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Camembert rôti is the kind of dish that looks extravagant but actually takes almost no effort. It’s a whole wheel of oozy, molten camembert baked until soft and golden, flavored with honey, herbs, and, in this version, nestled into a warm cob loaf with a bed of caramelized red onions. As you can imagine, it is so incredibly delicious and perfect for a festive nibble.
Table of Contents
This post will show you exactly how to make this crowd-pleasing camembert rôti, how to prepare it ahead, avoid the common pitfalls, store leftovers, and serve it in the most delicious way possible.
Why you will love this recipe
- This Baked Camembert Rôti is a gooey, shareable cheese centerpiece that’s simple to assemble.
- Beautiful sweet–savory balance from caramelized red onion, honey, and pancetta.
- Uses an everyday loaf of bread – no special equipment or pastry needed.
- Perfect for parties: impressive presentation, minimal effort, easy to scale.
Ingredients
- Camembert – This is a soft-ripened cheese from Normandy, France. It has a creamy texture and buttery flavor. When ripened, it has a beautifully soft texture. Once baked, it becomes even more gooey.
- Boule (cob loaf) – A large, round, crusty white loaf — you’ll find these at most bakeries or in the bread aisle. It’s called a “cob loaf” in the UK, but “boule” is the more common name in the US.
- Pancetta – I like to finish this camembert rôti with crispy pancetta to balance the sweet honey and complement the creamy cheese, but this is entirely optional.
Substitutions and variations
Cheese – You can swap the camembert for Pié d’Angloys or brie. They just need to be soft and round.
Herbs – I use rosemary, but finely chopped fresh thyme is great too in this camembert rôti recipe.
Serving suggestions
- Fresh fruit: crisp apple slices, grapes, or figs
- Pickled things: cornichons, or pickled onions
- Charcuterie: salami, prosciutto, or extra pancetta
- Drinks: dry cider, light red wine (like Pinot Noir), or a floral white
- Salad: peppery arugula (rocket) to cut through the richness
How to make easy baked camembert
Here’s a quick visual guide — the full recipe with exact measurements is below.
ONE: Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C/180°C fan). Cut a circle in the top of the cob, slightly larger than the camembert.
TWO: Lift off the “lid”, then hollow out some of the bread inside to create a snug cavity. (Keep the torn-out bread for dipping later.)
THREE: Spoon the caramelized onions into the bottom of the cavity.
FOUR: Remove the camembert from any plastic wrapping and the wooden base. Sit the cheese on top of the onions.
FIVE: Score the camembert in a cross-hatch pattern, drizzle generously with honey, and sprinkle over the dried thyme.
SIX: Place the stuffed loaf on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is molten and the bread is lightly crisp. Top with crispy pancetta cubes.
Tips from Margie’s kitchen
- Cheese is greasy or split – This usually means the heat was too high. Lower the oven temperature slightly and bake for a few minutes longer next time.
- Adjust cooking time if needed – Larger wheels of camembert need extra time. Add 5–10 minutes, checking every few mins.
- If you are worried the bread will go soggy, you can toast the inside lightly before filling. This should help it stay crisp, but I haven’t found soggy bread an issue when making it myself.
Frequently asked questions
You can assemble the loaf up to 4 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add honey and score the cheese just before baking.
This happens when the cheese is overheated. Stick to 390°F (200°C/180°C fan) oven temperatures. Make sure to also score the rind as instructed, as it helps it melt evenly.
Yes, to make this roasted camembert vegetarian, just skip the pancetta. You could swap it for garlicky fried mushrooms if you do want something extra.
For gluten-free, swap the cob loaf for a gluten-free boule or serve the cheese on its own with gluten-free dippers.
Other recipes you might enjoy
If you liked this recipe for Baked Camembert Rôti, you will also like my deep-fried brie recipe, camembert en croute, or spinach feta filo bows.
Christmas Recipes
Nut Roast Wellington
Smoked Salmon Recipes
Smoked Salmon Pâté with Dill and Lemon
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Poached Pear Christmas Pavlova
Christmas Recipes
Easy Pesto Tarte Soleil (Puff Pastry Sun)
If you tried this Camembert Rôti or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Oven Roasted Camembert (Camembert Rôti)
Ingredients
- 1 knob of butter
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 large white boule (cob loaf)
- 1 whole camembert, (approx 8.8 oz/250 g)
- Runny honey, for drizzling
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 3.5 oz pancetta cubes
- Extra rosemary, or thyme, to finish
- Extra honey, to drizzle at the end
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C/180°C fan).
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced red onion and cook gently for 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Sprinkle over the brown sugar and continue to fry for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the red wine vinegar and let it bubble until the onions turn glossy and sticky. Remove from the heat.
- Cut a circle in the top of the cob, slightly larger than the camembert. Lift off the “lid”, then hollow out some of the bread inside to create a snug cavity. (Keep the torn-out bread for dipping later.)
- Spoon the caramelized onions into the bottom of the cavity.
- Remove the camembert from any plastic wrapping and wooden base. Sit the cheese on top of the onions.
- Score the camembert in a cross-hatch pattern, drizzle generously with honey, and sprinkle over the dried thyme.
- Place the stuffed loaf on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is molten and the bread is lightly crisp.
- While it's baking, fry the pancetta cubes over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, around 10 minutes.
- Remove the camembert from the oven. Top with crispy pancetta cubes, an extra sprinkle of rosemary or thyme, and another drizzle of honey. Serve immediately, letting everyone tear off pieces of bread and dip them into the melted cheese.
Video
Notes
Make-ahead and storage
To store: Leftovers are rare with this one, but if you do have some, wrap the loaf well in foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. It’s definitely better fresh! To reheat: reheat leftover pieces in the oven at 355°F (180°C/160°C fan) for 10–12 minutes, wrapped loosely in foil to prevent over-browning. Avoid microwaving as this can make the bread tough and the cheese oily. Make ahead: You can caramelize the onions up to 3 days in advance. Store them in the fridge and bring to room temperature before assembling. The loaf can be hollowed out a few hours ahead. Keep it wrapped so it doesn’t dry out. Assemble the loaf (with onions and cheese inside) up to 4 hours before baking. Keep it covered in the fridge, then score and drizzle with honey just before it goes in the oven.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This oven roasted camembert is so simple and so good, served in a loaf of bread with crispy pancetta and caramelised red onions. You need to make it!