Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese
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Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese
Get ready to elevate your grilled cheese game with this fall-inspired Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese recipe! This oh-so-satisfying sandwich combines the rich flavors of sharp cheddar, smoky candied bacon + sweet tangy apples-- All perfectly harmonized with a drizzle of hot honey. It's a delightful fusion of savory and sweet that's sure to make your taste buds sing! Gluten-free option.
The Perfect Fall-inspired Grilled Cheese!
As a kid, grilled cheese sandwiches were my go-to snack. Fast forward to now, and I've discovered the Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese - A delicious, fall-inspired upgrade from my childhood favorite. Trust me, it's a flavor explosion! And if you're a bacon lover (Who isn't? Haha), you absolutely must give this Southern Honey Mustard Chicken Bacon Sandwich a try next. It's a game-changer!
Here's the best part: once you've got all your ingredients ready to go, it takes just a matter of a few minutes to whip up this grilled cheese! This sandwich has a perfectly golden + crispy exterior that perfectly complements the saucy, gooey goodness on the inside. Plus, it has a gluten-free option so that it works for those with sensitivities. If you're thinking of making your own bread, check out my Soft Buttery Vegan Brioche Bread!
Calling all grilled cheese fans, you've got to try the Everything Chicken Tomato Grilled Cheese, Broccoli Pesto Grilled Cheese, and Southern-Style Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich next-- They're sure to hit the spot! Transform your weekend brunch experience with our mouthwatering Apple Pie Hawaiian Roll French Toast.
Jump to:
- The Perfect Fall-inspired Grilled Cheese!
- What's the Secret to a Good Grilled Cheese Sandwich?
- How To Make Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese?
- Ingredients
- What is Candied Bacon?
- How to Make Candied Bacon
- Ingredients
- Is Apple In Grilled Cheese Weird?
- What is the Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese?
- Should I Cook Grilled Cheese Fast or Slow?
- How To Make Herb Butter?
- How To Roast Apples For Grilled Cheese
- Why You’ll Love This Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese
- How To Make Your Own Hot Honey!
- Other Grilled-Cheese Ingredient Ideas
- What Goes Well with This Grilled Cheese
- Hot Honey Apple Bacon Grilled Cheese Recipe Q + A's
- More Delicious Comforting Recipes
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese
What's the Secret to a Good Grilled Cheese Sandwich?
When it comes to a good grilled cheese, the core main thing is to ensure that you use butter and cook your sandwiches low and slow. I love creating a softened herb butter of some sort to spread on each side of the bread to ensure that it browns nicely.
How To Make Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese?
It might sound quite simple, but it does involve a bit of prep work for the candied bacon, roasted apples + hot honey (more on that soon). However, once that's done, everything comes together, and it all gets slowly grilled to reach that perfect golden perfection!
Ingredients
Here is everything you need to make this drool-worthy Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese:
- Bread. I love using brioche bread for this sandwich or some crusty sourdough. You can use your fave rustic bread. If you want to make your own bread try my homemade vegan brioche bread!
- Organic Sharp or Mild Cheddar. Grated or shredded.
- Candied Bacon. Adds a delicious sweet + smokey element!
- Hot honey. Store-bought or homemade, if opting for store brought my favorite is Mike's Hot Honey
- Herbed Butter. This adds the perfect crispiness to the outside.
- Roasted Gala Apples. A sweet delicious fall-inspired spin.
What is Candied Bacon?
Candied bacon is bacon that's been sweetened to perfection. Picture crispy, smoky bacon strips coated in a mouthwatering layer of caramelized brown sugar + maple syrup. It's that perfect blend of sweet and savory, with a delightful crunch.
Candied bacon is the ultimate treat for bacon lovers and those looking to add a delicious twist to their meals. Some refer to it as million-dollar bacon---it's playfully named because it's so scrumptious, it's like a flavor sensation that hits the jackpot!
How to Make Candied Bacon
With just three ingredients and your oven (or air-fryer), making candied bacon is a breeze. In under an hour, you'll have the best bacon you've ever tasted! Follow the full recipe + tips on how to make candied bacon HERE!
Ingredients
Here is what you need to make the best candied bacon -
- Organic uncured bacon. The star of the show, opt for thick-cut bacon if possible!
- Organic brown sugar. Adds the sweetness and crispiness.
- Pure maple syrup. A little more depth and sweetness.
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS GRILLED CHEESE!
Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese: Everything from my fave baking sheet, parchment paper, food processor, high-powered blender, skillets, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Is Apple In Grilled Cheese Weird?
Not at all! It might sound like an unconventional pairing, but trust me, it's a flavor revelation. The sweet apple slices mingle perfectly with the spicy kick of the hot honey, the smokiness of bacon, and the creamy cheddar. It's a tasty adventure for your taste buds and a fantastic combo to try, especially if you're up for something a bit different. You might just discover a new favorite!
What is the Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese?
Even though this Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese is based on using cheddar cheese, you can also switch things up and add a new flare to it's flavor profile by adding any of the following cheeses:
- Havarti
- Mild Cheddar Cheese
- Gouda
- American cheese
- Goat cheese
- Swiss
- Provolone
- Pepper Jack
- Muenster
Should I Cook Grilled Cheese Fast or Slow?
So, when it comes to cooking grilled cheese much like things like pancakes, it's super important to cook things slowly. Main reason: it helps the cheese and other ingredients to warm through evenly without the outside of the bread getting burned because it's on high heat. Therefore, trying keeping things on low or medium-low and allowing everything to cook slowly. Patience will be your best friend!
How To Make Herb Butter?
It's as easy as mixing all the ingredients together until you achieve a smooth and soft consistency. This is truly my secret weapon when it comes to being a self-proclaimed grilled cheese queen Haha!
Ingredients for herb butter
- 4 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Pinch of sea salt
Feel free to customize the herb selection to suit your taste!
How To Roast Apples For Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 medium Gala apple, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp dried thyme
TO ROAST THE APPLES:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Add the sliced apples, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with cinnamon, thyme, and nutmeg. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tender and juices begin to bubble outside of skin of the apples have wilted and become golden. Remove from oven and let cool.
Why You’ll Love This Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese
- Bold flavors—Savory + sweet marry so well together!
- Easy to make. Easy weeknight meal option or laidback lunch idea.
- Definitely a great way to use leftover candied bacon + roasted apples if you have them on hand!
- Uses simple ingredients.
- Fun cooking activity for the entire family. Kids love the assembling of grilled cheese!
- And just absolutely perfect for any kind of weather, especially when paired with soup during the cooler months.
How To Make Your Own Hot Honey!
Making hot honey is super simple; you just need a few key ingredients:
- 1 cup organic raw honey: The main sweetener that gives your sauce its natural sweetness.
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper: This is what adds the spicy kick to your sauce.
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes: These provide an extra dose of heat and a touch of spiciness.
Optional ingredients:
- Smoked paprika (½ teaspoon): It enhances the smoky flavor of the sauce.
- Garlic powder (½ teaspoon): To intensify the garlic flavor in your sauce.
- Chili powder (½ teaspoon ): It adds a chili flavor with a bit of heat to the sauce.
- Sea salt: Balances and enhances the overall flavor of your hot honey.
- In a small saucepan, pour in the honey.
- Add all ingredients to the honey.
- Heat the honey mixture over low heat. Stir to combine and allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes. This will infuse the honey with the spiciness of the red pepper flakes.
- Once you've reached your desired level of heat, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Let the hot honey cool to room temperature. This allows the flavors to meld together.
- If you prefer a smoother hot honey, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the red pepper flakes. This step is optional.
- Transfer your hot honey to a clean, airtight jar or container for storage.
Your simple homemade hot honey is ready to use! Drizzle it on pizza, fried chicken, biscuits, or anything else you like for a sweet and spicy kick. Store it in a cool, dark place, and it should keep well for several weeks. Enjoy!
Other Grilled-Cheese Ingredient Ideas
If you’re looking for more grilled cheese ingredient inspiration or want to just make this Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese recipe even more delicious, here are some more ideas of what ingredients to add:
- Shredded Chicken
- Add greens: Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Asparagus, Brussels sprouts (shredded), etc.
- Roasted veggies: Bell peppers, zucchini, chipotle peppers, etc.
- Caramelized onions
- Roasted garlic
- Herb-roasted tomatoes
- Homemade pesto
- Sundried tomatoes
- Kimichi
- Pickles
- Other meats: beef, steak, prosciutto, ham, turkey, etc!
What Goes Well with This Grilled Cheese
I like to enjoy my Grilled Cheese on it's own most days or at least with a very simple side, however sometimes you can always spruce things up for a more hearty meal. Therefore, I wanted to share a few more ideas incase you make this grilled cheese more than once and want to switch things up!
Other food option ideas to enjoy this grilled cheese with----include:
- Fries-- Like these, Crispy Cajun Sweet Potato Fries, Seasoned Crinkle Cut Fries, Crispiest Jumbo Garlic Herb Fries, or Spicy Honey Sweet Potato Wedges
- Other appetizers-- Like wings or cauliflower bites! Try these Classic Oven Baked Buffalo Wings, Sticky Peach Chicken Wings, Orange Chicken Wings, Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings/Bites, or BBQ Cauliflower Wings
- Salad--If you want to add a little freshness on the side try Chicken Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons, Spicy Chipotle Sweet Potato Chopped Salad, or Quick + Easy Blood Orange Kale Salad
- Soup-- Grilled cheese + soup is kind of the ultimate combo! I love serving grilled cheese alongside Creamy Garlic Bread Soup, Apple Cheddar Sweet Potato Soup, Roasted Carrot Soup + Cheesy Croutons and Roasted Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
- Mac + Cheese. Because nothing screams comfort like grilled cheese + mac and cheese! My faves are Copycat Velveeta Broccoli Mac and Cheese, Creamy Stovetop Southern Mac + Cheese and Ultimate Vegan Mac + Cheese
Hot Honey Apple Bacon Grilled Cheese Recipe Q + A's
Leftovers can be tightly wrapped in foil paper or an air-tight container and refrigerated for 1-2 days. To reheat, add leftovers to a baking sheet with parchment paper and warm in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until heated through.
Absolutely! To make these grilled cheese sandwiches entirely GF, simply ensure that the bread is GF-Friendly.
Yes! The general method for grilled cheese is to butter the outsides of the bread before placing it in the pan which creates more flavor and ensures that they are perfectly golden brown.
General rule of thumb: cook each grilled cheese butter-side-down letting it brown for 3 to 4 minutes before flipping to the other side. Then cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes more, or until golden brown.
Generally, with regular grilled cheese it's said to toast your bread prior to assembling and making your grilled cheese. However, in this recipe, you'll be baking it afterwards, therefore, the baking process will make it nice and crispy.
It's so important to use shredded or freshly-grated cheeses for the "gooey" results in your grilled cheese. For even better results, I always recommend having your cheese at room temperature for an easier melt. But always remember that certain cheese melt easier than others like American and Cheddar, which are often the go-to's!
More Delicious Comforting Recipes
If you thoroughly enjoyed this Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese recipe, don't forget to add these delicious creations to your "must-make" list.
- Creamy White Chicken Lasagna Soup
- Vegan Pumpkin Curry Butternut Squash
- Easy Flavorful Rigatoni Meatball Soup
- Creamy Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup
- Vegan Cheesy Carrot Soup
- Authentic Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried my Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you.
Hot Honey Apple Cheddar Bacon Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
ROASTED APPLES:
- 1 medium Gala apple, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
GRILLED CHEESE:
- 4 slices bread (I love using brioche bread or other rustic bread like sourdough, etc. )
- 2 cups organic Sharp or Mild Cheddar, grated or shredded
- 4 strips Candied Bacon, chopped
- ¼ cup hot honey, store-bought or homemade (See FAQ/Post for homemade option)
HERB BUTTER:
- 4 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
TO ROAST THE APPLES:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Add the sliced apples, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with cinnamon, thyme, and nutmeg. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tender and juices begin to bubble outside of skin of the apples have wilted and become golden. Remove from oven and let cool.
TO MAKE THE HERB BUTTER:
- Mix together all ingredients until smooth and soft.
ASSEMBLE + COOK:
- On the outsides of each bread slice, spread a bit of the herb butter so that they become nicely crisp and golden.
- On one side of 4 slices of bread, add a spoonful of hot honey spreading evenly until covered followed by a handful of chopped bacon and roasted apples. On the other half of each sandwich (atop remaining 4 slices), add the cheese. Place together one side of bread that has cheese with the other side that has the bacon and apples, pressing them gently together to make a sandwich. Repeat until all sandwiches are made.
- In a large skillet (12-inch) over medium-low heat, add two sandwiches (one side down), cooking until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 4-5 minutes. Flip sandwich unto opposite side and cook from another 4-5 minutes. NOTE: I love using a burger or grill press tool to help flatten my grilled cheeses a bit, which also helps the cheese to melt.
- Once done, cut in halves (if desired), plate the sandwiches with your favorite side or chips and enjoy.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- GUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make these grilled cheese sandwiches entirely GF, simply ensure that the bread is GF-Friendly.
- CANDIED BACON: To make this delicious bacon, see my How to Make Candied Bacon recipe!
- DAIRY-FREE OPTION: To make these grilled cheese sandwiches entirely dairy-free, simply sub the butter with vegan butter as well as ensure that the bread is vegan and sub the cheese with high-quality dairy-free cheese shreds.
Nutrition
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