If you’re thinking, “Dang, Kare, that sandwich looks like a hot mess!” Well then, I have to agree. It really kind of is.

But you know what? This Cranberry, Pear, & Brie Grilled Cheese one seriously mouth-watering hot mess. Melty, sweet-with-the-salty, ooey, buttery, crunchy, gooey … yeah, it’s worth an extra napkin or two.

Cranberry, Pear, and Brie Grilled Cheese | Kitchen Treaty

Right out of the gate, I’m just going to straight-up acknowledge the problems I had photographing this bad boy.

It all started out okay. I mean, I couldn’t help but snap a photo when I noticed the cheese start to creep out from between two slices of warm sourdough and hit the skillet, bubbling ferociously. Not the greatest photo, but look at the melty! Just look!

Cranberry, Pear, and Brie Grilled Cheese | Kitchen Treaty

I was having so much fun poking and prodding and drooling over and taking pics of this sandwich in the frying pan that when it was finally ready for its (lack of) beauty shot, all of the sudden I had less than five minutes to snap it before I was going to have to quickly stuff it in my face and run out of the house to pick up my daughter.

So I took some dissatisfying, hurried photos and gave up. I grabbed the sandwich, took a honkin’ bite, set it down, and gathered my keys and purse and phone. And then I went back to it and was like, hey. It looks a lot better!

Cranberry, Pear, and Brie Grilled Cheese | Kitchen Treaty

So I took a couple more pics, and yeah, still a mess, but a slightly nicer hot mess. And if you think you see a giant bite out of the middle up there, well, you’re right about that, too.

Regardless, please tell me you have some leftover cranberry sauce so that you, too, can have a hot mess sandwich all up in your grill, too. Pun totally intended.

More Grilled Cheese Recipes

Cranberry, Pear, and Brie Grilled Cheese | Kitchen Treaty
5 from 1 vote

Cranberry, Pear, & Brie Grilled Cheese

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 2 sandwiches
Now THIS is a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers. Melty, savory brie melts over sweet pears and mingles with tart cranberry sauce. It’s not the prettiest sandwich in town, but it might just be the tastiest.

Ingredients

  • 4 slices sourdough bread
  • 2 tablespoons butter (softened)
  • 4 ounces Brie cheese (sliced about 1/4-inch thick)
  • 1 large ripe pear (cored and sliced about 1/4-inch thick (I’ve used both bartlett and anjou, both good))
  • 1/2 cup cranberry sauce

Instructions

  • Warm a large skillet over medium-low heat.
  • Butter each slice of bread on one side. Lay two slices, buttered side down, in the skillet. Carefully lay the pear slices evenly on both slices of bread the bread in the skillet, cover with a single layer of brie, and carefully spoon the cranberry sauce over the top of each. Top with remaining slices of bread, butter side up.
  • Cook, occasionally pressing gently with the back of a spatula to help the ingredients meld together, flipping occasionally, until sandwich is golden brown and the cheese is melted and oozing a bit out of the sides.
  • Slice each sandwich in half and serve.

More melty-gooey-good grilled cheese recipes:

Cranberry, Pear, and Brie Grilled Cheese | Kitchen Treaty
This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a portion of the proceeds. More about this here.