Candied Bacon Cracker Bites

They’re all they’re cracked up to be

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Cool: 5 mins

Total: 80 mins

Servings: 10 servings

Yield: 30 crackers

The perfect bite of salty, creamy, crispy, and sweet. Who’s she?! These bacon crackers combine our love for bacon-wrapped anything with our addiction to candied bacon for an appetizer that invokes every vibe we’re going for at the party. It’s the snack that pairs with just about any beverage whether you’re reaching for a michelada or a martini.

This is the budget-friendly snack of your dreams because it takes only 6 ingredients and less than an hour to throw together. Each component comes ready-to-assemble, minus the orange cream cheese which comes together in a couple stirs—we didn’t want you to get too bored with the prep.

How To Make Bacon Cracker Bites

All you need to do is plop some of the cream cheese mixture onto each cracker, then layer with a piece of date and one of the bacon thirds. In the oven, the bacon fat melts along with the sugar to create a salty caramel blanket over the citrus-studded cheese and sweet dates.

Rectangular Club crackers are my preferred choice for this recipe because the sliced bacon fits perfectly over top to seal together the bite. Placing the crackers on a wire rack set over a baking sheet allows for even cooking so that the crackers don’t burn before the bacon is fully cooked. Don’t forget to line the baking sheet with foil to catch any bacon grease for less cleaning later on.

Tips for Making Bacon Cracker Bites

Break out the kitchen shears—Use your kitchen shears to cut the bacon into thirds—just don’t forget to wash them afterwards!
Cut the bacon to fit the cracker—How much you cut the bacon really depends on your cracker size. If you have larger crackers, you can simply cut the bacon in half. For smaller crackers like Saltines, cut the bacon into shorter pieces. It’s also ok if the bacon wraps around the cracker onto itself.
Avoid thick cut bacon—Don’t use thick-cut bacon for this recipe as it will take too long for the bacon to cook and crisp up, causing the crackers and sugar to burn.
Don’t skip the wire rack—This allows for efficient and accurate cooking. This method cooks the bacon without the crackers burning and absorbing excess grease from the bacon.
Be patient—You can enjoy these crackers slightly warm, but we suggest letting them cool for at least 5 minutes so the candied bacon is able to crisp up for the ideal bite.

Serving Bacon Cracker Bites

Serve these handheld treats on their own or with a dip like sour cream and onion, whipped feta, spinach dip, or anything else your taste buds desire. Plus, they make a great addition to your next charcuterie board.

Make Ahead

I prefer to enjoy this recipe the day of, especially because it’s so quick to prepare, but you can make these ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in a 200 F oven until warmed and the bacon is slightly sizzling, about 8 minutes.

«If you need a great snack in a pinch, these little bacon and date cracker bites are a great choice. The Medjool dates and orange-flavored cream cheese make them a sweet snack with crunch and a touch of saltiness from the bacon and crackers. Yummy!» —Diana Rattray

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 orange, such as navel or cara cara
30 salted buttery crackers, such as Townhouse or Club (about 1 sleeve)
15 pitted medjool dates, halved
10 to 12 ounces bacon strips (not thick-cut), cut crosswise into thirds
5 tablespoons brown sugar

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 300 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack over it.
Put 4 ounces cream cheese, softened in a medium bowl, then zest and juice 1 orange, such as navel or cara cara over the top. Stir until combined. You can add the orange juice to taste, if desired, so you may not end up adding all of it.
Dollop about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the salted side of each cracker, then top each with a date half.
Lay a piece of bacon over the top of each, and place on the prepared rack. Sprinkle each cracker with about 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar.
Bake until the bacon is crisp and glazed with the sugar, 50 to 60 minutes.
Cool for at least 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle and the caramelized sugar has hardened on the bacon.

How To Store

These crackers can be left out for about 2 hours before you need to properly store them.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a 200 F oven until warmed and the bacon is slightly sizzling, about 8 minutes.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

Substitute other crackers—Any buttery cracker works for this recipe whether you prefer Ritz, Townhouse, or Club.
Maple bacon—Brush the bacon with maple syrup instead of sprinkling it with brown sugar.
Use other flavorings—Leave out the orange zest completely or add more flavor from garlic powder, cayenne, Mediterranean spices, and more.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories	296
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 6g	28%
Cholesterol 37mg	12%
Sodium 489mg	21%
Total Carbohydrate 34g	13%
Dietary Fiber 4g	14%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 73mg	367%
Calcium 78mg	6%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 462mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.