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Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twists…the holiday appetizer that everyone asks for…year after year. They’re quick, easy, and everyone loves these sweet and savory twists. Flaky puff pastry twisted up with cheese, wrapped in salty bacon, then tossed in a rosemary brown sugar. Bake these twists in the oven until the bacon is crisp and “candied”. There never seems to be enough of these…addictive, festive, and perfect for both Thanksgiving and Christmas entertaining.
Tis’ the season for all the appetizers and holiday cheer. We’ve entered Thanksgiving week and as you can guess, I’m ready for it. The holidays feel even more special this year and I’m really making an effort to do everything. Decorating? It’s in the works. Thinking up fun holiday giveaways? Yes, yes, of course (anything on your wish list?). Plotting out the best Christmas gifts for my family? Workin on it.
I’m being overly ambitious for sure, but something inside me wants to make both Thanksgiving and Christmas extra special this year. I blame it all on the year we’ve had. It’s been so crazy and I’m ready for the familiar happiness of the holidays. If you’re a Scrooge, I’m apologizing now for all the holiday talk yet to come.
With Thanksgiving only 3 days away, I’ve started to plan, prep, and roll out all the last-minute recipes that literally anyone can make. When my list of holiday “to-do’s” is a mile long, it’s the easy recipes like these twists that really come in clutch (as my brothers like to say).
The history on these twists.
These twists have been around since 2013. They’ve been so well-loved over the years. They’re a personal favorite of mine. I love them because they’re the easiest to make. And along with their ease, they’re also way too good.
I say way too good because stopping at just one twist is nearly impossible. The sweet and savory flavors make these fun twists addicting. When I originally made these, it was just a few days before Thanksgiving. I was looking for an easy appetizer to serve my family. With five (now six) brothers…all of whom love bacon, I knew these had serious potential to be very well-loved.
When I made them for Thanksgiving that year, it was also the year that I botched the cocktails. If I remember correctly, I believe I tried to make a candy cane martini. Let’s just say it wasn’t for them. Thankfully, I had these twists on hand, and thankfully, they turned out to be the star of Thanksgiving. They’ve now become tradition. Everyone looks forward to them each year…and I usually make them for Christmas too!
Here are the details.
These are pretty simple, and honestly, kind of fun to make.
Start with my go-to holiday ingredient, a little store-bought puff pastry. Roll it out, top it with cheddar, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Now fold the pastry in half and cut it into strips. I tried to get a few process photos for you guys so you could see more of what I’m talking about.
Now twist the strips up, then wrap each strip in thin cut bacon. Using thin cut bacon is key here. It will cook more evenly and quicker. If you have thicker pieces of bacon, I would cut each in half.
The secret to these festive twists?
The secret to these twists is the sweet and savory mix of brown sugar and fresh rosemary that coats the bacon. Mix the two together, then roll the bacon twists through the sugar mix. Once baked, you’ll have a cheesy pastry, wrapped in sweet candied bacon.
It might seem like a rather odd combination, but trust me, it’s very delicious. And also what makes these twists addictingly good.
You can assemble these mini bites ahead of time, then just bake them up once guests arrive. They can be served warm or at room temperature. Though I think they’re best warm and fresh out of the oven.
So you see? These are pretty close to being the perfect holiday appetizer, and the rosemary keeps them flavorful and festive too.
These are just as great for Thanksgiving as they will be for all upcoming holiday dinners…and nights full of decorating!!!
Looking for other easy last-minute appetizers? Here are my favorites:
Mini Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie Bites
Mom’s Secret Christmas Eve Chex Mix
Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Rosemary Honey
Lastly, if you make these Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twist, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch The How To Video:
Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twists
Servings: 26 Twists
Calories Per Serving: 285 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, using to your taste
- kosher salt and black pepper.
- 2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or a mix of your favorite cheeses)
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
- 24 strips thin cut bacon, or 12 sticks of thicker bacon, halved
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly rub each rack with olive oil. 2. In a shallow bowl, combine the brown sugar, rosemary, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. 3. Place both sheets of pastry on a lightly floured counter. Brush the surface of each with a beaten egg. Evenly sprinkle about 1/2 cup of cheese over each sheet, then sprinkle with cayenne. Dust a rolling pin lightly with flour and roll the rolling pin over the cheese, gently pressing the cheese into the pastry. Fold the pastry in half, then cut each into 12 (1/2 inch) wide strips. Pinch the ends to seal, then gently twist each strip several times to enclose the cheese. It's ok if some of the cheese falls out. 4. Take a piece of bacon and wrap it around the twisted pastry. Repeat with the remaining twists. Dredge the twist through the brown sugar mix, tossing to coat, placing the twist on the prepared baking sheet as you go. 5. Bake 30 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. My bacon took 50 minutes to cook, start checking the twists at around 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature...though I love them warm!
Delicious! Everyone at my Sunday brunch went crazy for them! The only thing I’ll do differently next time is use thin-sliced cheese instead of shredded, so less falls out when I twist them. These were a huge hit!
Hey Kristina,
So great to hear! Love that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great week? xTieghan
Hi there! These look amazing! Just curious about baking them, the recipe says to bake on a wire rack but the video shows just baking them on parchment paper?
Thanks Tiffeny
Hey Tiffeny,
I would recommend using the wire rack:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My sister in law made them for Christmas and they were absolutely delicious! Best appetizer ever, unless you want to have dinner afterwards :-D. We all loved the twists so much that we were full before dinner even started. But that’s just the way it should be.
Hey Katrien,
I am so glad these were enjoyed over Christmas!! xTieghan
I have made these 3 times and they are AMAZING!!!! Probably my favorite appetizer. Sometimes I’ll make them and my husband and I will just snack on them cold lol. Our friends loved them too. They seem a little complicated the first time but are super easy after you get it down!
Hey Mackenzie,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
The sweet and savory cheesy bakon wrapped puff pastry twists are delicious and a huge hit with family and friends Can you make a day ahead of time, refrigerate and bake 24 hours later after total prep.
Hey Kathy,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
I’ve made these 4 times already and everyone loves them. I did find that I needed a cup of brown sugar to coat two puff pastry sheets. I also alway line my sheet pans with a generous piece of heavy duty foil. It makes sure none of the drippings and the sugar don’t burn on my pan and make for a tough clean up (learned from experience, lol)
Hey there,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have the best week. xTieghan
I have made this 3 sewerage times for holidays and birthday celebrations because it has been a constant crowd favorite!
The only thing I “change” is I add more than a cup of shredded cheese because I like it cheesy but other than that this recipe is perfect!! Much love 🙂
Hey Katherine,
I am thrilled that you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Have an awesome week:) xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!! Planning on making these tonight with some pigs in a blanket but for easy appetizers for next week, is it freezer friendly and when baking should I bake directly from frozen? Thanks again!! I can’t wait to make it!!
Hey Kathleen,
Sure, you could assemble and freeze and then bake from frozen, it just might take longer. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Omg- I just made these and they are AMAZING! I couldn’t share with friends (due to Covid) but everyone wanted the recipe after seeing pics (and hearing the rave reviews from family members). Tieghan- you have once again outdone yourself! These are flaky savory goodness! Thank you for your fun and fabulous recipes – don’t know what I would do during quarantine without them. ?
Hey Jessica,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week:) xTieghan
This is such a brilliant way to put together these delicious flavors. I think a lot of people would be intimidated by this recipe, because of the “twist” part, but the video that’s included in the blog gives a perfect illustration of how to master that. Since I love pairing artisan jams and dips with a lot of what I eat, so I couldn’t help myself but try it with these sweet and savory twists. No regrets with that decisions. In my opinion, they’re delicious with or without some type of dipping sauce or jam.
Hey William,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! xTieghan
Let me start by saying all your recipes look amazing, including this one. I made these for New Years eve and they were delicious, devoured in no time. That being said, I was very frustrated in that I did everything, as per the recipe, regarding the baking pan prep. I wish I had followed the video which shows the twists being baked on parchment paper and not placed on an oiled rack. My twists cooked beautifully, but stuck miserably to the rack. I was very disappointed in that they could not be removed from the rack uniformly. Plus, clean up of the rack was a chore. I’m not sure why the video differed from the recipe instructions, but this was my only complaint. I will make these again, the video way!
Hey Tracy,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, so sorry you had issues using the rack. Happy New Year! xTieghan
These are delicious. The only change I will make the next time I make these is I will cut the baked twists in half to make bites. These are pretty rich. For me a whole twist was too much. Hmmm, too much bacon and puff pastry? Is there such a thing?
Hey Patty,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was a hit! I think making bites would be an awesome idea:) Happy New Year! xTieghan
Saw these on your insta and decided to make them for New Year’s brunch. They did not disappoint! Took me a little longer than I anticipated to make, but they were so yummy. Thank you for sharing your gift!
Hey Natalie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was a hit! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Oh my god these were SOOO yummy. I am confident that when someone docks you a star it’s because they didn’t follow the directions properly. Your recipes are incredible and I think this is my new favorite. Happy New Year!
Hey Lindsay,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
What would be an amazing dip to go with this?
Hey Chelsea,
I think ranch would work well here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan