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Bacon Bomb: tater tots and pepper jack cheese wrapped in bacon and baked to a golden brown! The perfect appetizer all year round.
This Bacon Bomb recipe is one of my all-time favorite appetizers, and it will be the star of your party! Why? Because bacon, cheese, tater tots… shall I go on?
Craving something unique that is salty, sweet and a touch spicy? Well, you have come to the right place, these Sweet & Spicy Bacon Bombs are just what you need!
This recipe is over the top delicious and not for the faint of heart. I say if you want to splurge, then go all out! One of my biggest treats I go for when I want something savory is BACON. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone on that one!
These bombs are just oozing with everything you crave! Once you have one you’ll find that you just can’t resist and keep popping them in your mouth.
We’re talking about an explosive blend of bacon flavor! The inside and entire surface of these bites are simply mouthwatering.
Plus they are super simple to throw together and you can make as little or as many as you’d like. Great for movie nights, game days, parties, and much more.
So, bring out your inner flavor wizard and make a Bacon Bomb!
Some of my other favorite appetizer recipes we have on our site include: Pub Style Beer Cheese Dip, Parmesan Potatoes and Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms!
Jump to:
- WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- HOW TO MAKE Bacon Bomb:
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- WHAT ARE BACON BOMBS?
- WHAT BACON IS BEST TO USE?
- DO I HAVE TO USE CHIPOTLE POWDER?
- ANY ADDITIONS?
- ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
- HOW TO STORE:
- DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Sweet and Spicy Bacon Bombs
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- With only 5 ingredients it is easy to whip up.
- You can double the recipe for larger crowds or half it for just a smaller gathering.
- You can easily customize this recipe with your cheese preference.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Light brown sugar
- Chipotle powder
- Tater tots
- Bacon
- Pepper jack cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish, optional
HOW TO MAKE Bacon Bomb:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a large sheet of aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.
- Combine the brown sugar and chipotle powder on a small plate, set aside.
- Wrap a tater tot with a piece of the cheese loosely with bacon, we are not looking for a tight seal, or they can explode.
- For the next step, roll the entire thing in the brown sugar mixture.
- Place on the parchment-lined sheet tray about 1 inch apart, seam side down. If there is any of the brown sugar mixture left, sprinkle it on top of the bacon pieces.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Garnish with optional parsley and serve as is or with your favorite sauce.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
WHAT ARE BACON BOMBS?
Also known as a bacon explosion, they are traditionally some type of ground sausage or ground pork wrapped in brown sugar bacon and put on a smoker.
This recipe for Sweet & Spicy Bacon Bombs is a play on the classic.
Tater tots and pepper jack cheese wrapped in bacon and rolled in brown sugar and chipotle powder!
WHAT BACON IS BEST TO USE?
We use thick-cut bacon for this recipe.
It is just the right amount to encase the cheese and tater tots, holding everything together without exploding.
You can use regular bacon, but the bacon will crisp quicker during the baking process so you will have to adjust your time or the outer edges of the bacon may burn.
DO I HAVE TO USE CHIPOTLE POWDER?
No, if you would rather not have the spice in this recipe it is not necessary to use the chipotle powder in it.
They are great without it as we have had them without many times.
ANY ADDITIONS?
The grocery stores have your options.
Maybe just add a few extra slices of bacon, though. Ha!
- Add spicy peppers like jalapeños or red peppers inside for an extra kick.
- Sprinkle cheddar cheese or your favorite cheese over the top for more cheesy goodness.
- Drizzle sweet barbecue sauce or your favorite bbq sauce over the bombs after baking for a real flavor bomb. You can also brush them with a thin layer of sauce.
- Add green onions or chives inside or as a garnish for added flavor.
- Wrap in an extra strip of bacon for even more bacon goodness.
- Top with bacon bits or extra crispy bacon pieces for a crunchy texture.
- Serve with a side of ranch dressing or spicy mayo for dipping.
- Sprinkle with garlic powder or smoked paprika to enhance the flavor.
- Add a slice of pineapple inside for a sweet and savory twist.
- Brush with maple syrup during the last few minutes of baking using a basting brush for a sweet glaze.
- Remaining bacon slices? Cook and crumble for bacon garnish!
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
This will be one of your favorite dishes going forward.
You get to decide the best way to make it, though!
- Bacon: Use turkey bacon or vegetarian bacon strips for a lighter option. Let that bacon bacon wrap!
- Pepper Jack Cheese: Substitute with cheddar cheese, mozzarella, or even slices of spicy sausage for a different flavor.
- Tater Tots: Replace with small half-inch rounds of potatoes or sweet potatoes.
- Chipotle Powder: Use cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, or red pepper flakes to adjust the heat level.
- Brown Sugar: Swap with honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup for a different sweetness.
- Parsley Garnish: Use diced green peppers or red peppers for a colorful and flavorful garnish.
HOW TO STORE:
There are three different ways that you can store these Cheesy Bacon Bombs, making them ahead of time, freezing, and after baking.
- Ahead of time: You will want to assemble as directed, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The bake then as normal per instructions.
- After Baking: You will want to store any leftover bacon morsels in an airtight container (if there are any) and place them in the refrigerator where they will keep up to 3-4 days, you can reheat in the microwave or the lowest setting on your oven.
- Freezing: To freeze you can either bake them and freeze them or assemble and freeze them. Store in a freezer-safe container and they will keep for up to 3 months. Let defrost in the refrigerator and bake like normal.
I’m appetizer obsessed so I immediately think of these first.
But, these crunchy Bacon Bombs would be great at parties, lunch, or even dinner. They go great with homemade burgers!
Heck, there is basically a hash brown inside so yes, breakfast too!
Nutrient information down below, HAHA!
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Great job reading this far! You can use either thick cut or regular bacon for these, if using thick cut add a little time to your baking.
- You can switch up your cheese to your preference, we just like to use pepper jack for that extra kick.
- If you are not a fan of heat you can decrease the chipotle pepper in this recipe, or increase if you want more.
- You can easily double this recipe or halve it for the number of people you are serving.
- You can freeze these before or after baking, see my tips above.
Looking for a fun and easy appetizer recipe for literally any occasion?
Next time your craving hits, you need to make this Bacon Bomb appetizer!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried this BACON BOMB let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me on social media: PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Bombs
Ingredients
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 20 tater tots
- 10 slices thick-cut bacon cut in half
- 20 pieces pepper jack cheese thinly sliced to the size of a tater tot
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the brown sugar and chipotle powder on a small plate, set aside.
- Wrap a tater tot with a piece of the cheese loosely with bacon.
- Roll the entire thing in the brown sugar mixture.
- Place on a parchment-lined sheet tray about 1 inch apart, seam side down. If there is any of the brown sugar mixture left, sprinkle it on top of the bombs.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Garnish with optional parsley and serve.
Notes
- Recipe is adapted from Dinner Then Dessert.
- You can use either thick cut or regular bacon for these, if using thick cut add a little time to your baking.
- You can switch up your cheese to your preference, we just like to use pepper jack for that extra kick.
- If you are not a fan of heat you can decrease the chipotle pepper in this recipe, or increase if you want more.
- You can easily double this recipe or halve it for the amount of people you are serving.
- You can freeze these before or after baking, see my tips above.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Either way is fine, cooking them first makes them a little more crispy.
Are the tater tots cooked before they are wrapped in bacon and cooked at 400?
I’m asking because the assembly photo shows tater tots that looked to be cooked already?
I used the thick cut bacon. Next time I’m going to turn over the bacon bombs halfway through cooking. They burnt on the bottom. Maybe take it down to 375 and cook for a little longer.
I used frozen but you can crisp them first if you want 🙂
These look amazing! I have kind of a silly question. Do you use still frozen tater tots? Or should I thaw or bake the tater tots first?