Grilled Brie Donut

This Is Technically a Grilled Cheese (But Don’t Tell Anybody)

Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate, a grilled brie donut is not your average grilled cheese sandwich.

In fact, depending on who you ask (including the younger me), it might not be a grilled cheese sandwich at all. Purists—my former self included—would argue that a real grilled cheese consists of three things and three things only.  For those of you counting, that’s white bread, butter, and something in the American cheese family (hello, Velveeta). That’s it. No arugula. No caramelized onions and certainly no donut standing in for sliced bread.

But times—and taste buds—change.

The Grilled Cheese Identity Crisis

For years, I resisted the “gourmet grilled cheese” trend. I scoffed at menus boasting sandwiches loaded with aged cheddar, fig jam, braised short ribs, and pickled shallots, all stacked between artisan sourdough like some kind of culinary skyscraper. “That’s just a fancy sandwich with cheese,” I’d mutter. “It’s not grilled cheese.”

And in some ways, I still stand by that. A grilled cheese, in its purest form, is a love letter to simplicity. It’s the sandwich equivalent of a warm blanket on a cold day. It’s what you made after school as a kid, what you eat on the couch in your pajamas, what your mom handed you alongside a bowl of tomato soup on sick days. There’s comfort in its modesty.

But Then Along Came Brie and a Donut

So how did I get from Velveeta on Wonder Bread to brie melted between two halves of a glazed donut? Curiosity. And hunger.

The grilled brie donut strays so far from traditional grilled cheese territory that it loops around and becomes something entirely new: grilled cheese dessert. It’s sweet and savory, crispy and gooey, indulgent in all the right ways. It doesn’t replace my childhood favorite—it exists on a different plane altogether. And honestly? It’s delicious.

Welcome to My Grilled Cheese Renaissance

This recipe marks the beginning of my reluctant-but-passionate embrace of the gourmet grilled cheese genre. I’m still a purist at heart, but I’ve come to realize that grilled cheese has evolved, and that’s not a bad thing. If anything, it opens up a whole new world of melty possibilities.

So consider this the first in a series: The Not-Quite-Grilled-Cheese Grilled Cheese Series (working title, but you get the idea). Each recipe will feature unexpected ingredients, offbeat breads, and cheeses that don’t come in individually wrapped slices. And yet, they’ll all share the same heart: hot, melty cheese and something golden and grilled holding it together.

Stay tuned for more sandwich heresy. Your inner child may roll their eyes, but your adult palate will thank you. And, if you like this one, don’t miss my oyster mushroom grilled cheese—earthy, rich, and packed with umami goodness.

Peel and slice the brie thinly.

Slice the donut in half, butter it and grill them on a griddle or in a non-stick skillet

Layer the brie on the grilled face of the donut bottom, place it on a microwave safe plate and cook until the cheese melts – about 15-20 seconds.

Drizzle a plate with honey and place the donut and cheese on the honey. Place and spread a dollop of fig jam on the cheese and cover with the grilled top of the donut. Fill the hole with more jam and garnish with pieces of walnut Print