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5 Best Brie Cheese Substitutes (Tested Swaps) | EpicureDelight

5 Best Brie Cheese Substitutes (Tested Swaps)

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Use these brie cheese substitutes by ratio, then adjust texture with draining or blending depending on the swap.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1 batch
Course: Substitutes
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Best Matches
  • 1:1 Camembert (soft ripened cow’s milk) Closest creamy body; works for spreading and baked brie-style apps
  • 1:1 Triple-cream brie-style cheese (if available) Richer than standard brie; ideal when you want maximum creaminess
Good Alternatives
  • 1:1 Ripened goat cheese (soft log) — blended if needed Tangier but creamy; blend for a brie-like spread and mellow with a pinch of salt
  • 1:1 Neufchâtel (soft cow’s milk cheese) Milder and slightly firmer; great for boards and sandwiches where brie is usually mild
Emergency Swaps
  • ¾:1 Cream cheese (full-fat, softened) More tang and less ripened flavor; for best results, thin/blend to match brie’s creaminess
  • 1:1 Mascarpone (room temp) Very rich and smooth; use for spreads/dips, but it won’t melt like brie
  • 1:1 Boursin-style herb cheese (or cream cheese base) Convenient and creamy; flavor shifts due to herbs—use when brie’s mild profile isn’t required

Equipment

  • Small Bowl
  • Spoon
  • Fork or small whisk (for blending soft substitutes)
  • Baking sheet (if baking the substitute)
  • Paper towels (optional, for blotting)

Method
 

  1. Identify how you’re using brie (spread, bake until gooey, or cheese-board pairing).
  2. Choose the substitute closest to that use: ripened soft cheeses for boards/baking, creamy spreads for sandwiches/dips.
  3. Apply the listed ratio. If the substitute is softer-wetter than brie (e.g., goat cheese), drain or blot briefly; if it’s firmer, blend until spreadable.
  4. Taste and adjust: add a tiny pinch of salt to improve savory depth, or balance tang with a teaspoon of honey/cream if needed for dips.
  5. If baking, give the swap a few minutes longer only when it resists melting (cream cheeses melt fastest than ripened bloomy-rind cheeses).

Notes

  • Closest results come from other soft ripened bloomy-rind cheeses.
  • Mild tang differences matter most in raw applications (spreads/boards).

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