The holidays are just around the corner, which means it’s time for festive cocktail + appetizer pairings! This delicious mini grilled cheese is savory and sweet, pairing perfectly with a classic bittersweet, bubbly Americano.
If you’re looking for a no-fuss holiday appetizer, these gooey grilled cheeses with mustard and jam are the answer. Made with just five ingredients and ready in less than ten minutes, the sandwiches are elegant but incredibly quick and easy. The accompanying Americano is a refreshing and low-alcohol cocktail that’s made with equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth, with a splash of club soda. Simple, easy, and oh so delicious!
You may also like my Red Pear, Cheddar and Mustard Galette or my Asparagus Frittata.
There’s no doubt that this holiday season is very different from years past, and with trips to the grocery store fewer and farther between, my go-to recipes are made with simple ingredients and easy substitutions. Here are a few reasons why this is my current favorite holiday pairing:
Short on time? These appetizers bake up golden brown in less than ten minutes and the cocktail is as easy as measure, pour, stir! Instead of grilling these sandwiches individually in a pan, bake them all at once for perfect, evenly toasted appetizers that don’t need to be constantly tended to.
Easy to make and easy to make substitutions. I love to use a baguette, Brie cheese, and lingonberry jam in these sandwiches, but they are incredibly delicious with virtually any bread, cheese, or jam! If you make your own cranberry sauce for the holidays, you can use that in place of jam with great results. The key ingredient in this recipe is Maille Old Style mustard. It adds a wonderful savory and spicy flavor that ties together rich, creamy cheeses and the sweet and tart flavors of berry jam. If you’re familiar with Maille’s top notch mustards, you know how versatile they are. Join me in the My Maille Community Facebook Group to find even more delicious Maille recipes!
No special skills or equipment required. The only tools you need to make these appetizers is an oven, a baking sheet, and a butter knife. Americanos are simple three ingredient cocktails that are built in the glass over ice – no shaker or mixing glass needed.
What’s in the Mini Brie, Mustard, and Jam Grilled Cheeses:
- French baguette. Thinly slice a baguette to make miniature sandwiches. You could also cut sandwich bread in half.
- Maille Old Style mustard. This mustard is the star of the show. Maille Old Style is a grainy mustard that’s crunchy and flavorful with just the right amount of zesty spice.
- Lingonberry jam. I love to use this Swedish jam during the holidays and it’s easy to find at my local grocery store. Lingonberries are similar to cranberries so feel free to substitute with a cranberry sauce if you don’t have this ingredient on hand. You can substitute with any fruity jam or preserve that’s sweet and tart, making this appetizer easy to transition from season to season!
- Brie. Brie is a wonderfully creamy, nutty, and mellow cheese that melts perfectly in these mini grilled cheeses. You can use other cheeses as well, and Camembert is a great Brie substitute.
- Butter. You’ll need a few tablespoons of butter to make these sandwiches toast up golden brown. I like to use a whipped butter to make buttering the slices very quick and easy.
What’s in the Americano cocktail:
Campari. This is a bright red, Italian bittersweet liqueur that’s used in many classic cocktails, including the Negroni and Boulevardier.
Sweet vermouth. Vermouth is a fortified and aromatized wine that’s made with a variety of botanicals.
Club soda. A splash of club soda or sparkling water adds effervescence and lightens this easy cocktail.
Garnish. A slice of orange is the classic garnish, but I like to add a sprig of rosemary during the winter months to emphasize the herbal flavors in the vermouth.
How to make the cocktail:
Fill a double rocks or highball glass with ice. Pour an ounce and a half of each Campari and sweet vermouth over the ice and stir a few times to chill. Top with a couple ounces of club soda, stir gently, and garnish.
Mini Brie, Mustard, and Jam Grilled Cheeses with Classic Americanos
Ingredients
For the Mini Grilled Cheeses:
- baguette
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp Maille Old Style Mustard
- 4 tbsp lingonberry jam (or other sweet and tart jam or preserves)
- 8 oz brie
For the Americano Cocktail:
- 1.5 oz Campari
- 1.5 oz sweet vermouth
- 2 oz club soda
Instructions
For the Mini Grilled Cheeses:
- Preheat to 450 degrees F.
- Cut 16 thin slices (about 1/2" each) from a baguette.
- Butter one side of the 8 slices of bread and place each buttered side down on a baking sheet.
- Spread about 1 1/2 tsps of jam on each slice, then top with two thin slices of Brie (about 1 oz of cheese per sandwich).
- Next, spread about 1 tsp of Maille Old Style mustard on each of the remaining 8 bread slices and place them mustard-side down on the cheese to form sandwiches.
- Butter the tops of the 8 sandwiches.
- Bake for 4 minutes, then carefully flip the sandwiches and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
- Transfer the grilled cheeses to a platter and serve immediately.
For the Americano Cocktail:
- Fill a double rocks glass with ice. Pour the Campari and sweet vermouth over the ice and stir a few times to chill. Top with the club soda and garnish with an orange slice and a sprig of rosemary (optional).
Notes
