Ham, Brie and Homemade Cherry Chutney Croissants

Let me tell you something about croissant sandwiches. Most people just slap some ham and cheese between two halves and call it a day. And yeah, that’s fine. But this? This is not that.

These Ham, Brie and Homemade Cherry Chutney Croissants are the sandwich you make when you want to feel like you’re sitting at a little café in Paris. Buttery, flaky croissants. Salty Canadian bacon. Creamy, melty Brie. And a homemade cherry chutney made with red onion, cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme, ginger, orange, and balsamic vinegar. It’s sweet, tangy, savory, spicy, and absolutely ridiculous.

The chutney cooks in the Instant Pot in just 3 minutes. Yes, 3 minutes. Then you assemble the sandwiches, pop them in the oven to melt the Brie, and you’re eating in under half an hour.

This is fancy enough for date night. Easy enough for a Tuesday. And impressive enough that people will think you spent all day on it.

Let’s make some sandwiches.

Also try my Chickpea Salad Sandwich recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Instant Pot cherry chutney in 3 minutes. Seriously. Pressure cooking is magic.
• Sweet, tangy, savory, spicy. The chutney hits every note.
• Buttery, flaky croissants. The perfect vessel.
• Salty ham + creamy Brie. A classic pairing elevated by the chutney.
• Impressive but easy. Looks fancy. Takes almost no effort.
• Perfect for date night or brunch. Serve with a salad or soup.
• Leftover chutney is amazing on everything. More on that later.

Try my Crispy Herb Tofu Sandwich recipe.

What You’ll Need to Make

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins (plus 3 min pressure cook) | Serves: 2

You’ll need an Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker), a blender or immersion blender, a rimmed baking sheet, a Silpat or parchment paper, a small bowl for the cornstarch slurry, a cutting board, and a knife.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

For the cherry chutney:

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup red onion, chopped (approximately ½ medium)
• 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced/grated
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1 tbsp fresh orange zest
• 1 large orange, peeled and cut into chunks
• 12 oz frozen cherries (thawed with juice, roughly chopped)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water

For the sandwiches:

• 2 croissants, cut in half lengthwise
• 4 slices Canadian bacon (or breakfast ham)
• 3 oz Brie (cut into thin slices, rind trimmed)
• ¼ cup cherry chutney (from above)
• Fresh baby arugula (optional)

Try my Kicked Up Egg Salad Sandwiches recipe.

What You’ll Need to Do

Alright, let’s make a sandwich that’ll ruin regular ham and cheese for you forever. This looks like a lot of steps, but most of it is hands-off Instant Pot magic.

→ First, turn on your Instant Pot. Select the “Sauté” function and set it to “High.”

→ Add the olive oil and chopped red onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and gets a little color — about 3-4 minutes.

→ Now add the spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, fresh ginger, and salt. Stir to combine. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spices are fragrant and starting to brown. If it looks like the spices are burning, add a couple tablespoons of water to cool things down.

→ Deglaze the pot. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula. Get all those brown bits up — that’s flavor.

→ Add the brown sugar, orange zest, orange chunks, and thawed cherries (with their juice). Stir to combine. Turn the Instant Pot off.

→ Lock the lid into place. Set the release valve to “Sealing.” Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” function and set the time to 3 minutes.

→ While the chutney cooks, preheat your oven to 350°F. Position the top rack in the center.

→ Arrange the croissant halves on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Top the bottom half of each croissant with 2 slices of Canadian bacon and several thin slices of Brie. Set aside.

→ When the Instant Pot beeps, immediately switch the pressure release valve to “Venting.” Be careful — hot steam will shoot out. Once the steam is fully released and the pin drops, carefully remove the lid.

→ Thicken the chutney. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the chutney.

→ Transfer about ⅔ of the chutney to a blender. Pulse several times until blended but not completely smooth — you want some texture. Stir the blended chutney back into the Instant Pot. Simmer for a couple minutes until the chutney reaches your desired consistency. Turn off the unit.

→ Spread 2 tablespoons of warm chutney onto the top half of each croissant.

→ Place the baking sheet in the oven. Heat for 5-7 minutes, just until the Brie is nicely melted but not running off the sandwiches.

→ Remove from the oven. Add fresh baby arugula to each sandwich if you’re using it.

→ Close the sandwiches. Press down gently.

→ Serve immediately. These are best hot, when the croissant is still flaky and the Brie is melty.

→ Eat with your hands. Or a knife and fork. No judgment.

Try my No-Bake 5 Minute Keto Sandwich Bread recipe.

Easy Ingredient Swaps

1| No Instant Pot? Simmer the chutney on the stovetop for 20-25 minutes instead of pressure cooking. Add cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken.

2| No Canadian bacon? Use prosciutto, regular ham, or smoked turkey.

3| No Brie? Use Camembert, fontina, or even mozzarella.

4| No frozen cherries? Use fresh cherries (pitted) or other berries like raspberries or blackberries.

5| No croissants? Use brioche buns, ciabatta, or even baguette slices.

6| No fresh ginger? Use 1 tsp ground ginger. Fresh is better but dried works.

7| No balsamic vinegar? Use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

8| No brown sugar? Use coconut sugar or regular white sugar.

Try my Mediterranean Tuna Salad With Toast recipe.

Some Twist and Tweak Ideas

1| Spicy version: Double the red pepper flakes or add a minced jalapeño with the onion.

2| Nutty version: Add ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pecans to the chutney.

3| Apple chutney: Swap cherries for chopped apples. Perfect for fall.

4| Fig chutney: Swap cherries for dried figs (rehydrated). Elegant and delicious.

5| Add mustard: Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on the croissant before adding the ham.

6| Add pear: Thinly sliced fresh pear adds sweetness and crunch.

7| Turkey version: Use roasted turkey breast instead of ham. Different but delicious.

Some Helpful Tips

1| Don’t skip deglazing. Those brown bits on the bottom of the pot are pure flavor. The balsamic vinegar lifts them right up.

2| Be careful with the pressure release. Hot steam burns. Use a spoon or tongs to flip the valve, or keep your face away.

3| Don’t over-blend the chutney. You want texture. Pulse a few times, that’s it.

4| Trim the Brie rind. The rind is edible but can be tough. Trim it off for a smoother melt.

5| Watch the croissants in the oven. They brown fast. 5-7 minutes is usually perfect. You want melted Brie, not burnt croissants.

6| Serve immediately. Croissants lose their flakiness as they cool. These are best hot out of the oven.

Some Budget-Friendly Tips

1| Frozen cherries are cheaper than fresh. And they work perfectly in chutney. Thaw them first and keep the juice.

2| Make a double batch of chutney. It freezes beautifully. Use it on grilled cheese, pork chops, or even over cream cheese as an appetizer.

3| Buy croissants from a bakery day-old section. Same croissants, half the price.

4| Canadian bacon is often cheaper than prosciutto. And it’s delicious.

5| Brie is the splurge. But a little goes a long way. 3 oz for two sandwiches is plenty.

6| Use the rest of your ingredients. Leftover chutney on toast with Brie. Leftover ham in omelets. No waste.

Some Serving Ideas

1| As a fancy lunch. Serve with a side salad and a glass of white wine.

2| For brunch. Alongside fresh fruit and mimosas.

3| For date night. Impress your partner without spending all day in the kitchen.

4| With tomato soup. Classic pairing. The soup cuts through the richness.

5| As a party appetizer. Cut each croissant into smaller pieces. Toothpicks required.

6| For a picnic. Wrap them in parchment paper. Pack the arugula separately. Assemble on-site.

Some Storage and Reheating Tips

Fridge (assembled sandwiches): Not recommended. The croissant gets soggy. The chutney seeps in. Better to store components separately.

Fridge (chutney only): Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. The flavors deepen over time. Amazing on everything.

Freezer (chutney only): Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Fridge (ham and Brie): Store separately. Assemble fresh when ready to eat.

Reheating sandwiches: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 3-5 minutes. The croissant will crisp up again. Microwaving makes them soggy – avoid.

Best approach: Make the chutney ahead. When you’re ready to eat, slice the croissants, add ham and Brie, top with chutney, bake for 5-7 minutes. Fresh sandwich every time.

Final Thoughts

Look, I love a simple ham and cheese sandwich. But sometimes – on a lazy Sunday or when I want to impress someone – I want more. This Ham, Brie and Homemade Cherry Chutney Croissant is that more.

The chutney is the star. Sweet cherries, tangy balsamic, warm cinnamon and nutmeg, earthy rosemary and thyme, spicy ginger and red pepper, bright orange. It’s a flavor explosion. And it takes 3 minutes in the Instant Pot.

Then you put it on a buttery croissant with salty Canadian bacon and creamy, melty Brie. Add a handful of peppery arugula for freshness. And suddenly you’re not eating a sandwich anymore. You’re eating an experience.

Make it for date night. Make it for brunch. Make it for yourself on a Tuesday because you deserve something good.

Now go make some chutney.

~ Danny Davis

P.S. If you try the fig version in the fall, let me know. That’s my holiday party secret weapon. Serve it on a platter with extra Brie on the side. Gone in minutes.