Next Post
The Half Baked Harvest Cookbook: The Cookbook Is Here + Giveaways!
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
This honey, apple, cheddar, and bacon Panini is high on my Monday “to-do” list.
And with good reason. We all know that around here, I like to keep Mondays fun, different, and delicious. Trust me when I say, this apple Panini fits the bill. I’m even going to go out and say that if you make this today, you’re going to have a pretty darn good (err delicious?) Monday.
Let me explain, its real simple…
buttered sourdough bread…I mean, that right there is close to perfection.
apple butter…I used a homemade apple butter that I’ll be sharing with you all very soon, it makes this Panini.
sharp cheddar cheese…honeycrisp apple’s best friend.
buttery havarti cheese…for its buttery flavor and major “melt” factor.
honeycrisp apples…my very favorite apple variety.
crispy bacon…its salty, savory flavors are the perfect balance in this sweet Panini.
honey…to add just one more layer of deliciousness.
fresh thyme…my current favorite herb and a favorite pairing with apples and cheddar.
You see? SO GOOD.
I am pretty excited that the month of all things apples is finally here. To me, September is all about apples, I like to save the pumpkins for October and November. Every September I always have a million and one apple recipes I want to share with you guys, and this year is no different.
I’m happy to be sharing this Panini as my very first apple recipe of the season. And while I have many more to come, this sandwich is near the top of my list of the most crave worthy, comforting, and cozy recipes.
As mentioned above, this Panini (or grilled cheese, it’s really whatever you’d like to call it) is pretty simple. You’re going to butter some bread, layer it with apple butter, cheese, fresh apples, bacon, honey, and a sprinkle of fresh thyme (lemon thyme is my favorite) and then press everything together in a Panini press (this is my favorite). If you don’t have a Panini press, just make it on the stove top. No matter what, it’s going to be freaking-a-mazing.
It’s sweet, salty, and extra cheesy. Slice the apples thin so that they soften up while cooking and then as soon as the sandwich comes out of the Panini press, drizzle it with a touch more of honey and a sprinkle of fresh thyme. No debating this step, you just have to do it. It might not seem all that necessary, but I promise you, it’s what makes this sandwich so extra special…okay and it’s kind of a signature HBH step.
DO IT.
Speaking of doing things, let’s go over some weekend stuff. We had some serious fall like weather int the late afternoons here, and the leaves have definitely started to turn. Autumn happens so fast up here in the mountains. The leaves are almost all off the trees by the second week of October. So you see, FAST.
Since it’s was kind of chilly and cloudy later in the day on Sunday (summer mornings in the mountains are often sunny, then later in the day the clouds move in ), I decided to make a big pot of chili. Along with my favorite beer bread from the HBH cookbook (did you catch the video of this recipe on Instagram?!). While the chili slowly simmered on the stove, I did some serious online shopping damage.
Ahhhh. YIKES.
I am not a good in store shopper, but give me a blanket and a computer and I can do some serious damage. I was shopping for both clothes and barn items for the upcoming HBH retreat here in Colorado at the end of the month. I am in need a few outfits and things for around my house. I found lots, and while I have some cute things on the way, I may have gone just a smidge overboard. What?! Like you’ve never done that before…
All I have to say is that online shopping is both amazing and scary. My finger tips love it, my credit card…not so much!
Also, I am still looking for few home items if you guys have suggestions of cute places to look. Let me know your favorite shops! I will be sharing everything I bought in this week’s Nine Favorite Things, so if interested, stay tuned!
In the meantime, I think we all know how our Monday needs to end.
Pick up some apples, cheese, and bread from the store, head home and make this Panini…
Honey Apple Cheddar and Bacon Panini.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 710 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons apple butter
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded havarti cheese
- 1 honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
- 8 slices cooked bacon
- honey, for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- 1. Heat a Panini press or large skillet over medium high heat. 2. Spread the outside of each slice of bread with butter. Spread the inside of half of the slices of bread with apple butter. On top of the apple butter, evenly layer the cheeses, apples, and bacon. Drizzle honey over top and sprinkle with thyme. Add the top piece of bread, buttered side facing up.3. Place the sandwiches, one at a time, into the Panini press and cook until the cheese is melted. Serve each sandwich with a drizzle of honey and fresh thyme. EAT.
ps. tomorrow is the BIG day! The Half Baked Harvest cookbook will officially be out for the world to see. Fun post coming at you with a couple awesome giveaways!
You have the BEST taste in apples. It was actually an apple recipe that originally led me to your blog a couple of years ago, the brie and apple beer soup!
Awh, thank you Christine! I hope you love this!
Talk about the ultimate comfort food! This makes me really sad that I didn’t go apple picking last weekend. This is great inspiration!
Well if you get a chance to go and try this I hope you love it Laura! Thank you!!
OMG that looks delicious! Me and my daughter will make this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Awh that is so sweet! I hope you and your daughter love this and have a great time making it! Thank you!
Lovely combo…. Can’t wait to try. Good luck with the cookbook release. I know you’ll do well.
Thank you so much Rie!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I hope to try it soon after you share your apple butter recipe. I don’t think I have had apples in my sandwich before, or apple butter for that matter. 🙂
I am so glad you are liking this recipe… I am really loving apple butter right now & I am sure you will! Thanks Eileen!
Yum! I so want to try!
I hope you do & I hope you love it! Thanks Liz!
This looks so delicious! I love to celebrate Saturday with a tasty panini or sandwich and this will definitely be our Saturday sandwich. YUM! Also, I’m glad to hear that press is great because I am slowly collecting Staub and wondered about it. Can’t wait for the apple butter recipe!
Thank you so much Amy! I hope you love this recipe? I think you will love the press!
This sandwich looks wonderful.
Hope you are celebrating tomorrow in some way.
Thank you Nancy!
Your recipe sounds super delicious! I grow my own thyme and this herb is really the perfect match for apples on a panini. Have you ever tried apples, bacon, thyme and walnuts (with a hint of honey) on a homemade flatbread? It’s super tasty! I’m looking forward to have the panini for lunch tomorrow. Need to do a little shopping first. Or maybe I can find an orchard nearby to pick some fresh apples. That would be wonderful! Thanks for sharing …
Ginger by Choice I Food & Lifestyle Blog
http://www.gingerbychoice.de/en/
That sounds super delicious, I will have to try it! I hope you love this panini & fresh apples would be amazing! Thank you!
This looks amazing and I’m thinking of some other options, too, for the apple butter (not a big fave in my household), like substituting peach or fig jam – or even decadent bacon jam. Yummm. I have a run of the mill panini press and clicked over to see your favorite. Wow, $250 for a press?! Seems a little outrageous. Keep the awesome recipes coming!
Sounds like great substitutions Jeanne! I hope you love this! Thank you?
This isn’t real right? I mean, I absolutely love a nutty cheese and apple grilled cheese, but what you have done right here is unbelievable! Apple butter…honey…I love love love honey and cannot wait to make this sandwich! I know my hubs will wrinkle his nose – but I don’t care, it’s all for me! Can’t wait to get my book tomorrow!!
I am so glad you’re loving this Beth! I hope you love this & the book! Thank you?
Looks amazing! Any suggestions for a vegetarian sub for the bacon to add a bit more protein? Thanks, Tieghan!
Thanks Mary!! In place of the bacon what about using “coconut bacon”? I LOVE this and have recipe for it (see below). Hope that helps and let me know if you have questions. Enjoy!
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/vegan-blt-minus-that-egg-with-chipotle-tahini-mayo/
Wow, that looks amazing and is something that I shall cook this week. Our weather here is chilly at night and then into the upper 70s and low 80s during the day. Can’t wait for the temperature to cool down more during the day.
Can’t wait till tomorrow! I got a text on Saturday saying that the HBH cookbook shipped and will be here tomorrow! Fun day!
Woo! I cannot wait for you to get it!! Thank you Joshua!
I LOVE this panini Tieghan! Fabulous ingredient list! Can’t wait to give this one a try this fall.
I hope you absolutely love it Mary Ann! Thank you?
I just had lunch, but would have it again if someone offered me these!!!
https://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt/
So happy you’re liking this! Thank you Ruth!