an entire wheel of Brie inside with honey, garlic and fresh herbs, then bake it again until the cheese is completely molten.
I love serving it right in the pumpkin with toasted baguette pieces around it. The pumpkin becomes part serving bowl, part appetizer and part centerpiece, which makes this especially fun for Halloween parties, Thanksgiving and cozy Christmas appetizer spreads.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Brie Fondue
- What You'll Need
- How To Make Pumpkin Brie Fondue
- How Do You Know When the Pumpkin Is Ready?
- What To Serve With Pumpkin Brie
- Make It Ahead
- Serving It for Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas
- Storage & Reheating
- Easy Substitutions
- Pumpkin Brie Fondue Recipe
- Pumpkin Brie Fondue
- More Brie & Holiday Appetizers
Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Brie Fondue
It doubles as the centerpiece. You can put this right in the middle of an appetizer table and let everyone gather around it.
Most of the cooking is hands-off. The pumpkin does the long roast on its own, then the Brie only needs about 15 minutes to become creamy and scoopable.
It's made for fall entertaining. The pumpkin, honey, rosemary and thyme make it feel right at home from Halloween through Thanksgiving and into early Christmas parties.
What You'll Need
The ingredient list is short, which is another reason I like this recipe. The pumpkin and Brie do most of the work.
The Pumpkin
Use a small edible pumpkin or red kuri squash that's large enough to comfortably hold a Brie wheel about 4½ inches across. I care more about that fit than an exact pumpkin weight because varieties can differ so much in shape.
This is not the place for a giant decorative carving pumpkin. You want a pumpkin with good-tasting flesh because guests can scoop some of the tender pumpkin right along with the melted cheese.
The Brie
Use a typical 250 g (about 8.8 oz) Brie wheel, roughly 11 cm or 4½ inches in diameter. The entire Brie goes into the pumpkin with the rind left intact. No trimming or peeling needed.
Fresh Herbs, Honey & Garlic
Fresh rosemary and thyme are worth using here. They taste brighter than dried herbs and look beautiful on the finished pumpkin. Dried herbs will still work in a pinch; I would start with about half as much because their flavor is more concentrated.
How To Make Pumpkin Brie Fondue
1. Prep the pumpkin. Cut a lid from the top, scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp, then oil and season the pumpkin inside and out. Keep the lid because it looks great when you serve the finished fondue.
2. Roast until tender. Add a little water to the baking pan and roast the pumpkin and lid at 350°F for about 45 minutes.
3. Add the Brie. Put the whole Brie wheel inside the roasted pumpkin, rind and all. Drizzle it with honey and add the minced garlic, rosemary and thyme.
4. Finish with the bread. Arrange the seasoned baguette pieces around the pumpkin and bake everything for about 15 minutes more. Turn the bread halfway through and pull it early if it becomes golden before the Brie is fully melted.
How Do You Know When the Pumpkin Is Ready?
This is more useful than watching the clock alone. After the first roast, the inside should be soft enough that the pumpkin flesh pulls away easily with a fork. A knife should slide through the flesh with very little resistance—you should almost be able to drag the knife through it.
At the same time, the pumpkin still needs enough structure to hold the Brie. For the small pumpkins this recipe was tested with, about 45 minutes has been very reliable.
What To Serve With Pumpkin Brie
Toasted baguette is my first choice because it is sturdy enough to scoop up both melted Brie and a little pumpkin. If you want more variety, add crostini, sturdy crackers, apple or pear slices, or roasted baby potatoes.
If you're serving this as part of a larger spread, my Brie appetizer collection has more ideas, and my guide to making crostini is useful if you want extra toasted bread on the side.
Make It Ahead
You can do the first pumpkin roast ahead of time. Roast it until tender as directed, cool it promptly, cover and refrigerate it. When you're ready to serve, take it from the refrigerator while the oven preheats, add the Brie, honey, garlic and herbs, and continue with the final bake.
A chilled pumpkin may need a few extra minutes for the cheese to become completely melted. I would not leave the pumpkin sitting at room temperature for a long period just to warm it up first.
Serving It for Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas
Halloween
The pumpkin already does all the decorating for you. I like this as a warmer, more grown-up option alongside the spooky food on my Halloween appetizer table. It almost looks like a little cheese cauldron without needing to change the actual recipe.
Thanksgiving
This may be the most natural fit of all. Put it out while dinner finishes and guests can snack without filling a plate with something too complicated. If you're building the whole pre-dinner spread, see my make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizers.
Christmas
I also like this for a Christmas party when the table has a warm, rustic or natural look rather than strictly red-and-green food. It fits especially well with the Brie section in my Christmas party appetizers and finger foods guide.
Storage & Reheating
Cool leftovers promptly, cover and refrigerate them for up to 3–4 days. Keep any leftover toasted bread separate so it doesn't turn soggy.
Reheat the pumpkin and Brie gently until the pumpkin is hot and the cheese is creamy again. If the outside of the pumpkin starts browning faster than the center heats through, loosely cover it with foil. Refresh the bread separately in the oven.
Easy Substitutions
Camembert is the closest substitute for Brie. You can also swap the honey for maple syrup, which is especially nice for Thanksgiving. And if you don't want bread, roasted baby potatoes make a hearty dipper.
I would not replace Brie with mozzarella or a random cheese blend and expect the same result—the creamy-rind cheese is a big part of what makes this work.
Pumpkin Brie Fondue Recipe
Pumpkin Brie Fondue
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut a lid from the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Reserve the lid for presentation. Rub the pumpkin inside and out, including the lid, with some of the olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place the pumpkin and lid on a baking sheet and add 5 tablespoons of water to the pan. Roast for about 45 minutes, until the flesh is soft enough to scrape easily with a fork and a knife slides through it with little resistance, while the pumpkin still holds its shape.
- While the pumpkin roasts, toss the baguette pieces with the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Remove the pumpkin from the oven. If there is a large amount of water pooled inside, carefully spoon or blot away the excess; a little moisture is normal. Place the whole Brie wheel inside with the rind intact.
- Drizzle the Brie with honey and top with the minced garlic, thyme and rosemary. Arrange the seasoned baguette pieces around the pumpkin on the baking sheet.
- Return to the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the Brie is completely melted. Turn the bread once after about 7 minutes and remove any pieces that become golden before the cheese is ready.
- Carefully transfer the pumpkin to a serving platter. Gently stir the melted Brie so the honey, garlic and herbs combine. Finish with black pepper and extra herbs if desired, then serve immediately with the toasted bread. Guests can scoop some of the tender pumpkin flesh along with the cheese.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!More Brie & Holiday Appetizers
If you're here for the cheese, browse all of my Brie appetizers next. For seasonal menus, head to my Christmas party appetizers, Thanksgiving appetizers, or Halloween appetizers.
Recipe development note: This version was developed and tested for Aleka's Get-Together from a French pumpkin fondue concept, with Brie, toasted baguette and herbs adapted for this recipe.
Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!