Cherry Chia Baked Brie (With Nature’s Touch Frozen Fruit)

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

This Cherry Chia Baked Brie is a delicious, high fiber appetizer that’s naturally sweetened with Nature’s Touch frozen fruit.

I love to host dinner parties whenever I can, and my goal as a dietitian and foodie is to show my friends and family that nourishing, Hunger Crushing Combo meals can be mouthwateringly delicious. So if we’re having a fruit or veggie-based appetizer, I’m going to make sure it’s something elegant and flavorful — no boring crudité here!

That’s why I’ve been loving this cherry chia baked brie. It’s cozy, the perfect balance of sweet and salty, and a dreamy pairing for whole grain crackers and fruit. March is also Nutrition and Frozen Fruit Month, and I’m proud to partner with Nature’s Touch to make this recipe easy, convenient and nutrient-dense, all year round.

With rising grocery prices, fresh fruit is becoming more and more expensive. Luckily, Nature’s Touch is a cost-effective option to eat more plants and prevent food waste. Their fruits and vegetables are picked and flash frozen at peak ripeness, maximizing the nutrient content and ensuring top quality even when out of season. Frozen fruit is also a great strategy to reduce food waste and increase product consumption, because it’s so convenient and easy to use. Personally, I love that Nature’s Touch is carefully sourced and Canadian owned, making it a great choice for recipes my family loves.

In this recipe, I use Nature’s Touch frozen dark sweet cherries to create a high fiber chia jam, which we spoon over gooey baked brie. Topped with crunchy smoked almonds, it’s the appetizer that will keep your friends and family coming back.

Why This Recipe Works

This cherry chia baked brie is one of my crowdpleaser appetizers for a couple of reasons:

• Less than 5 minutes of prep
• Contains a serving of fruit
• Gluten-free
• Vegetarian
• High fiber

I also love that this recipe uses Nature’s Touch frozen dark sweet cherries, because there are so many benefits to frozen fruits and vegetables. They are truly an underrated tool to meet your health goals. Here’s why I love choosing frozen:

• Convenient and time-saving
• Encourages more produce consumption
• Equal or higher nutrient content, as frozen produce is harvested at peak ripeness and flash frozen to preserve vitamins and minerals
• Reduces food waste, as freezing extends shelf life
• Stretches the food budget

Key Ingredients

Brie – I use a 8 or 12 oz wheel of brie, depending on the amount of servings required. Typically, a 8 oz wheel serves 6-8 people, while a 12 oz wheel is better for larger groups.

Frozen cherries – Nature’s Touch frozen dark sweet cherries are my go-to in this recipe because they require zero prep. Since their fruit is flash frozen at peak ripeness, I can also be confident that the cherries are sweet at any time of year.

Chia seeds – We make a homemade chia jam using chia seeds, which swell to absorb the juices from the defrosting frozen cherries. Chia seeds are also an amazing source of fiber, with 11g per 3 tbsp.

Maple syrup and lemon juice – These provide a touch of sweetness and acidity to the chia jam, making the flavors come together and pop.

Smoked almonds – I love the smokiness and slight crunch of sliced almonds on top of this baked brie.

To serve – Choose your favourite whole grain crackers and fruit for serving.

How to Make this Recipe

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Step 2: Add frozen cherries to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cherries release their juices and soften.

Step 3: Lightly mash about half the cherries with the back of a spoon.

Step 4: Stir in maple syrup, lemon juice, and salt.

Step 5: Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and chia seeds. Let sit for 10–15 minutes to thicken. (It will continue thickening as it cools.)

Step 6: Place Brie in a small oven-safe dish or on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until soft and gooey in the center (but not collapsing).

Step 7: Spoon the cherry chia compote generously over the warm Brie.

Step 8: Sprinkle with almonds and serve with whole grain crackers and fruit. 

Expert Tips

While you can use fresh cherries in this recipe, I highly recommend using frozen. It cuts down on the prep time from washing, de-stemming and pitting fresh cherries, making this appetizer much more convenient. To save even more time, you can make the chia jam ahead of time.

When making the chia jam, do not worry if the mixture still looks watery after cooking. The jam will thicken considerably while cooling, as the chia seeds swell and absorb the juices.

Recipe FAQs

More Recipes Like This

If you love this cherry chia baked brie, check out more of my favourite recipes that use frozen fruit!

• Cherry Crisp with Chocolate Chips
• Banana Baked Oatmeal Fingers with Cherries
• Mixed Berry Pancakes for BLW
• Slow Cooker Blueberry and Peach Crisp
• Chocolate Protein Pancakes with Cherries

You can find Nature’s Touch frozen fruit at Costco nationwide. Comment below how you like to use your frozen fruit, and let me know how you like this cherry chia baked brie!

Nature’s Touch frozen fruits can be found in Costco nationwide. Check out their products at naturestouch.com and follow their Instagram for more creative recipes!