Quick Answer: Brie and Camembert are both soft French cow's milk cheeses with the same edible white rind. The difference is size and flavor. Camembert comes from Normandy in a small 250 g wheel, so it has more rind for its size and tastes stronger: earthy, mushroomy, sometimes a little barnyard. Brie comes from the region around Paris in wide, flat wheels and is milder and more buttery. On a board, Brie is the crowd-pleaser and Camembert is the one with more flavor.
Are Brie and Camembert the same cheese?
No, but they're close relatives. Both are bloomy-rind cheeses: the curd is sprayed with a white mold (Penicillium camemberti, also called candidum) that grows into the soft white rind and ripens the cheese from the outside in.
They come from neighboring parts of northern France. Brie is named for the Brie region east of Paris, where Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun are made. Camembert is named for a village in Normandy and has been made there since the late 1700s.
Brie vs. Camembert at a glance
| Brie | Camembert | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it's from | Île-de-France, east of Paris | Normandy |
| Milk | Cow's milk | Cow's milk |
| Wheel size | Wide and flat, from small rounds to big wheels sold in wedges | Small, about 250 g (8.8 oz), usually in a wooden box |
| Rind | White bloomy rind | White bloomy rind, often with more rusty flecks |
| Flavor | Mild, buttery, milky, lightly mushroomy | Stronger: earthy, mushroomy, savory |
| Texture when ripe | Soft and creamy | Soft and runny, a little more elastic |
| Smell | Gentle | Stronger, especially when ripe |
| Best for | Crowd-pleasing boards, sweet toppings | Cheese lovers, baking in the box |
| Serve | 20 to 30 minutes out of the fridge | 20 to 30 minutes out of the fridge |
Why Camembert tastes stronger
It comes down to geometry. The rind does the ripening, breaking down fat and protein as it works inward. A small Camembert has much more rind for every ounce of cheese than a wide, flat Brie, so it ripens faster and develops more flavor in the same time.
That's also why a wedge of Brie often has a firm, chalky center while the paste near the rind is soft: the rind hasn't reached the middle yet.
French vs. American Brie and Camembert
The famous French versions, Brie de Meaux AOP and Camembert de Normandie AOP, are made from raw milk and sold young. In the US, raw-milk cheeses must be aged at least 60 days, so those versions can't be imported. The Brie and Camembert in American stores are made from pasteurized milk, often in a "stabilized" style that stays creamy longer but tastes milder.
That's why Camembert in the US can seem only a little stronger than Brie. If you want more flavor, look for a small-format French Camembert or an American artisan version, and let it come to room temperature.
Which is better on a charcuterie board?
Brie, if you're feeding a crowd. It's the easiest cheese to love: mild, creamy and friendly with fruit, honey and almost every cracker. It's the soft cheese most guests expect.
Camembert, if your guests like cheese. It holds its own next to cured meat and stands up to stronger flavors.
Good partners for both:
- Fruit: apples, pears, grapes and figs. The acid cuts the richness.
- Sweet: honey, fig jam and cranberry sauce.
- Meat: prosciutto and mild salami.
- Drinks: Champagne or sparkling wine for Brie; cider or a fruity Pinot Noir for Camembert. In Normandy, Camembert's classic partner is cider.
Use one, not both, on most boards. They play the same role (the soft cheese), so pairing them gives you two of the same thing. Pick one soft cheese and add an aged cheese and a blue or a goat cheese.
Which is better for baking?
Both melt beautifully.
- Camembert is the easiest: take off the plastic, put it back in its wooden box, score the top and bake it at 350°F for about 15 to 20 minutes until the center wobbles.
- Brie is better for sweet toppings and puff pastry, because its milder flavor lets the jam or honey lead.
Which should you buy?
- For a first board or a big party: Brie.
- For a board for cheese lovers: Camembert.
- For baking: Camembert in its box, or a small Brie wheel.
- For pregnant guests: choose a pasteurized version and check the label. Most US Brie and Camembert are pasteurized.
Our ranking of the best Brie brands at the grocery store names the ones worth buying, our Camembert buyer's guide covers the Camembert side, and the Brie and Camembert guides cover pairings and serving in detail.
