Camembert substitutes
Camembert substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Brie
Same amount by weight as the Camembert
Brie, straight 1:1, and nobody at the table will complain. It is the same style of cheese made almost the same way, just milkier and a little less funky. If you want the funk back, look for a ripe Reblochon or Taleggio, and for baked camembert specifically any small soft rinded wheel works, because the rind is what holds the melted cheese in. Buy the ripest wheel your shop has and let it sit out for an hour before baking.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- baking whole
Updated 19 Aug 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of Camembert | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Briebaking whole | Same amount by weightWorks | Works |
| 2 | Reblochonbaking | Same amount by weightTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Triple-creme bloomy cheese (Fromager d'Affinois, Saint-Andre, Brillat-Savarin)cheese boards | Same amount by weightYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 4 | Taleggiomelting | About ¾ the weightTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Young goat cheese log (buche)baked dips | Same amount by weight, for cooking onlyYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 6 | Full-fat cream cheese warmed with browned mushrooms and garlicbaked camembert-style dip | 8 oz cream cheese per 8 oz wheelYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
Brie
similar taste and texture
The closest cheese there is: same soft-ripened bloomy-rind style, made in larger wheels.
- Best for
- baking whole, cheese boards, sandwiches, melting, tarts
Milkier and sweeter, with less of camembert's cabbage-and-mushroom funk. In a baked wheel the difference is barely noticeable; on a cheese board a camembert lover will spot it. Buy the ripest wheel available and let it come fully to room temperature, which recovers most of the missing depth.
Reblochon
different taste, similar texture
A French washed-rind mountain cheese with a supple, elastic paste that melts exceptionally well.
- Best for
- baking, melting, gratins, tartiflette, sandwiches
Nuttier and considerably more pungent than camembert, with a rind that smells of a cellar. Arguably melts better, so it is a genuine upgrade for a baked wheel or a gratin. The rind is edible but assertive; trim it if you are cooking for cautious eaters.
Triple-creme bloomy cheese (Fromager d'Affinois, Saint-Andre, Brillat-Savarin)
different taste and texture
Extra cream is added before setting, giving a very rich, almost cheesecake-like paste under a bloomy rind.
- Best for
- cheese boards, baking, spreading on bread, dessert courses
Much richer and more buttery than camembert and far less mushroomy, so it reads as luxurious rather than earthy. When baked it goes very loose and can break into a greasy layer, so bake it about five minutes less than a camembert and serve it immediately.
Taleggio
different taste, similar texture
Italian washed-rind cheese with a creamy paste, sold in slabs rather than wheels.
- Best for
- melting, gratins, polenta, sandwiches, pizza
Fruitier and tangier than camembert with a much stronger smell, so use a little less. The melt is very similar, which makes it a fine cooking swap. Trim the rind before cooking, since it turns unpleasantly sharp when baked.
Young goat cheese log (buche)
different taste and texture
A soft fresh or lightly aged goat log, sliced or crumbled.
- Best for
- baked dips, salads, tarts, melting onto toast
Bright, lactic and tangy where camembert is savoury and mushroomy, and it softens rather than pooling into liquid. If you are baking it as a dip, add a splash of cream to loosen it. Good, but the dish now tastes of goat cheese rather than of Normandy.
Full-fat cream cheese warmed with browned mushrooms and garlic
different taste and texture
The honest fallback when no soft rinded cheese is available: bake cream cheese in a small dish with sauteed mushrooms, garlic and thyme stirred through.
- Best for
- baked camembert-style dip, bread dipping, party appetiser
This is not camembert and will not pass as it. It is tangier and much less funky, and there is no rind to contain it, so it needs a ramekin. The browned mushrooms are what get you close, because they supply the earthy aroma the bloomy rind was providing. Season more heavily than you think and finish with flaky salt.
Questions
5 questionsCan I use brie instead of camembert?
Yes, 1:1, in every application. Brie is milder, milkier and sweeter, and less mushroomy. Choosing the ripest wheel in the shop and letting it warm to room temperature closes most of the gap.
What is the difference between brie and camembert?
They are made almost the same way from cow's milk with a bloomy white rind. Camembert comes in smaller wheels from Normandy, uses different cultures, and tastes stronger, with a distinct mushroom-and-cooked-cabbage note. Brie is made in larger wheels and tastes milkier and more buttery.
Can I just leave the camembert out?
Usually not, because it is the dish itself in baked camembert or a camembert tart. In a sandwich or a salad, though, any creamy cheese works: you get a good sandwich, just a different one. Add a little extra salt, since camembert is saltier than most fresh cheeses.
What can I bake instead of a whole camembert?
Any small soft rinded wheel: brie, a mini triple-creme, or a Reblochon. If your cheese has no rind, bake it in a ramekin instead, and reduce the time by a few minutes for anything richer than camembert.
Is camembert safe during pregnancy?
Public health agencies generally advise avoiding soft mould-ripened cheeses like camembert and brie during pregnancy unless they have been cooked until steaming hot all the way through. Check the current advice from your own country's food safety authority rather than relying on a recipe site, and if in doubt pick a hard cheese instead.
Tips for substituting Camembert
5 tips- Camembert's most useful property is its rind. It is a skin that holds the melted cheese in, which is why you can bake a whole wheel and dip bread into it. Any substitute without a rind needs a small ovenproof dish or it will spread across the pan.
- Score the top in a crosshatch, push in slivers of garlic and a few thyme sprigs, and bake a 250g wheel at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes. Past about 25 minutes the fat separates into an oily layer that will not come back together.
- Camembert and brie are made almost identically. The real differences are wheel size, the cultures used, and camembert's stronger mushroom-and-cabbage aroma, so if a recipe names one the other is genuinely fine.
- Buy it ripe or the swap will not matter. Underripe camembert has a chalky white core that stays chalky when heated. Press the middle gently: it should give like a full water balloon, not feel firm.
- Bloomy white rinds are worth eating and part of the flavour. Washed rinds like Reblochon and Taleggio are much stronger, so trim those if the rind tastes too barnyardy to you.