This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.

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.

overhead close up photo of Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twist

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).

prep photo of rolling out dough

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 When I originally made these, it was just a few days before Thanksgiving.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!

prep photo of twisting dough

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.

prep photo of twist before adding bacon

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.

overhead photo of Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twist

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!!!

overhead photo of Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twist

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

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
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

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!
View Recipe Comments

overhead horizontal photo of Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twist

Add a Comment

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

    1. Hey Joyce,
      Happy Friday!!🌻 I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it and sharing your review:) xT

  1. 5 stars
    I’ve made these many times, as they are always requested at every family dinner! They get easier every time. And better….more cheese and rosemary/suger on top. Even my grandson gobbled them up (he’s one;). Thank you from Cleveland!💚

    1. Hey Deann,
      Happy Wednesday! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT

  2. 5 stars
    Made these for a few friends…they were a HUGE hit! I’ll definitely be keeping this recipe at the top to make frequently.

  3. I made these for Christmas and my family loved them. I was thinking about making them for my sister’s wedding this weekend, but I would need to make them in advance. Do you think that may work? I would make them on Wednesday and freeze them. Then bake on Saturday.

  4. I made these last night and they were delicious! I couldn’t find thin bacon so I used pancetta and it worked out perfectly. This will definitely become a go-to recipe when we have company. Thank you Tieghan for such a great recipe!

    1. Hey Tracey,
      Happy Monday!! I really appreciate you trying this recipe out, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Great idea to use pancetta! Have a great week:)

  5. 5 stars
    These were a bit time consuming but they were a great hit! Worth it! I think next time I put them out on the food line I’ll cut them in half as everyone was snapping them up. The unique flavor combination was so good.

    1. Hi Tracy,
      Amazing! Thanks for sharing your feedback and making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed:)

  6. If I wanted to make these without the brown sugar coating, would you recommend rolling them in something else or just bake it with no coating?

    1. Hi Sarah,
      I would just bake them with no coating:) Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx

        1. Hey Sarah,
          Happy Friday! I am so excited that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a go! xT?

    1. Hi Robert,
      Make sure your cheese is super cold, that will prevent the sticking! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan

    2. I modified the recipe a big – I put the cheese and cayenne pepper on the puff pastry, then folded the puff pastry in half before rolling it. That way it didn’t stick.

      1. Hi Neha,
        Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan

    1. Hi Pepa,
      You are going to want something like a wire rack to elevate the twists above the pan, otherwise they will be soaking in the bacon grease. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan

  7. This recipe took my cheese twist reportoire to another level! The rosemary sugar absolutely makes it, my husband couldn’t stop eating them, anyone else struggled to get a look in!

  8. 5 stars
    These were amazing! Tasty beyond compare and great reheated. One question: did you fold pastry width-wise or length-wise?

    1. Hey Frances,
      Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! I fold the pastry width wise. Happy New Year!? xxT

  9. 4 stars
    I just prepped these to bake off tomorrow, the do look delicious! I felt 1/2 cup of cheese wasn’t quite enough so added extra, not going to lie although it was sitting right in front of me I forgot about the egg wash. Hope it’s not s deal breaker? should I perhaps egg wash the outside before baking or just skip it and hope for the best?

        1. Hey Lynne,
          My family enjoys ranch with these:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

    1. Hi Gena,
      Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays!? xx

    2. Wanted to follow up to let you know what a huge hit these were…despite forgetting the egg wash? only thing I would say if prepping ahead, as I did roll in sugar before baking, not ahead as it kinda melted, my bad but it didn’t matter. Making them again for a brunch next week!

  10. 5 stars
    I made these last night for me and my sister. They were so delicious!! Between the tasty bacon laced with the carmelized brown sugar and rosemary to the soft puff pastry and hint of cheddar cheese and the tiny little sting of cayenne —we were thrilled how they turned out. I used only one pastry wrap and it made 15 plus sticks. We will definitely save this recipe and do again..Thanks for sharing!

  11. 5 stars
    Amazing. 5 stars! Super yummy appetizer, and fun/easy to make! I made a homemade for dipping and the combo was perfect.

    1. Hi Chelsea,
      Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan