17 Appetizers Featuring the Best Ingredient of All: Bacon

Keep calm and eat bacon

Simple Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

They say you can't buy happiness... but you can buy bacon, and that's pretty close. Salty, crispy, savory, and smoky, bacon just makes everything that much better. So, whether you are looking for game-day food ideas, need quick and easy party appetizers, or want to Netflix and swill at home with snacks, browse our irresistible recipe collection of bacon appetizers.

  • 01 of 17

    Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball

    Bacon ranch cheese ball

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    Hello, is it cheese you're looking for? The retro-classic cheese ball is reimagined for bacon lovers in this astoundingly sweet, salty, smoky, creamy, crunchy appetizer that includes chopped pecans, hot sauce, and two kinds of cheese. Set it out on a platter surrounded by crackers and raw veggie sticks, and watch as your guests make it disappear. It's party magic.

  • 02 of 17

    Simple Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

    Simple bacon-wrapped shrimp

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Bacon and shrimp are a flavor combo made in appetizer heaven. When you're planning a party, fix a batch of these juicy, crispy, bite-sized bundles in the afternoon for popping under the broiler as guests arrive. They cook in under 10 minutes for a quick and easy appetizer your guests are sure to devour.

  • 03 of 17

    Loaded Baked Potato Skins With Bacon and Cheddar

    Loaded potato skins with cheddar cheese and bacon.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Pub-style potato skins loaded up with bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onions are just like the popular restaurant snack. These easy, oven-baked potato skins are deliciously crispy on the outside and taste great topped with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Serve them for a game-day snack or a fun alternative to hash brown potatoes at breakfast.

  • 04 of 17

    Maple and Brown Sugar Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs

    Maple and brown sugar bacon-wrapped hot dogs

    The Spruce /Ā Diana Rattray

    Cute, bite-sized cocktail franks baked in a bacon wrapping, glazed with a scrumptious, tangy maple and brown sugar sauce, are a great game-day appetizer. Make them in the oven or slow cooker, with tips for both provided, with your choice of classic or spicy hot dogs. Or, for a vegetarian version, use veggie dogs wrapped in veggie bacon.

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  • 05 of 17

    Oysters Casino With Bacon

    Oysters casino with bacon

    Rudisill / Getty Images

    Ring in the New Year with an elegant platter of oysters casino. This swanky dish recalls a bygone era of swanky cocktail parties when people went all-out to entertain. You make it by topping luxurious, broiled oysters on the half shell with salty bacon crumbles, mild green onions, and a mouthwatering medley of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces.

  • 06 of 17

    Stuffed Mushrooms With Bacon, Cream Cheese, and Breadcrumbs

    Stuffed mushrooms with bacon, cream cheese, and breadcrumbs

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Knock out these meaty-tasting, cheesy stuffed mushrooms whenever you need a quick hors d'oeuvre. You can stuff cleaned mushroom caps ahead of time on party day and store them in the fridge for baking up when you're ready. Any kind of bacon will do, but smoked bacon has an especially savory flavor that matches well with mushrooms.

  • 07 of 17

    Devils on Horseback

    Bacon-wrapped dates and cheese aka devils on horseback

    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

    With a broodingly poetic name, and a divinely deep, rich taste, the devils on horseback appetizer is a true party classic. Assemble these flavor bombs ahead of time, wrapping sticky-sweet dates and salty cheese in savory bacon strips. Pop them under the broiler just before guests arrive, for a hot app that is sure to win you rave reviews.

  • 08 of 17

    Cheddar Bacon Puffs

    Cheddar bacon puffs

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Light as air and oh-so snackable, these tasty cheddar cheese and bacon puffs are a surefire party starter. Call them gougĆØres (the French term for choux pastry puffs) or cheese ballsā€”they are addictively delicious either way. This recipe is straightforward and yields a big batch in about 30 minutes. Extras freeze well up to two months for reheating in a low oven.

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  • 09 of 17

    JalapeƱo Poppers

    JalapeƱo poppers on a serving tray

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

    JalapeƱo poppers is the fun name for fresh jalapeƱos that are split in half and stuffed with an indulgent bacon, cheddar, and cream cheese filling. With only five ingredients, these oven-baked pepper poppers are easy to prepare, and they're also carb free. Be sure to remove the ribs and seeds from jalapeƱos, for appetizer bites that are mildly spicy, but not mouth-burning.

  • 10 of 17

    Rumaki Chicken Liver and Bacon Appetizers

    Rumaki Chicken Liver and Bacon Appetizer

    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

    Throwing a beach-themed, tropical party? You've got to have rumaki, a 1950s-era appetizer that wraps chicken livers and water chestnuts in bacon, and broils them on a toothpick, basted in an easy, sweet, and tangy sauce. They are best served straight from the oven, but you can keep them warm in a slow cooker on the low setting.

  • 11 of 17

    BLT Dip

    BLT dip with toasted baguette

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    If you enjoy lunchtime BLTs, you'll love all the fantastic sandwich flavors in this awesome, party-ready dip. Crispy, crumbled bacon, fresh shredded lettuce, and juicy diced tomatoes are layered on top of a spicy, creamy, colorful dip with cream cheese and mayonnaise. Serve with toasted baguette slices for a great snack that lets guests help themselves.

  • 12 of 17

    Bacon Cheeseburger Bombs

    Bacon cheeseburger bombs

    The Spruce

    These slider-like bacon cheeseburger bombs are the ultimate game-day snack. Made by filling balls of prepared biscuit dough with seasoned ground beef, crispy bacon, tangy pickles, melting cheese, and tangy barbecue sauce, they are sure to score a touchdown at TV-watching events. Serve them alongside nachos and Buffalo wings for a championship spread.

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  • 13 of 17

    Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

    Easy bacon-wrapped scallops

    The Spruce

    Elegant enough for a romantic dinner, and quick and easy enough for busy weeknights, bacon-wrapped scallops is a recipe every home cook should know. All you need to do is wrap partially cooked bacon around a plump, juicy scallop, season, and broil for a few minutes to achieve appetizer perfection.

  • 14 of 17

    Bacon-Wrapped Fried Chicken Bites

    Bacon-wrapped fried chicken bites

    Megan Chromik / Flickr / CC 2.0

    What could make fried chicken tenders even better? Wrapping them in bacon, of course. Use a deep fryer or a tall-sided Dutch oven to make these juicy, crunchy, salty bites in your home kitchen. They make a great TV-watching snack or game-day nosh and are always popular at potlucks. Serve with sweet-and-sour sauce for dipping.

  • 15 of 17

    Bacon Caramel Popcorn

    Bacon caramel popcorn

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Turbocharge your party popcorn with this insanely addictive bacon caramel popcorn snack. Chunks of crispy, salty bacon are mixed with caramel corn and toasted pecans before you bake everything together to form sweet, crunchy clusters. The results are a bacon lover's dream. We challenge you not to eat the whole batch in one sitting.

  • 16 of 17

    Bacon-Wrapped Figs

    Bacon-wrapped figs

    The Spruce / Molly Watson

    Bacon-wrapped figs are a sophisticated hors d'oeuvre. Add these smoky, salty, fruity bites to an appetizer platter with seeded crackers, cured meats, and cheeses, or pass them around at parties for an easy finger food. You can prep them early on party day and stash them in the fridge until just before guests arrive. Then quickly broil and serve at once.

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  • 17 of 17

    Bacon-Wrapped Sausages

    Bacon Wrapped Sausages

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

    Baked bacon-wrapped sausages coated in an easy maple-sugar glaze are sweet, sticky, savory, and totally satisfying. They are a great party dish to make when you're pressed for time and need a meaty munchie to serve guests. Just don't skimp on the napkins.