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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 + a recipe the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- Light or brown dark sugar
- Fresh rosemary
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Frozen puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Cayenne pepper
- Thin cut bacon
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 When I originally made these, it was just a few days before Thanksgiving.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.
Watch the How-To Reel
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!
This post was originally published on November 23, 2020
Great recipe, but your video does not align with your recipe. The recipe says to cut the puff pastry into 12 half-inch strips, but in the video you cut it into 10 strips. Also, on the side-bar where it lists “servings,” you state the recipe will make 26 twists. 12 + 12 is 24. 10 + 10- is 20. Not trying to be rude, or a know-it-all, just wanted to offer the corrections.
Hey Rick,
Thanks for pointing this out! xTieghan
I can’t poet a pic but did make these and they turned out pretty good. Could of done without the rosemary but its all good. How do you store leftovers? Fridge or in oven.
Hey Wes,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I am glad you enjoyed! I store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So great! I made them for Thanksgiving and they were a Huge hit. Making them for a party and again for Christmas!
Note – serving size should be 24, not 26?
Thank you Anne Marie! xTieghan
I made these but they are not crispy because of the bacon fat. What am I doing wrong? Soggy, they are not very appealing.
Hey Kim,
So sorry about this. It is key to use a baking rack on the baking sheet so the grease can drip into the sheet and not cause them to become soggy. I hope this helps for next time! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Love this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing,
Thank you so much LaVerne! xTieghan
Have to give these ALL a try.
Yes! I hope you love them all! xTieghan
Made these last night for a dinner party and they disappeared so quickly! Perfect combo of sweet and savoury – can’t wait to make them again!
I am really glad these turned out so well for you, Sally! Thanks for trying them! xTieghan
We made these for Thanksgiving Day appetizer and they were a big hit! It was our first appetizer of yours that we tried – very easy to put together. Tieghan thank you for your delicious, creative food creations! I’m so glad my daughter showed me your website!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying this Sheila!! xTieghan
Made this for a Thanksgiving snack and it was a hit! Brown sugar and bacon gave it that maple bacon flavor and thyme with cheese was amazing. We ate too many of these because they were that good.
Thank you so much Ashley! xTieghan
These are SO DELICIOUS!! OMG… A little challenging to make the first time, but we discovered a trick: Lay the bacon on top of each pastry strip and wrap them together at the same time, then dredge in the brown sugar mixture. The only bummer was that they stuck to the racks, even though I sprayed them with avocado oil. Trying to figure out how to prevent that from happening next time, ’cause my family has already decreed that I need to make these again at Christmastime!
Wow so happy you all are loving these, Jennifer! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
These were insanely good! Made for just our family of 4 but will definitely bring to future gatherings. They are a little labor intensive but worth it. They also a little messy and didn’t look the best to me; however, once out of the oven they looked just as good as they tasted. The rosemary sugar really made the app feel special. I would recommend spraying your grate/rack with oil spray. Mine stuck pretty good, not sure of that’s avoidable with the sugar and cheese but might help. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Hi Alison! I am really glad these turned out well for you! Thank you for trying them! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
These are SO good!! I made them for my family today for thanksgiving, and I kinda wanted to eat them all myself! Awesome recipe!
Thank you so much Liz! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Can these videos be purchased?
Hey Larrie,
Sorry the videos are not for purchase. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made these last night and between the 4 of us we ate them all! Holy bananas they are so good. I baked mine for 40 mins and they were sufficiently crispy.
I am so happy you loved these, Liz! Thank you so much! xTieghan
These look amazing! Do you think they’d work just as well with shredded mozzarella cheese?
Hey Jennifer,
Yes that is great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan