Apple, Brie, and Cheddar Grilled Cheese

At a Glance

This recipe for Apple, Brie, and Cheddar Grilled Cheese is a hot sandwich made with sliced apples, Brie, and cheddar cheese. It’s melty, gooey, and the ideal blend of savoury and sweet. It’s the perfect simple lunch or dinner in fall, winter, or anytime.

 

Apple, Brie, and Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Upgrade your classic grilled cheese sandwich with this sweet-meets-savoury version! Fluffy and golden Rideau Bakery Sliced Twisted Egg Bread is the vehicle for all this deliciousness, but we have ingredient swaps and additions to transform this sandwich into your new favourite lunch. You’ll want to enjoy this gourmet grilled cheese right away, because after storing or sitting too long, the cheese will lose its meltiness and the bread won’t be as crisp.

 

Ingredients for Apple, Brie, and Cheddar Grilled Cheese

Bread: For this Apple, Brie, and Cheddar Grilled Cheese sandwich, we opted for Rideau Bakery Sliced Twisted Egg Bread. Soft, chewy, and slightly sweet, this challah-style bread comes from Rideau Bakery, an Ottawa institution that we’re proud to have as part of the Farm Boy Family.

Brie: If meltiness is one of your favourite things about grilled cheese, you’ll want to use Brie. Our Triple Cream Brie cheese is made with 100% Ontario cow’s milk for a buttery, creamy, smooth flavour. It has a slight tang and velvety rind that becomes extra decadent when warmed.

Cheddar: Brie can be a pretty mild flavour when it comes to cheese. That’s why we also like using cheddar in this sandwich. Cheddar cheese comes in plenty of different flavours, with younger cheddars offering a milder taste, while mature cheddars are a bit sharper and nuttier. For this grilled cheese recipe, we landed in the middle with our Organic Medium Cheddar Cheese. Crafted with 100% unpasteurized Canadian organic milk, it’s free of lactose, animal rennet, and GMOs.

Apple: For a juicy, slightly tart, slightly sweet crunch, you want an apple. Thin apple slices layered on your sandwich are best here. You can choose whatever apple you like to eat as a snack, so long as it’s on the firmer side and can handle the heat.

Mayonnaise: Most grilled cheese sandwiches use unsalted butter slathered on both slices of bread. For this grilled cheese recipe, we chose to use mayonnaise instead. It offers a little extra flavour while still providing a nice richness. Plus, the fat in the mayo allows the bread slices to toast to a beautiful, crunchy golden brown. If mayo gives you the ick, you can always swap it for butter or even olive oil instead.

Honey: We love the sweetness of honey in the recipe. Coming straight from the hive, our Pure Ontario Liquid Honey makes this grilled cheese sandwich gourmet. Honey is a natural condiment on many charcuterie and cheese boards, and it offers a gentle floral note to this sandwich.

Crushed Chili Peppers: Take your grilled cheese sandwich from the kid’s table to five-star dining with a little kick of heat. Our Organic Crushed Chili Peppers provide just a pop of spice to keep every bite interesting. If you’re sensitive to heat, you can omit them, but we think even a sprinkle really levels up this sandwich.

 

Best Types of Bread for Grilled Cheese

For this grilled cheese recipe, we chose to use Rideau Bakery Sliced Twisted Egg Bread. Similar to challah, this bread is soft, lush, and slightly sweet. It also toasts very well, giving that all-important crunch. If you don’t have this bread available (or want to try something different) a few other options you can find in our Bake Shop are:

White Bread: Sturdy and strong, our Tuscan White Loaf is the ideal sandwich bread. It’s still soft and springy, but its wide size and tight crumb structure can hold plenty of delicious toppings.

Rye Bread: Nutty, earthy, and just slightly sweet, our Marble Rye Loaf is also a delicious choice for a grilled cheese. Featuring the slight crunch of caraway seeds, it’s a sophisticated choice for this classic sandwich.

Multigrain Bread: If you’re looking for something a little heartier, try this grilled cheese recipe on our Multigrain 9 Grain & Seed Loaf. Wide-sized for maximum sandwich coverage, it has a wholesome flavour thanks to grains like wheat, rye, flax, oat, and millet.

Sourdough Bread: For a little tang and added crunch, you’ll want to make this grilled cheese atop two slices of our Sourdough Batard. The #1 bestseller in our Bake Shop, it toasts to a golden brown and has a texture that isn’t too dense or too light.

 

Best Apples for Grilled Cheese

As part of our commitment to getting you closer to the farm, there are loads of fresh apples available at every Farm Boy store. When it comes to crafting this grilled cheese recipe, it’s good to know where to start. Some of our favourite apple options for this dish are below. (For more about apples, visit our blog, Apple Season in Ontario.)

Fuji: One of the sweetest apples available, Fuji apples also have a crisp, juicy taste that’s almost refreshing. When paired with creamy cheese, it’s the ideal complement.

Granny Smith: Crisp and tart, the iconic green apple is great if you don’t want anything too sweet in this grilled cheese. Thin Granny Smith apple slices provide a great crunch for this sandwich.

Gala: An easy-to-enjoy apple, Gala apples (or Royal Gala apples) and more mellow, but still sweet, with a slight hint of vanilla. These apples are frequently available year-round in our stores.

Honeycrisp: A hugely popular apple, Honeycrisp is a delicious option for this sandwich. It’s aromatic, juicy, and very sweet. If using Honeycrisp apple in this recipe, you may want to dial back the actual honey, so as not to get too sweet a bite.

 

Other Add-ins for Grilled Cheese

Fig Jam: Peanut butter and jam? How about cheese and jam? Bring the flavours of your favourite charcuterie pairing to a grilled cheese sandwich for a seriously indulgent take. Skip the honey in this recipe and use our Fig Jam instead. Crafted with sweet figs and cane sugar, it’s an elevated take on this sandwich.

Caramelized Onions: Caramelized onions are a great way to add some complex sweetness to this dish. Cook your onions prior to making this sandwich, as caramelizing onion of low- to medium-heat allows those flavours to really develop. Add a heaping tablespoon of caramelized onions between the layers of apple and cheese just before cooking everything on the pan.

Cooked Bacon: For a meatier take on this gourmet grilled cheese, add bacon. You’ll want to cook your bacon first (we recommend our Double Smoked Sliced Bacon or Maple Wood Smoked Bacon for this recipe). Then, once your bacon has cooked to your preferred level of doneness, blot off some of the oil so it doesn’t make your sandwich too soggy. Add it between the apple and cheese and cook the rest of the sandwich until everything is melted together.

Hot Honey: This recipe uses our Pure Ontario Liquid Honey with chili flakes so that you can control the level of heat (or leave it out entirely). However, if spice is absolutely your thing, we recommend adding a drizzle of our Hot Honey. Crafted in small batches, this honey is infused with chili peppers for a sweet and spicy kick.

Pears: While we love apples in this grilled cheese sandwich, it also works just as well with pears. Thinly slice your pears so that they provide an even distribution of crunch and flavour. For this sandwich recipe, we have a few suggestions: Bartlett pears, which are sweet, juicy, and almost buttery; Bosc pears, which are crisp and have hints of fall spice; and Anjou (or d’Anjou) pears, which are juicy, sweet, and a little milder. Learn more about pears on our blog, All About Pears.

Mustard: Mustard may sound crazy on a grilled cheese sandwich, but the staple condiment is actually perfect for adding a layer of savoury flavour and cutting through the richness of the cheese. You don’t want a mustard that’s too peppery or sharp, as it could drown out the rest of this sandwich’s elements. A thin layer of Dijon Mustard spread on the inside of your bread slices wakes up this grilled cheese without overwhelming your palate. Or, for a more elevated (and slightly sweeter) take, try our Champagne & Honey variety.

Pesto: Fresh herbs can be a natural addition to a grilled cheese sandwich. But, for a fresh twist on this beloved dish, why not try our Fresh Basil Pesto instead? Made by us in small batches with simple ingredients, it’s bright, savoury, cheesy, and nutty. Spread the pesto on the inside of your bread slices and arrange the rest of your sandwich following the recipe directions.

 

More Brie Recipes from Farm Boy

Looking for more recipes featuring Brie? Check out any of the dishes below!

Holiday Turkey, Brie, and Cranberry Melt

Barbecue Baked Brie with Summer Vegetables and Balsamic Glaze

Holiday Charcuterie Board

Savoury Dark Berry Compote

 

More Cheddar Recipes from Farm Boy

Looking for more recipes featuring cheddar cheese? Check out any of the dishes below!

Creamy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

Savoury Cheddar and Spinach Waffles

Maple Peameal Bacon Breakfast Sandwich

Cheesy Onion, Leek, and Spinach Hand Pies

Baked Beans on Toast

Grilled Chili Dogs

Tex Mex Egg Boat Bake

 

More Apple Recipes from Farm Boy

Looking for more recipes featuring apples? Check out any of the dishes below!

Apple and Pear Steel Cut Oats

Parsnip, Leek, and Apple Soup

Almond Apple Cranberry Crumble

Warm Kale, Apple, and Butternut Squash Salad

Apple Frangipane Tarts

Baked Nutty Caramel Apples

Apple Pancakes with Warm Apple Cider Sauce