Ok, here’s the story on the bacon apple cheddar bites.
Years ago I was at a party and someone whipped these out of the oven like they were visiting royalty. At first I was a little confused by all the hullabaloo… but then I had one. The apple is tangy and tart, the bacon is salty and savory and the cheddar? Well, cheese just makes everything more delicious.
So then I decided I’d try to make my own and what I made was a big pile of bacon flavored apple sauce. Recently I asked Jonathan what I might have done wrong and he pointed it out that I probably should have par-cooked the bacon first. He set out to show me the right way to make bacon apple cheddar bites… and in doing so, this incredibly easy/delicious appetizer can now be yours too!
We want to keep the bacon crispy but without overcooking the apples. So the best way to go about this is to partially cook the bacon in a skillet first. Right before it gets crispy, drain and transfer to a plate.
While the bacon cools, core and slice the apples into wedges and then toss in lemon juice, sugar and apple pie spice.
Place a slice of cheddar on top of a slice of apple and then wrap in two half pieces of bacon. Hold in place with two toothpicks.
Place the apple bites on a baking sheet lined with foil paper. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 8 to 10 minutes. The cheese will melt and the bacon will finish crisping.
Transfer to a platter and remove the toothpicks before serving.
- 1 package bacon, cut in half
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon sugars
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 16 thick Cheddar cheese slices
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- Cook the bacon in batches until just about crispy. You want to under cook them a bit because they'll continue to cook in the oven. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss together the apples, lemon juice, sugar and apple spice seasoning.
- Place a slice of cheese on top of a slice of apple and then wrap in two half pieces of bacon. Hold in place with a couple of toothpicks. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the bacon crisps and the cheese melts. Transfer to a platter and remove toothpicks before serving.
