These Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Apples came from a last-minute panic. I forgot I needed an appetizer for a holiday party and had exactly four ingredients on hand to pull one together: bacon, an apple, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It turned out to be all it takes.
They disappeared within minutes at that party, and I’ve made them for every holiday gathering since. They’re naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, ready in about 30 minutes, and about as low-effort as appetizers get.
Ingredients
- Apples – I like granny smith for this recipe. They’re firm enough to hold their shape in the oven. Cut into 1-inch chunks, you’ll get about 24 chunks from 2 medium apples.
- Bacon – I use regular-cut, not thick-cut. Thick-cut can be harder to wrap tightly around the apple and may not fully crisp in the bake time. Cut each slice into thirds for bite-sized pieces, or in half if you want fewer, bigger ones.
- Brown Sugar – Light or dark both work here. Dark will give a slightly deeper, more molasses-forward flavor.
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
No, the bacon goes on raw and cooks fully in the oven alongside the apple. That’s part of what makes this recipe so simple.
I haven’t tested this myself, but turkey bacon is leaner and may not crisp up the same way pork bacon does, so the texture could come out different.
Hair fry at 350°F for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway until the bacon crisps. Work in a single layer so they crisp evenly.
Storage Instructions
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350°F until warm through and the bacon re-crisps. Skip the microwave. It turns the bacon rubbery instead of crisp.
Serving Suggestions
These are perfect for a holiday appetizer spread. Pair them with my bacon-wrapped dates with goat cheese for another make-ahead party bite. They also fit right into a fall harvest charcuterie board if you want to round out a bigger spread. For an all-bacon appetizer table, add my bacon-wrapped chicken bites!
Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Apples
Ingredients
- 2 medium granny smith apples - cut into 1-inch chunks (about 24 total)
- 8 slices bacon - regular-cut, cut into thirds to get 24 pieces
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Lay out the bacon strips. Spoon half of the brown sugar cinnamon mixture evenly over the slices of bacon.
- Place a chunk of apple on one end of a bacon strip. Roll the bacon around the apple.
- Place apple bite seam side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, leaving a little space between each. Repeat with remaining slices. Top the bacon wrapped apples with remaining brown sugar mixture.
- Bake at 350℉ for 20-30 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to re-crisp the bacon, the microwave will make it rubbery.
Nutrition
Boy do these look scrumptious!!! Great for this NYE!!!
I love apples. This looks flavorful.
Brillitant!