Brie, Bacon & Blackberry Grilled Cheese

A quick and easy blackberry jam, creamy melted brie and crispy bacon. This truly is the grilled cheese you never knew you needed!

I know it sounds like a bit of an odd combo, but trust me, it truly works. The sweetness of the jam goes so deliciously with the saltiness of the cheese/bacon. The brie just oozes out of the sandwich and marries so well with the blackberries. The crispy bacon, the buttery toasted bread. It’s all just so heavenly. Follow me…

Easy Blackberry Jam

You could just use fresh blackberries as they are, but I find them a little tart like that. Plus making a jam couldn’t be easier. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Blackberries – I use fresh blackberries but you could use frozen if that’s what you have.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar works perfectly here.
• Lemon Juice – Cuts through the sweetness and helps thicken the jam.

That’s it! Just mash up the blackberries in a pot and simmer until it thickens. No cornstarch or jam sugar needed!

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yep! It’s pretty quick to make, but if you want to get ahead of the game just allow to cool and tightly store in the fridge for a couple of days until needed.

Can I use a different jam?

I love the flavour the blackberries bring, but in reality this aspect is more about the sweetness and jammy texture. As such you could sub other jams (strawberry/blueberry works well). I’ve even used cranberry sauce before which works perfectly!

Process shots: add blackberries, sugar and lemon juice to small pot (photo 1), mash over low heat (photo 2), rapid simmer until thickened (photo 3).

The ULTIMATE Blackberry Grilled Cheese

Alrighty, blackberry jam done and dusted, let’s talk grilled cheese. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Bread – I used a poppy seeded white bloomer here which works well. Sourdough or Italian style bread are great options!
• Butter – To fry the outside. Mayo will give a more tangy flavour if you wanted to use that.
• Brie – Adds a gorgeous creaminess to the sandwich. Brie has a low melting point so works perfectly in a grilled cheese.
• Bacon – Fried or baked to your texture preference. I recommend cooking it until relatively crispy, just to counteract the gooey jam/brie.

Can I sub the Brie with another cheese?

Camembert has a very similar texture, but has a much more pungent flavour. Something nutty like Gruyere also works nicely. Fontina makes a great sub too!

Process shots: add bread butter side down with heat off (photo 1), spread with blackberry jam (photo 2), add brie (photo 3), add bacon (photo 4), add buttered bread (photo 5), turn on heat and fry both sides (photo 6).

From there just slice in half and enjoy! It’s delicious as it is for a quick brunch or lunch, but you could add some sides for good measure if you fancy.

• Crisp/Chip Recommendation: Something strong and sturdy like McCoys to scoop out any brie that leaks out. Salt and Vinegar would add another flavour profile and add some acidity to the sweetness/saltiness.
• Side Recommendation: Sweet Potato or Spicy Potato Wedges go really well with this sandwich!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this blackberry grilled cheese shall we?!

How to make a Blackberry Grilled Cheese (Full Recipe & Video)

Brie, Bacon & Blackberry Grilled Cheese

A quick and easy blackberry jam, creamy melted brie and crispy bacon. This truly is the grilled cheese you never knew you needed!

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Brunch, lunch

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings (click & slide): 4 sandwiches

Calories per serving: 479kcal

Author: Chris

Cost per serving: £2 / $2.50

Equipment

• Small Pot, Potato Masher & Wooden Spoon (for blackberry jam)
• Large Pan & Turner/Spatula (for grilled cheese)
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board

Ingredients

• 8 small-medium slices of Bread (here I use poppy seeded White Bloomer)
• 8 slices of Bacon, fried or baked until preferred texture
• 2 heaping cups / 300g Fresh Blackberries
• 7oz / 200g Brie, sliced into wedges (3 per sandwich)
• 1 Lemon, juice only
• 4 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 4 pinches of Chilli Flakes, optional (see notes)
• Butter, as needed

Instructions

• In a small pot over low-medium heat, add blackberries, sugar and lemon juice. With a potato masher gently burst all the berries until a thin sauce forms.
• Turn up heat to medium-high and allow the sauce to bubble and reduce until thickened, stirring frequently. The sauce will thicken, just keep bubbling and stirring. Keep in mind it will continue thickening once it cools.
• Butter one side of each of your slices of bread. In a large pan with the heat OFF add two slices of bread butter-side-down (or as many as you can fit). Spread 1 heaped tbsp blackberry jam, top with 3 wedges of brie each, 2 slices of bacon then a pinch of chilli flakes (optional). Add another slice of bread on top then spread with butter.
• Turn heat to a medium and fry both sides until golden, with the brie starting to leak out. Repeat with remaining sandwiches if needed then slice in half and enjoy!

Quick Demo

Notes

a) Blackberry Jam sub - You can use store bought blackberry jam. You could use other fruit jams as well! It's mainly for the sweetness to balance out the saltiness of the cheese/bacon. I've even used cranberry sauce before which works nicely.

b) Chilli Flakes - These add another dimension to the flavour profile by adding a kick of spice, which works nicely with the sweetness of the blackberries and saltiness of the cheese/bacon. They are optional though, still delicious without!

c) What other cheese could I use? - The obvious sub is camembert, but it does have a more pungent flavour than brie, so just be aware of that. A nutty kind of cheese like Gruyere also works nicely. Fontina is another good sub.

d) Calories - per sandwich, assuming 1 tbsp butter per sandwich is used:

Nutrition Facts

Brie, Bacon & Blackberry Grilled Cheese

Amount Per Serving

Calories 479 Calories from Fat 237

% Daily Value*

Fat 26.32g40%

Saturated Fat 13.635g85%

Trans Fat 0.011g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2.185g

Monounsaturated Fat 8.454g

Cholesterol 74mg25%

Sodium 896mg39%

Potassium 347mg10%

Carbohydrates 40.45g13%

Fiber 4.9g20%

Sugar 18.78g21%

Protein 20.9g42%

Vitamin A 574IU11%

Vitamin C 19.8mg24%

Calcium 176mg18%

Iron 2.47mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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