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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 When I originally made these, it was just a few days before Thanksgiving.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!
Made these last year. So fun and easy to make. Was not planning on making this year but friends and family insisted!
Hey Elizabeth,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Is there a 6 star option? These are some insane crowd pleaser. Does require some oven management, as the bacon renders and the sugar melts, creating a caramelized delight that can quickly burn. I place mine on a baking rack atop some parchment.
Hi Stephanie,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
These were a hit at Thanksgiving! So delicious! I am adding this recipe to my recipe book.
Hi Beth,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Where is the how to video?
Sorry Toni, I don’t have a video for this recipe. xTieghan
In regards to your wonderful cheesy bacon wrapped puff pastry , what kind of dipping sauces did you serve with it
Also when make ahead could half the amount be frozen ??
Thank you for your help.
Mona B Schaefer
Hey there,
Sure you can totally freeze these! I think ranch would be a great dipping sauce! I hope you enjoy this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Are you freezing them before or after cooking?
I would freeze before baking:)
My family loved this recipe and has demanded that we continue making every year for a Thanksgiving snack! The only issue we had was sticking to the grate. I used the Williams Sonoma gold touch pan and grate for this that was fairly new and sprayed generously with oil before baking, but a combination of the cheese + hot bacon made sticking a bit of an issue still. Is there any other way to combat this other than oiling the grate? Thank you!!
Hey Rachel,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Sorry to hear about the sticking, you could try using some parchment paper. Have a great week! xTieghan
I took this to my sister’s Friendsgiving this weekend and there were by far the most raved about item! Delish! 10 out of 10… I will be making them for every special occasion.
Hey Kelly,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Love all of your recipes! Do you ever serve sauce with these for dipping or just on their own?
Thanks,
Samantha
Hey Samantha,
I serve them alone but I think they would be great with a sauce if you wanted to do that as well. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Hello! Is there any way the egg can be deleted from the recipe or an eggless substitute instead? My dil has an egg allergy.
Hey Karen! I haven’t tried this without egg so I’m not too sure! So sorry! xTieghan
Dear Tieghan, forgive me for not writing this review sooner but finally getting to it. First of all, I can’t thank you enough for the guidance you gave me on making 150 of these delicious twists ahead of time for a very important fundraiser in my community. I wish I could post pictures here, but I can email them to you if you’d like for me to do so. I made these two days before the event along with about 10 other small bite items (ranging from 150 to 300 of each type), and I do believe these were the “big hit” of the evening. I was so grateful I could use the facilities kitchen the day of the event to make sure they were served warmed, too! Your sincere help and quick responses enabled me to provide exceptional quality which received many compliments. It was a challenge to make so many at one time, but I did it! Blessings, Suzanne
Hi Tieghan…know this is a last minute question since I’m planning to make 150 of these for a Saturday event that’s coming up on 9/25/21. Your past recommendations have been so helpful about that. I’m just also wondering if you or anyone else on this thread may have made/baked these the night before an event but didn’t serve them until the next day. Questions: 1) have you done it that way? 2) If so, how did you keep them overnight…in a tightly sealed container or in the refrigerator 3) Did you reheat them the next day prior to serving and 4) Were they stiff enough/crispy enough or were they too moist/soggy? I’d really appreciate your input asap. Blessings, Suzanne
Hey Suzanne,
I think I would still recommend baking these the day you plan to serve them. You can totally assemble them the day before and keep in the fridge though! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how they turn out! xTieghan
Thanks so much! I’ll send you pics via email of the event and the way they turned out! So appreciate your help! So excited to now be an official receiver of your site’s emails and amazing recipes…just signed up yesterday. Blessings, Suzanne
Made these last night for my husbands family and they were at HIT! surprisingly easy to make and the oven ended up being occupied before supper so we did them in batches in the air fryer and that worked perfect! cooked up in 5 minutes, flakey pastry, crispy bacon and just overall perfect. All you could here in the kitchen from the boys was ” shut up. shut UP!! these are SO good!! ” So long story short these will for sure be a staple snack for all future thanksgivings, football sundays, and all things!
Hey Brooklyn,
Wonderful! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Absolutely delicious . One of my favorites to make . It pairs very will with zuppa.
Hey Irina,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
These were delicious, got rave reviews, and I want to make them again, BUT they were a NIGHTMARE to get off the wire rack and to clean up. I tried oiling, spraying, and I even tried only sprinkling the sugar mixture on top to reduce sticking. Nothing helped.
Based on the reviews this seems common, so I’m curious on who hasn’t had this issue, what steps did they take and what brand of bacon was used. Flavor is great, but the cleanup is not worth it.
Hey Natalie,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Sorry other you had issues with the wire rack, I am not sure why this has been a problem as the grease from the bacon should really prevent them from sticking. Have a wonderful day:) xTieghan
Can these be made ahead and frozen and then reheat before serving? Or, can they be made ahead up to a certain point, refrigerated for a day or two, and then baked before serving? I need to make anywhere between 100 and 200 of these. Would so appreciate your advice. Thanks so much
Hey Suzanne,
I would just assemble and keep in the fridge overnight and then bake when you are reading to serve. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Thanks….do you think I could assemble them two nights (not just the night before) and put them in the refrigerator before I have to bake them?
Hey Suzanne,
Yes, that will work just fine!! xTieghan
Tieghan…thanks so much for answering my questions so quickly! Just one more if you don’t mind…..when you say if you decide to use a thicker slice of bacon, what do you mean to “halve” it. Does the mean that you cut the thick slice of bacon at the very center of the bacon slice (in other words, a vertical cut) or do you mean slice the bacon horizontally (in other words, from left side of bacon to the right side of the bacon slice)? I wish I could draw a picture at this point….lol!
Hey Suzanne,
You would want to cut it vertically:) I hope this helps! xTieghan