Cheesy Bacon Twists

This appetizer consists of salty bacon twisted around light and airy, buttery puff pastry with shredded cheddar cheese all in brown sugar, thyme, oregano, garlic, onion, and ground black pepper seasoning! Words do not exist to describe how wonderfully delicious these are!

A long, long time ago, when Lord Byron’s Kitchen was quite young, I shared my Bacon Wrapped Tator Tots recipe with you. About three years later, I shared my Bacon Wrapped Chicken recipe with you. Here, almost two years later, I’m sharing these Cheesy Bacon Twists. At this rate, it looks like I just might share another bacon-wrapped recipe next year! Ha!

Bacon was a regular thing when I was growing up. Actually, oftentimes, my parents would buy bacon ends. Have you had those? I prefer bacon ends because you get a mixture of thin and very thick pieces. Years later, I just recently discovered a shop close to me that sells bacon ends. I wanted to use them for this recipe, but a long, flat, streaky bacon is what is needed here. Thicker-cut bacon will not cook or crisp up enough.

I used to not buy bacon for a long time. When John.e and I started living together, anything meat-related that was sold in larger packages or quantities didn’t make sense to buy. He’s a vegetarian, and I wasn’t about to cook an entire package of bacon just for me. I know I could have frozen it, but at that time, we had only a kitchen fridge with a small freezer component. Couple that with the fact that when McKenna moved in with us, she was also a vegetarian. There was just no point!

Fast forward about ten years or so, and I’m back to buying bacon regularly again. If you have been reading Lord Byron’s Kitchen for any length of time, you might have read that Friday night is homemade pizza night. I have bacon on my pizza, so that is how I use up most of the package. Plus, having access to a deep freezer helps! Anyway, enough banter about bacon, let’s get into this recipe!

I’m going to tell you all about this appetizer and how you can make it in your home this holiday season, but first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. I know we’re just kicking off the holiday season, but I have a lot of Christmas-themed recipes to share with you this year, so I’ve got to get started early. So, before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for this recipe, let me tell you about this series and more!

LORD BYRON’S 12 CHRISTMAS APPETIZERS SERIES

Another holiday series, Lord Byron? Yes – why not!? Welcome, Dear Reader, to the second of my annual holiday recipe series for this season! I’m calling this one Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Appetizers. This series will focus on easy-to-make appetizers that are both delicious and festive.

I will try to keep the recipes in this series quick and easy too. Most of them will require some baking, but they won’t be so complex that you can’t whip them up just before your guests arrive. Some are just assembly-type recipes, while others can be prepared in advance.

Just like every other holiday series that I’ve shared over the years, this series will see a new recipe shared every day for the next 12 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday appetizers year after year?

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Appetizers series! Even though this is the second series for this holiday season, you can always take a look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Some of my favourites from previous years are my 12 Edible Wreaths of Christmas, my 12 Bars and Squares of Christmas series, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Frozen Store-Bought Puff Pastry – It is easier than homemade puff pastry and it works well, however, you can certainly use homemade puff pastry if you prefer.
• Bacon – Use thinly sliced bacon for best results.
• Cheese – Use aged cheddar for best results. It tastes so good with bacon!
• Parmesan – This adds saltiness and nuttiness. Don’t skip out on it!
• Brown Sugar – This will add sweetness and help with caramelization.
• Seasonings – Dried thyme, onion, garlic, oregano, and ground black pepper are used in this recipe.
• Egg
• Parsley and Fresh Herbs – For garnish.

HOW TO MAKE CHEESY BACON TWISTS

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Next, in a rimmed pie plate, stir together the brown sugar, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground black pepper until well combined. Set that mixture aside.

Next, lay each sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry brush, lightly cover the entire surface area of both pastries with the egg. Sprinkle over the shredded cheddar cheese and the parmesan. Gently press down on the cheese ensuring that it sticks to the egg wash. You can lightly roll over the cheese with a floured rolling pin.

Using a round, wheel-type pizza cutter or pasta wheel, cut the puff pastry into long, one-inch strips. Lay a slice of bacon onto each pastry strip. Working with one layered combination strip at a time, lift it by the end and twist it three or four times to create a spiral effect. Roll the twist into the brown sugar and spice mixture. Place the twist onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue until all of the pastry and bacon layers are done.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and the bacon is slightly crisp. Remove the twists from the oven, plate, and garnish. Serve will warm or at room temperature.

LET’S SERVE THESE UP!

These Cheesy Bacon Twists have flavour combinations that work perfectly on their own. And, to be quite honest, that’s how most people tend to eat them. In our home though, we like to do things differently, because when it comes to food, we love things to be saucy or at least dippable. There are two dips that I would highly recommend serving with these.

The first, and probably the most obvious, is marinara sauce. You can buy marinara sauce anywhere, but I prefer to make my own. I have a 30 Minute Marinara Sauce recipe that will knock your socks off! Using canned tomatoes, it tastes like you have been simmering it all day!

The second choice of sauce is for those of us who like the combination of savoury and sweet. I call it Donair Sauce, because that’s all I ever knew it to be. Some people don’t agree with me, but we all agree that this sweet sauce made from sweetened condensed milk is perfection. Serve both of the sauces and let everyone decide how they want to enjoy their Cheesy Bacon Twists.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!

THAT’S ALL FOLKS!

So, there you have it! Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Appetizer series is now complete. Over the past 12 days, I have shared recipes that are cheesy, savoury, sweet, meaty, light, and above all, delicious! Now, it’s up to you to choose which of those recipes you will make to share with your family and friends this holiday season.

Soon, I will publish a complete list of the appetizer series, but for now, I think I’ll take a little break. By little, I mean two days. Because would you like to know what happens on Monday? Okay, I’ll tell you! On Monday, my newest Christmas series will start, but you will have to wait to see what it is! Will it be cookie, sandwich, pie, or turkey recipes? Maybe it will be holiday seafood or a series of hot chocolate recipes!

I’ll see you back here on Monday, right? If you can’t wait, be sure to check out all of my Christmas recipes here. And, if you love Christmas as much as I do, you can read about our annual Christmases here and take a look at our decorations and our traditions too. Enjoy!